Preparation

To enter Germany, you will generally require a visa, for which you should apply at least three months before your departure at the German embassy or consulate in your home country.

Hosting Agreement (PDF, 78 KB)

Exceptions apply to the following countries:

• Old EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
  You do not need a visa or a work permit.
• New EU member states
  You may need a separate work permit. Please check with the German embassy or consulate in your home country in good time before entering Germany.
• Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Korea and the USA
  You do not need a visa to enter the country. For stays longer than 3 months, however, you must apply for a residence and work permit after your arrival in Germany. If you live in Braunschweig, you can obtain them from the Foreigners' Registration Office in Braunschweig.

More information on entry and visa requirements can be found on the Euraxess website:

Euraxess: Visa and entry conditions

Residence permit for research purposes

As an international scientist, you may apply for a residence permit for research purposes (Forscherrichtlinie §20 AufenthG). This type of visa

• is approved more quickly and makes it easier for your spouse or family to join you,
• is an option for you if you earn more than € 1,936.67 per month for your research activities in Braunschweig.

To apply for a researchers' visa, you need to sign a hosting agreement with your receiving research institution. Please discuss this possibility with your institute in Braunschweig before concluding the contract.

Blue Card

The so-called Blue Card has been introduced in order to make European countries more attractive for international researchers.

Information on the prerequisites and advantages can be found here:

Information sheet Blue Card [German] (PDF, 149 KB)

Halls of residence and guest houses at TU Braunschweig

The Studentenwerk operates 8 halls of residence for students and doctoral students and 2 guest houses with furnished apartments for international scientists at TU Braunschweig. Please send your application directly to the Studentenwerk:

• Application for international researchers: Please contact Ms. Bender from the Studentenwerk.
• Application for enrolled doctoral students: Please apply through the Studentenwerk's residence portal

Online application for halls of residence

Please note, that the housing market in Braunschweig is very tight at the moment, and it might not always be possible to find accommodation that fulfills all your needs. Be prepared to compromise. Please start searching for accommodation as soon as possible when planning your stay at Braunschweig. Accommodation cannot be guarenteed by the university.

Hotels and AirBnB

If you plan to stay one month or less, a hotel or holiday flat is probably the best option for you. Regular flats are not usually rented out for such short time periods.

Hotels in Braunschweig

AirBnB

Private furnished rooms and flats

For short-term stays up to one year, a furnished room or flat is a good alternative to a complete move. Since the number of furnished rooms and flats in Braunschweig is limited, please let your institute know that you are looking for this type of accommodation as early as possible. We will be happy to assist you in arranging contacts. Current offers can be found on the following websites:

Immobilienscout24WG-Gesuchtebay Kleinanzeigen

Unfurnished Flats

Unfurnished flats are considerably cheaper than furnished ones, but there are higher costs when moving or buying new furniture. For stays of about one year or more, it is worth renting an unfurnished apartment. You have the best chances with one of Braunschweig's building societies. They have a large contingent of apartments at their disposal with comparatively low rents:

BBGWiederaufbauNibelungen Wohnbau

For your research activity in Braunschweig, it is probably not necessary that you speak German, since the language of communication is English. Everyday life, however, will be much easier if you have a basic knowledge of German. At the supermarket or bakery, at the local authorities or the ticket office, you will probably not be able to communicate in English.

Especially if you plan to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, we recommend that you attend a language course, either before your arrival in your home country or here in Braunschweig.

The Language Centre at TU Braunschweig offers German courses at all levels. The staff will be happy to advise you individually on the selection of a suitable course.

German courses at the Language Centre

If your family accompanies you to Braunschweig, you must also organise their stay and find suitable childcare. Please get in touch with us in good time and we will be happy to help you choose a suitable childcare facility.

Nannies (Tagesmütter)

Another alternative for small children is a "Tagesmutter" or nanny, who takes care of a small number of children in her home. You will pay between 3,00 – 8,00 € per hour. The city of Braunschweig pays you a subsidy based on your income. The hours can usually be arranged more flexibly than with a daycare centre.

Toddlers' Groups

Toddlers' groups are no childcare, but a good way to get to know other parents and children. They usually meet once or twice a week to socialise and play with the children.

Kindergarden

In Germany, children between the age of 3 and 6 usually attend a half-day or full-day kindergarten. Attendance is voluntary, since kindergarden in Germany is not equivalent to pre-school. The main aim is to offer kids the chance to get to know other children and develop social skills. During their last year the children receive some playful preparation for school. In addition to the municipal kindergardens, there are several facilities run by the church or by parents’ initiatives.

Kindergardens and Daycare centres in Braunschweig

In Germany, all children from 6 to 15 years are required to attend school. For the first 4 years, they attend primary school (Grundschule). After that, there are four different school types to choose from:

• Lower secondary school (Hauptschule): school years 5 to 9 or 10, qualification: Hauptschulabschluss (regular secondary qualification Hauptschule)
• Lower secondary school (Realschule): school years 5 to 10, qualfication: Realschulabschluss (regular or extended secondary qualification Realschule)
• Higher secondary school (Gymnasium): school years 5 to 13, qualification: Abitur ( prerequisite for attending a university or a university of applied science in Germany)
• Gesamtschule: a combination of the above school types, students are grouped according to their level of achievement.

The choice of school is usually made after a personal meeting with the school management. The school year always begins after the summer holidays between July and September. Schools in Germany are generally public and attendance is free. More information about the German school system can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education of Lower Saxony:

The German school system

Schools in Braunschweig

There is a large number of public schools in Braunschweig. The language of instruction is German, some secondary schools (Gymnasiums) offer bilingual classes from the 5th or 7th grade, with part of the lessons being held in English.

Braunschweig also has a private International School, tailored specifically to the needs of children who move frequently and have limited German skills. The teaching language is English. Tuition fees are €750 per month. There are reductions in individual cases.

We will be happy to help you find a suitable school. Please contact us early if you have a child of school age. You can find more information about the Braunschweig schools on the website of the city of Braunschweig:

Schools in Braunschweig