First Time to Karlsruhe - enggsajjad/psa GitHub Wiki

This page describes the matters related to your first arrival to karlsruhe.

Notify in time

The most important thing is to get in touch with senior Pakistani students at your future university or the city. Some cities have organized Pakistani Students Associations (PSAs) while others may have no such organized group. In any case, you can contact students using the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1402984833300904

The key to understand here is that the seniors are helping you voluntarily and are not paid to do so. So be respectful and grateful in your conversations. Also, everyone here is quite busy. Try to figure out some things on your own rather than asking seniors for every small step. This might annoy some people and they might stop responding! The important information you can get from seniors is about accommodation and city/uni specific information. In some cities, PSAs arrange airport pickup and temporary accommodation for new students. But you have to coordinate in time.

Arrival to Airport (Frankfurt/Stutgart)

Although everything is marked clearly in Germany, it can still be confusing for new students to understand the transportation system here if they have never seen a well-developed one before. If some senior student agrees to pick you up from the airport and drop you at your accommodation, that can help you a lot. If this isn’t possible, then you have to find your own way.
Each city has its own transportation network. For example, a student is coming to Karlsruhe, he/she can search for “public transport Karlsruhe” and one of the first links in the results is:

https://www.kvv.de/

Similarly, websites for other cities’ transportation companies can be found. From these websites, you can plan your route by entering origin and destination and also check for ticket prices, network maps etc. Depending on the city, there will be an underground (U) or suburban (S) train or tram (Tram) or bus (Bus) connection from the airport towards the city centre. The symbols in brackets are what you should look out for at the airport. Somewhere nearby, you will also find ticket machines. Keep some cash with you. In most cities, tickets need to be validated/stamped before entering the platform for trains or inside buses and trams. If you don’t understand something or are unable to find something/someplace, ask people around you. Many people (especially young ones) do understand some English and even if they don’t, they try to help out. There are also information centres at airports marked with a small “i” symbol. If you need to travel to some other city, then you will have to use Deutsche Bahn. Use their website:

https://www.bahn.com/en

Deutsche Bahn tickets are available from the red ticket machines at airports or railway stations. You will probably need to reach the central station (Hauptbahnhof) first from the airport in order to continue your journey to your final destination.

From Airport to Karlsruhe

You can take fast train (ICE) from Frankfurt or Stuttgart to reach to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof (Main Railway Stations). The Railway stattions at Frankfurt is just nearby while for Stuttgart you have to take Tram to reach to main railway station and from there you can take ICE. Usually, internet is available of airports/ICEs, you can connect and be in touch.

Karlsruhe (Hbf) to Room

From Karlsruhe Hauptbanhof (hbf) you can take a tram to reach within the Karlsruhe region/city. The connection can be checket at https://www.kvv.de/

Accomodation

There are around 58 Studentenwerk organizations in Germany. These offer the best accommodation possibility for a student in terms of price and facilities. However, since the number of rooms is far less than the number of students, not all students can get a room there - most of them have a waiting list. It’s best to register at the Studentenwerk in your city and then visit their offices on arrival. Many students get a room this way. To find the website of the Studentenwerk in your city, use the following map:

https://www.sw-ka.de/en/

Other than Studentenwerk, one can look for a room in a shared apartment (called Wohngemeinschaft or WG) or a single room private apartment. These are generally more expensive and difficult to get for international students. The idea of renting a 2-3 room flat and sharing it among new students is very unlikely to realize (especially in big cities). Nobody wants to give away their apartment to a group of new students who have no steady source of income. So, it’s recommended to try more for individual rooms/apartments. Be careful while searching on websites for private accommodations; there are also fraudsters out there. Use the following links to search:

http://www.wg-gesucht.de/

http://www.immobilienscout24.de

For further details, have a look at Accommodation.

City Registerations

This step is called Anmeldung and you will be issued a document called the Meldebescheinigung. If you move to another apartment, you must register at your new residence within two weeks.

Duty to register: In Germany, you are required by law to register your address or any change in your address to the authorities in your town/city of residence. This is important: you may have to pay a fine if you do not do this in time.

What document should I take with me when I register?

  • Passport or identity card
  • Foreign passport (if available)
  • Electronic residence permit (if available)
  • Confirmation from your landlord (e.g. rental contract)

Important: When you register, you will receive a Meldebescheinigung (confirmation of registration). Please keep this document in a safe place.

Registration: In Germany, when you move into a new house or apartment, you must register with the local authority within two weeks. You can do this at any Bürgerbüro (citizens’ office) in the city of Karlsruhe. Click this link to find the addresses of all citizens’ offices in Karlsruhe: https://www.karlsruhe.de/stadt-rathaus/service-buergerinformation/buergerdienste

Changing address: Even if you move into a new house or apartment in the same city, you must also register your change of address with the local authority within two weeks.

Make an appointment: It is often a good idea to make an appointment at your local citizens’ office before going. You can do this either by telephone – dial 115 (telephone service centre for the city and district of Karlsruhe) – or online at https://www.karlsruhe.de/stadt-rathaus/service-buergerinformation/terminvereinbarung Further information at Bürgerservice Karlsruhe.

University Admision

If you have already paid your semester fees/semester contribution, you can go to the Enrollment (Immatrikulation) Office of your university; if not, then pay your fees first. There you need to show proof of insurance and your original documents. You will then be issued enrollment documents. These are required for example, by Studentenwerk after each semester and may also be required for issuance of a semester ticket (for transportation).

  1. Important links for KIT

Health Insurances

Health insurance is a requirement for enrollment. For this, you will need Anmeldung, university admission letter and bank details. They will issue you a letter at the same time which can be used for enrollment. The insurance card will follow within a couple of weeks via post. Few health insurance companies:

  • TK
  • AOK
  • Mawista

Germany is one of the medically best provided for countries in the world. The health service is governmentally subsidised and about 72 million people (i.e. almost 90% of the population) are insured through a statutory or private health insurance scheme. The statutory health insurance scheme covers the costs of treatment by a doctor or dentist, medicines, hospital treatment, and many other palliative and preventive measures. Everyone insured in statutory health insurance has to pay a basic charge on medicines and other items if he/she is not exempt from this additional charge. You can be exempted from these additional payments if your monthly income is below a certain level but you have to apply for this exemption when you sign your health insurance contract. This often applies to students; your health insurance scheme will advise you. In addition there are certain costs not covered in full, such as charges for dentures, orthodontic work, and spectacles where you merely receive a part-subsidy.

In private health insurance prices as well as benefits vary greatly. Since medical treatment in Germany is expensive we recommend covering more than just the basic minimum.

Students are eligible to statutory health insurance at the lowest monthly rate. Per term (6 months) you will pay ca. 350 EUR. This regulation does not apply to students who have spent more than 14 semesters studying any one subject and who are over the age of 30. After this you have to go to the health insurance’s office, bring your passport and student card and sign the insurance contract. The largest statutory insurance company is the “Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK)”. Offices of the AOK and the ”Techniker Krankenkasse (TK)” are situated near the UDE Duisburg Campus. You need to join a German health insurance provider. Most providers offer reduced rates for students under the age of 30.

You will receive a health insurance card from your provider which you are obliged to bring to any consultation with a general practitioner/ doctor.

All students are required to provide proof of health insurance cover when matriculating & have to be covered by the compulsory health insurance scheme. if you want a private medical insurance then you can be covered by a private insurer. To do this, you must apply for the removal of the compulsory health insurance requirement within the first three months of your studies. This exemption is, however, permanent: it applies for the remainder of your studies irrespective how how many courses you take at the same time or back-to-back.

It is no longer possible to return to the relatively low cost required student insurance scheme!

Most private insurers offer special rates for students, but these still, as a rule, are higher than in the compulsory insurance scheme. Co-payment and prepayment of treatment fees are usual practices in private health insurance schemes. Sudden increases in rates are also possible. In addition to this, upon starting a family, all family members must pay contributions to the private insurance scheme; You cannot insure relatives on your policy for free.

The only way back into the compulsory health insurance scheme is to be required to take out this type of insurance as an employee. Whoever has been covered by compulsory health insurance as a required waged employee for the period of one year can apply to return to the compulsory health insurance scheme.

if you are ill then what to do ...

you have to contact with your nearest general doctor/practitioner (Allgemeinartz), the health card (chip or smartcard) must be presented.

Generally speaking, a fee of 10 € is to be paid quarterly when a dentist or a general practitioner is consulted. General practitioners and specialists may transfer patients to other specialists or physicians. In this case, no fee needs to be paid if the visit takes place in the same quarter of the year.

If a doctor prescribes medication, 1 per cent of the cost has to be paid by the patient: i.e. at least 5 € and up to 10 €, but no more than the actual cost of the drug or medication, must be paid.

Every insured person is expected to pay a certain amount towards medication and similar services, up to 2 per cent of the gross annual income:

  • the standard fee of 10 €
  • Additional payment for medication
  • Additional payment for hospital care

If over 2 per cent of the annual gross income has been paid, the patient may apply to the health insurance company for an exemption from further costs. For further information, the individual's health insurance company should be contacted.

Free choice of medical care is guaranteed for insured students. Details of physicians and medical specialists are available from Gelbe Seiten (standard brochure of advertisements).

How to get medical help when clinics are closed

Some useful information about how to get medical help when regular clinics are closed (e.g. at night, on the weekend or on public holidays etc.). A new number has been introduced since April 2012 which can be dialed toll free from landlines and mobiles throughout Germany. With this number, you can get advice, find out where an available doctor in your locality is or have a doctor visit you at home. The number is 116 117. For more info:

http://www.116117info.de/html/index.php

Payment can be made with your insurance card. Like usual, the first time in a quarter you call them and have a doctor visit you, you have to pay 10 €

Bank Accounts

You can open a bank account at the bank of your choice. You should ask to open a giro account that comes with an EC-card so that you can benefit from cashless payment. Most banks offer special tariffs for students or even grant students a cost-free service. In some cases, you have got to make an appointment for opening an account.

  • You need following documents:
  • Passport
  • Student ID
  • Rental agreement
  • Registration letter proving that you registered with the Foreigners Registration Office (if you already have it).

In case you have not yet finalised your registration with the Foreigners Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) or town, you can show your lease contract in order to prove your address of residence in Germany. It is advisable to open a bank account immediately after your arrival as many regular payments (e.g. rent, health insurance) require a German bank account. In addition, transfers from account to account save the fee for cash pay-ins.

So, find a Deutsche/CommerzBank/Post/Anyother Bank branch near your accommodation or university. Deutsche Bank is the bank having the largest number of branches in Germany and to find one near you shouldn’t be so difficult. To activate your account, you will need your passport and Anmeldung/Meldebescheinigung. You can withdraw cash from your account at the bank but for using ATM, you have to wait till you receive your EC Card by post and its PIN. PIN for online banking and a TAN list for online transactions will also be sent to your postal address within the next few weeks. Some online banks:

Applying for a Residence Permit

The student visa issued from Pakistan is for 90 days and it is recommended to apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) as soon as you can. For this, you will need enrollment, bank statement, health insurance, Anmeldung, photo etc. Residence permit is also required for any work you might want to do. The details can be looked at Ausländerbehörde

Aliens Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde)

Where do you have to register if you are not from an EU country? If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and are entering Germany to live here permanently, you must register with the local Ausländerbehörde (Foreign’s Registration Office). They will issue you with an Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit).

Please make an appointment in advance either by phone – Tel. 115 – or online at https://tempus-termine.com/termine/index.php?anlagennr=29&anwendung=1&infotext=bb

  • Where?

Ausländerbehörde, Stadt Karlsruhe, Ordnungs- und Bürgeramt, Kaiserallee 8, 76124 Karlsruhe

  • What do I take with me?

Enrollment, Bank statement, Health insurance, photo, Identity card or passport Confirmation of registration from the Bürgerbüro (Anmeldung)

  • What do I receive?

Approval for Residence permit, residence permit for specific purposes or other certificates. The Card will be posted later and you have to pick it up taking another appointment

Further details:

Adjusting to New Environment

Now you have taken care of all important things. The first few days are usually quite hectic; running around the city for taking care of the above mentioned steps. After completing them, you can relax a little and observe your environment better, make some new friends and get used to your university and surrounding areas. If you made it so far, it’s quite certain you can deal with all this too and then get started with your new study life.

International Office and Student Groups

All universities have a student office or international office to help out students. If you have any problems regarding the above procedures or other matters, contact them. Some student groups also arrange for groups to do the above activities guided by a tutor. Make yourself aware of these possibilities and benefit yourself from them.

This guide has been written keeping in view new Pakistani students in Germany. The information contained in the document is based on the personal experiences and observations of the author. It may not apply exactly to your case and is subject to change. It is the responsibility of the student to check recent information and act accordingly.