Incoming teachers and staff
For hosts: the International Office would like to provide adequate support for international visiting scholars. In order to provide you and your guest with all information and support needed, we ask you announce your guests to the International Office early by filling in the form and sending it to us.
If you, host, are not sure about which category your guest fits in and what next steps should be taken, consult the international office's Guide for Admission of Incoming Teachers and Staff in the IntraNet.
Preparation
If you plan to teach or work at our university, please make the necessary arrangements with your host department first. Once that has been taken care of, you are welcome to contact the International Office. We will be happy to assist you with organising the logistics of your stay in Bochum.
Contact:
Alevtyna Hnenna
Room C0-16a
E-Mail: international.office(at)
Phone: +49 234 3210724
The regulations for entering Germany depend on your nationality and on how long you plan to stay.
Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not need a visa for entering and staying in Germany.
Citizens of some countries may enter Germany as visitors for up to three months without a visa. During that time, they are not allowed to work. For a list of those countries, see the overview of visa requirements on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.
If you do enter Germany as a visitor, please keep in mind that you cannot apply for a longer residence permit after entering the country and that you are required to leave Germany after three months. If you plan to stay longer, or if you plan to work while in Germany, you must apply for an appropriate visa in your home country or your current country of residence before entering Germany. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, or the United States of America may also apply for the required residence and/or work permit after arriving in Germany.
To apply for a visa, please contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country or country of residence. Keep in mind that it may take 4-6 weeks and up to several months for the visa to be issued. That is why we recommend submitting your visa application as early as possible.
See here for an overview of websites to help you find a place to live in Bochum. We recommend that you start looking for suitable housing as soon as possible.
The closest airports are Düsseldorf and Dortmund. There are direct train connections between Düsseldorf airport and Bochum central station; the train ride usually takes around 35-40 minutes. Go to the website of Deutsche Bahn to find suitable train connections.
The best way to get from Bochum central station to the UAS_BO campus is by subway train (U-Bahn). Take the U35 line (towards “Hustadt”) and get off at “Lennershof”. From there, it is a 5-10-minute walk to campus (Video: Walking to UAS_BO from the “Lennershof” U35 stop).
For more information on getting to and around the UAS_BO campus, click here.
After your arrival
In Germany, all persons who move into a room or apartment are required to register with the local authorities. Within two weeks of entering the country or moving into a new place, you and all family members traveling with you must register with the Residents’ Registration Office (“Bürgerbüro”) in charge of your neighbourhood.
Make an appointment with the Bürgerbüro online (online appointments at the Bochum Bürgerbüro). To register, you will need your ID/passport and a proof of residency letter from your landlord (“Wohnungsgeberbestätigung”).
Feel free to contact the International Office for help with registering with the city; we will be glad to assist you.
If you plan to stay in Bochum for less than two weeks, you do not have to register here.
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you have to apply for a residence permit at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office (“Ausländerbüro”) before your entry visa expires. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and the United States who entered Germany without a visa and plan to spend more than three months in Germany also have to apply for a residence permit within three months after their arrival.
We recommend submitting this application as early as possible (about 8-10 weeks before your visa expires).
An appointment with the Foreigners’ Registration Office in Bochum can be made by email or by phone.
In most cases, researchers and accompanying family members are required to have health insurance in Germany. Proof of health insurance coverage must be provided, for example, when applying for a residence permit or when signing an employment contract. In Germany, there are two types of health insurance: public or private. Whether you have to sign up for public or for private health insurance in most cases depends on whether you are employed in Germany (on a German employment contract) or whether you are funded by a scholarship or other sources.
For more information on Germany’s health insurance system, see here (DAAD) or here
If you plan to stay in German for more than just a few months and if you don’t have a SEPA bank account (SEPA = “Single European Payment Area”), we recommend that you open a German bank account. You can do so at a wide range of banks. To open an account, you will generally have to present your ID/passport and a proof of residence from the Residents’ Registration Office.
The International Office staff is happy to assist you with opening a bank account.
Before your departure
- Make an appointment for deregistering with the Bürgerbüro and go there to deregister about one week prior to your departure (if your stay in Bochum is less than two weeks, you do not have to register and deregister).
- Terminate your German bank account if you have one.
- Return your keys or transponder to UAS_BO.
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