Uni-Compass - Practical Hints For International Students
Uni-Compass - Practical Hints For International Students
Uni-Compass - Practical Hints For International Students
We are happy that you have decided on enrolling at the University of Wrzburg.
With this brochure, we would like to facilitate your orientation in a foreign country and to help
you familiarize yourself with a new culture more quickly.
Wrzburg University is among the oldest universities in Germany. Due to its easily
manageable size, it provides a pleasant, friendly atmosphere, as an integral part of a city that
lives with and through its student community.
About 20,000 students are currently registered at the University of Wrzburg, approximately
1,500 of them come from abroad. Accordingly, Wrzburg ranks with Germanys mediumsized universities. As a study environment, the university is less anonymous, and you will
establish contacts with classmates and teachers much more easily.
Today, at around 130,000 residents, Wrzburg is the cultural and political center of the
Northern Bavarian region of Lower Franconia. Nestled between the vineyards on the hills
surrounding the city and home to a multitude of art-historical monuments, Wrzburg is
counted among the loveliest cities in Germany.
Wrzburg also offers many opportunities for excursions into its environs and makes for an
ideal starting point for trips to other cities in Germany.
We wish you a good start to your studies and an enjoyable stay in Wrzburg.
converted into a student visa or residence permit. Find out as early as possible,
which documents the diplomatic representatives in your home country require. The
sooner the visa formalities are taken care of, the more flexible you will be in your
planning.
Tutor Support
Naturally, the first few days in a new town are the most difficult. More experienced students
will help you deal with the most pressing matters:
Arrival in Wrzburg (Pick-up from station);
Moving into the dormitory (Room key, contacting superintendent);
Running errands/formalities (City Hall, health insurance providers, Student Services, etc);
Completing all necessary forms (Registration, residence permit, etc.);
Routine affairs (Shopping, opening an account, recreation/sports, and many things besides)
For a list of tutors names, please go to:
http://www.international.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/studying_in_wuerzburg/student_tutors/
Arriving in Germany
It is easy to get to Wrzburg from Frankfurt Airport. InterCity trains to Wrzburg
Hauptbahnhof (Wrzburg Central Station) run every hour (approx. 80 min travelling
time). For most of these trains, there will be an InterCity/ICE surcharge. For
timetables, please see: www.bahn.de
Opening an Account
Since you want to stay in Germany for longer than three months, you should open a
checking account (Girokonto) with a bank or Sparkasse (publicly-supported banking
institution). In order to open a student accountyou will have to show your Immatriculation
Certificate or your Letter of Admission.
Registration/Residence permit
After arriving, you should register with the proper registration authority for your place of
residence as soon as possible.
If you live in Wrzburg, your Registration Office is:
Brgerbro, Meldestelle der Stadt Wrzburg
Rathaus, Rckermainstr. 2, 97070 Wrzburg
Room (Zimmer) 34
Opening Hours (ffnungszeiten):
Mon Wed: 8:00 17:00 Thu: 8:00 18:00 Fri: 8:00 17:00
Citizens Office (Brgerbro): www.wuerzburg.de/de/verwaltungpolitik/buergerbuero/index.html
Directions: http://www.wuerzburg.de/buergerservice/teldis2/kxpi/bilder/buergerbuero-r.eg.jpg
If you live in the district area, please contact the local administration (Rathaus/Gemeinde) of
your place of residence or District Administration (Landratsamt), Zeppelinstrae 15, 97074
Wrzburg,
Opening Hours:
Mon Thu 7.30 -13.00, Thu also 14 17, Fri 7.30 12.00
www.landkreis-wuerzburg.de/
Residence Permit/Aufenthaltsgenehmigung
(no longer necessary for EU citizens)
Since your visa is only temporary, it must be replaced in your passport by a residence permit.
Even students who do not require a visa nevertheless must have a residence permit. To
apply for a residence permit, show the following documents at City Hall:
- Registration Certificate from Registration Authority
- Passport
- Letter of Admission from University of Wrzburg
- 1 passport photograph
- Possibly a Bank Certification Statement or other proof of adequate funding
City Hall Wrzburg (Rathaus), Room 11:
Mon: 8:30 13:00,
Tue: 14:00 16:00,
Wed: 8:30 13:00,
Thu: 14:00 18:00,
Fri: 8:30 12:00:
www.wuerzburg.de/de/verwaltungpolitik/auslaenderwesen/16028.Staatsangehoerigkeits_und
_Auslaenderangelegenheiten.html
Health Insurance
In Germany, health insurance is compulsory for all students nationals or foreigners. On
Registration/Immatriculation at the University, students must produce proof of health
insurance (statutory or private). It is not possible to register without this proof (membership
cards from healthcare providers are inadmissible!).
You should therefore take care of your health insurance soon after you arrive at your place of
study. To do this, you have to present your Letter of Admission at the health insurance
organization of your choice. You will receive a membership certificate, which you will have to
submit at Immatriculation/Registration. There is a special student healthcare plan
(Studentische Kranken- und Pflegeversicherung), which is comparatively inexpensive.
Statutory health insurance providers (gesetzliche Krankenkassen) uniformly offer a rate of
approx. 58 Euro/month for students up to age 30. Germany has entered into social security
agreements with a number of countries. This applies to most members of the EU and some
other European states. The statutory health insurance providers of these countries are
recognized in Germany. Students may remain insured in their country of origin and will be
exempt from compulsory insurance contributions in Germany. Under certain conditions,
students who have private health insurance in their native countries may be exempted from
compulsory health insurance as well. You should therefore contact your health insurance
provider at home, to find out if and what kind of healthcare benefits they will cover. In any
case, you will need an insurance certificate from a statutory provider for registering at the
University. You can obtain it by presenting proof of health insurance in your country of origin
at one of the statutory health insurance providers at your place of study. Depending on
where you are from, you will need different forms that bear the confirmation of your health
insurance provider at home.
Statutory health insurance providers (Gesetzliche Krankenkassen) in Wrzburg:
-Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Wrzburg (AOK), Studentenservice, Sanderstrae 27
-Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK), Theaterstrae 25
-Kaufmnnische Krankenkasse Halle (KKH), Kaiserstrae 13
-Techniker Krankenkasse (TKK), Barbarossaplatz 5-7
Please bear in mind that student health insurance cover only becomes effective with the
beginning of the semester. If you plan on arriving in Germany before the semester starts (e.
G. For a language course), remember to take out private health insurance for the relevant
period.
banks. www.rundfunkbeitrag.de
Montly fees: 17,98
Internet Access
On registration, every student of the University of Wrzburg is assigned an e-mail address
and an access authorization for the university computers. For more info, please go to:
www.uni-wuerzburg.de/ueber/zentrale_einrichtungen/rechenzentrum_it-dienste/startseite/
Housing
Student Services/Studentenwerk Wrzburg
In Germany, student dormitories are not managed by the universities themselves, but by selfcontained organizations named Studentenwerk. For more information and application forms,
please see the Studentenwerk-website for Wrzburg: www.studentenwerk-wuerzburg.de.
http://www.studentenwerk-wuerzburg.de/en/wohnen/move-in-guide.html
An overview of the prices can be found at:
http://www.studentenwerk-wuerzburg.de/en/wuerzburg/student-residences/overview-roomrates-wuerzburg.html
You should be quick to reserve your space in a dormitory, as there may be shortages at
times.
The Studentenwerk offers a household package for a maximum of two semesters. It
includes, e. G., bed linen and standard household items. For more information, please go to:
www.studentenwerk-wuerzburg.de/Infos/Ausland/haushaltpaket.pdf
4 rooms
Male and female students
Wohnanlage Ratisbona,
Ursulinergasse 1, 97070 Wrzburg,
Phone: (+49) 9741/ 89 960 (Herr Reinmann)
http://www.wohnheim-wuerzburg.de/
Male and female students
If you do not have a space in a dormitory, the first thing to do is to find an apartment,
as you must have a residential address for registration with the Registration Office
and for your residence permit.
Accomodation Service
The Studentenwerk supports students in seeking rooms or apartments. At Studentenhaus
Wrzburg, the Central Accommodations Office keeps a list of private landlords/landladies.
However, it may only be viewed on the premises. Information cannot be given on the
telephone. It is therefore necessary to appear in person.
Studentenhaus, 1st floor above the Mensa (Dining Hall), Kassenschalter (Cashiers Booth)
97072 Wrzburg, Phone: (+49) 931/ 8005-128 and 120
Opening Hours:
Mon, Tue, Thu
9 13.30 Wed
9 14 Fr 9 13.00
Other Contacts When Looking for Housing
Private room index at Studierendenvertretung der Universitt Wrzburg (Students
Representatives), Mensagebude
Am Hubland, 1st floor, Room 111
Phone: (+49) 931/ 888-5819
Mon to Thu 9 to 15, Fri 9 to 13
WG- und Wohnungsbrse fr Deutschland (Exchange for apartments/shared space)
www.wg-gesucht.de
www.studenten-wg.de
www.WG-cast.de
www.wohnungsboerse.net/mieten/Wuerzburg/wohnungen-mietwohnungen (WGZimmer without fee)
www.wuerzburgerleben.de/wohnen (without fee)
www.homecompany.de (with fees)
www.wuewowas.de
www.Immonet.de
www.mainpost.de/anzeigen/suchen/immobilien/
Studium Generale
Lectures and classes of the Studium Generale program are open to students of all faculties.
They are listed in the Course Catalog (Section L Lehrveranstaltungen fr Hrer aller
Fakultten).
http://www.studiumgenerale.uni-wuerzburg.de/
Music
The University of Wrzburg is home to a wide range of orchestras and choirs, always glad to
welcome new members. For an overview, please go to:
www.musikpaedagogik.uni-wuerzburg.de/ensembles
Theater Groups
If you love acting, here is further information:
www.stuv.uni-wuerzburg.de/arbeitskreise/unitheater_-_studiobuehne/
And then there is the English Drama Group:
www.edg.anglistik.uni-wuerzburg.de/
0049(0)931
0931 31-0
0931 37-20
37-2000
Tourist Office
37-2335
Police
Medical Emergencies
Fire Department
110
1 92 22
112
Public Transportation
Deutsche Bahn AG
Information on reduced rates/fares is available at Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) or at
www.bahn.de
Buses and Streetcars
Your student identity card doubles as a semester ticket (Semesterticket) that entitles you to
use the streetcars and buses in Wrzburg during the course of one semester.
Timetables: www.wvv.de/wsb/fahrplan/
Line Network: www.wvv.de/vvm/fahrplan/linienetz/index.html
Streetcar Lines / Straenbahnlinien
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Line 5
(Sanderau-Hauptbahnhof-Grombhl)
(Hauptbahnhof-Zellerau
(Heuchelhof / Heidingsfeld / Hauptbahnhof)
(Sanderau-(Hauptbahnhof)-Zellerau)
(Rottenbauer-Heuchelhof-Heidingsfeld-Hauptbahnhof-Grombhl)
Electric Power
The voltage in Germany is 220 V, 50 Hz (alternating current). For power outlets, use twoprong plugs or adapters.
Bicycles
Used bicycles are sold via classifieds in city magazines (e. G. Trend, Groschenheft) or in
the daily newspapers, Main-Post and Volksblatt.
Climate
As a rule, the summer months in Lower Franconia are characterized by warm temperatures
up to 30C. In the fall, nights already become noticeably chilly, but daytime temperatures still
are relatively high at 15 25 C. Winters are fairly mild by German standards; the lowest
temperatures in January and February are at freezing point or slightly below. Snowfall is
rather moderate, yet there normally are frequent rain showers in winter.
Costs of Living
Naturally, the costs of living may vary considerably, depending on personal demands and
tastes. However, you should expect monthly expenditures of approx. 600 (including rent).
Food
200
Accommodation
250
Health Insurance
80
Licence fee for general public
20
Other Expenses
120
Total
approx. 670
Groceries
You will find supermarkets and other food stores in your neighborhood listed in the Yellow
Pages (Gelbe Seiten). Generally, big supermarket chains, such as Tegut, Lidl, Aldi, Norma,
Wal-Mart, etc., are more inexpensive. The bigger supermarkets increasingly carry foodstuff
from other countries (e. G. The Asian or Arabic countries) as well. Wrzburg also has
numerous stores specializing in ethnic foods, e. G. Arabian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
Persian, Russian, or Turkish.
Admission to Studienkolleg
andrea.bender@uniwuerzburg.de
Dieter Thoma
Admission (1 semester)
Medicine, Pharmacy,
Psychology, Dentistry, LL.M.
st
dieter.thoma@uniwuerzburg.de
Doris Laug
doris.laug@uni-wuerzburg.de
Angela Fenske
angela.fenske@uniwuerzburg.de
Nicole Schmitt
nicole.schmitt@uniwuerzburg.de
www.international.uni-wuerzburg.de