Entry and residency requirements for international incomings

Please make sure that you apply for a long-term visa (national visa type D) with the possibility to enter the Federal Republic of Germany on multiple occasions, not a tourist visa (Schengen visa type C). Please note that family members travelling with you also require a visa.

Prospective students who want to study in Germany but have not received their letter of admission or need to complete preparatory measures such as a language course or the Studienkolleg can apply for a study visa entitling them to seek a study place. This residence permit is limited to a maximum of nine months.

Citizens of EU member states can move freely within the European Union. Therefore, they only require an identity card or passport to enter Germany. A visa is not necessary.

If you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, you must have adequate financial resources to cover living expenses during this period. Moreover, sufficient health insurance coverage is required.

Swiss nationals intending to stay in Germany for more than 90 days must apply for a residence permit via the local foreigners' authority.

Citizens of these "positive third countries" intending to study, conduct research or work in Germany only require their passport to enter Germany. A visa is not necessary.

If you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, e.g. for your studies, you will need to apply for a residence permit via the local foreigners' authority within 90 days of your arrival.

If you seek employment in Germany, a residence permit is required in order to undertake employment in Germany. If you intend to start your position straight away, we recommend obtaining a visa prior to your arrival in Germany. With a visa, employment may be undertaken in the first 90 days prior to receiving a residence permit.

Citizens of these "positive third countries" intending to study in Germany only require a passport to enter Germany. A visa is not necessary.

Students intending to stay in Germany for more than 90 days will need to apply for a residence permit via the local foreigners' authority within 90 days of their arrival.

If you want to work in Germany, you must apply for a visa in your home country prior to your arrival in Germany. A valid visa is required upon entry into Germany in order to be permitted to work.

Citizens of countries entitled to enter without a visa may stay in Germany for a maximum of 90 days.

A visa is required if you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, if you aim to conduct research or if you plan to undertake employment. In this case, you will be required to apply for a long-term visa prior to entering Germany.

In order to determine whether you are entitled to enter Germany without a visa, please refer to this list provided by the Federal Foreign Office.

List of countries whose citizens do not require a visa

If an existing residence permit for the purpose of studies has been obtained in another EU country and a student or doctoral candidate is participating in a structured mobility programme, they may enter Germany without a visa in order to pursue their studies for a maximum of 360 days without obtaining a German residence permit. This requires that the existing residence permit obtained in the other EU country is still valid upon entering Germany (and is subsequently renewed).

If you intend to spend a period abroad at Leibniz University Hannover within the scope of a mobility programme, please contact the relevant members of staff listed at the bottom of this page. The International Office is obliged to notify the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) of your stay, at least 30 days prior to your arrival in Germany. There is no need to obtain a visa or a German residence permit for your stay. You are therefore not required to visit the local foreigners' authority during your period abroad.

If an existing residence permit for the purpose of research has been obtained in another EU contry, researchers or doctoral candidates may enter Germany without a visa in order to conduct research for a maximum period of 180 days without obtaining a German residence permit. This requires that the existing residence permit obtained in the other EU country is still valid upon entering Germany.

If you intend to spend a period abroad at Leibniz University Hannover, please contact the relevant members of staff listed at the bottom of this page. The International Office will notify the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) of your planned period of mobility. At the latest, this notification must be received by the BAMF upon your arrival in Germany. There is no need to obtain a visa or a German residence permit for your stay. You are therefore not required to visit the local foreigners' authority during your period abroad.

If an existing residence permit for the purpose of research has been obtained in another EU country, researchers or doctoral candidates may enter Germany without a visa. If you intend to stay for a maximum period of 360 days, you will be required to apply for a residence permit for mobile researchers via the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) at least 30 days prior to your arrival. In addition to the application, an admission agreementconcluded with an institute of Leibniz University Hannover must be submitted. If you are already conducting research in Germany within the scope of a short-term mobility period, the application must be submitted 30 days before the end of the short-term mobility period.

In both cases, the International Office will notify the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) of your stay. For this purpose, please contact the relevant members of staff listed at the bottom of this page as soon as possible.

If you do not intend to spend more than 90 days in Germany, there is no need to register at the residents' registration office.

However, if you plan to extend your stay, you will be required to register at the residents' registration office responsible for your place of residence.

If you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, you will be required to register at the residents' registration office responsible for your place of residence within 10 working days of your arrival. If you live in Hannover, appointments at one of the eight citizens' administration offices (Bürgeramt) in Hannover may be booked online. Booked appointments are accepted as proof that the registration has been observed. Since the citizens' administration offices in Hannover are usually quite busy, we recommend booking an appointment as soon as possible.

Book an appointment via the online portal of the citizens' administration offices in Hannover

Please remember to bring your identity card or passport  as well as a printed version of the form "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung". This confirmation of your move must be issued by your subletter or landlord. If you are married, please bring your marriage certificate.

Template "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung" provided by the city of Hannover

If you do NOT live in Hannover, you need to register at the residents' registration office of the municipality/city responsible for your place of residence (e.g. Garbsen).

For stays comprising a maximum of 90 days, a residence permit is not required. Depending on your nationality, you are either entitled to stay in Germany without a visa within this period or your entry visa entitles you to stay in Germany within this period.

Please note that undertaking employment within this period is only permitted if you have a valid visa or residence permit.

Citizens of non-EU countries intending to stay for more than 90 days are usually required to apply for a residence permit via the local foreigners' authority. If your entry visa covers the scheduled period of your stay, you only need to apply for a residence permit if your stay will exceed the validity of your visa.

Please note that only a national visa ("D-Visum") can be converted into a residence permit for long-term stays.

Please book an appointment at the local foreigners' authority well ahead of time, since considerable delays are likely. For information on opening hours, required documents or appointments, please refer to the website of the relevant foreigners' authority.

• Foreigners' authority responsible for the city of Hannover
• Foreigners' authority responsible for the Hannover region (e.g. Garbsen)

Stays comprising a maximum period of 360 days are covered via the health insurance provider in your current place of residence within the EU. You only need your European health insurance card.

If you intend to undertake paid employment in Germany, please check whether the health insurance provider in your home country covers this. Regulations may vary depending on the country.

For extended stays, we recommend taking out health insurance in Germany, since the European health insurance card generally only covers a maximum period of one year.

Please ensure sufficient health insurance coverage for the entire duration of your stay, e.g. via a foreign travel health insurance provider in your home country and/or a private health insurance provider in Germany. In order to receive a residence permit from the foreigners' authority, your insurance provider must meet the service requirements for statutory health insurance providers (section 11 paragraph 1-3 SGB V).

Students enrolled in a full-time degree programme in Germany are eligible for statutory health insurance at student rates.

Further information on health insurance for students

Please note that proof of sufficient health insurance coverage must be provided in the context of your visa application, in order to receive or extend a residence permit, and in order to enrol at a university.

If you have concluded an employement contract with an institute, you may take out statutory health insurance via the university.

If funding for your period abroad in Germany comes from another source, you will be required to take out private health insurance which meetd the service requirements for statutory health insurance providers (section 11 paragraph 1-3 SGB V). This does not apply if you were previously insured by a statutory health insurance provider as a student at a higher education institution in Germany and you intend to commence your research stay straight away. In this case, your voluntary statutory health insurance policy may be extended.

Students who spend less than 90 days at Leibniz University Hannover are not eligible to enrol.

Information on our short-term programmes for students as well as details on the registration process can be found on the relevant websites.

Short-term programmes for international students

Free movers intending to spend one or two semesters at Leibniz University Hannover must apply via the relevant institute. The institute will forward your enrolment documents to the International Office. For further information on this option, students may contact the relevant members of staff listed at the bottom of this page

Overview of faculties at Leibniz University Hannover

If you intend to spend one or two semesters at Leibniz University Hannover within the scope of a structured exchange programme, please note that this requires a nomination issued by your home institution. For further information on available programmes and application processes, please refer to the respective websites.

Overview of exchange possibilities for international students

If you intend to apply for a place in a regular degree programme in order to complete a bachelor's or master's degree at Leibniz University Hannover, please apply as a regular full-time student.

Study programme and application guide

Doctoral candidates who spend less than 90 days at Leibniz University Hannover are not eligible to enrol.

A visitor's pass can be obtained from the International Office, which can be used to:

• prove that you are a member of Leibniz University Hannover
• benefit from staff discounts in the cafeteria
• access the library
• or book selected courses at the University Sports Centre

Application form

If you intend to spend one or two semesters at Leibniz University Hannover within the scope of a structured exchange programme such as Erasmus, please note that this requires a nomination issued by your home institution. For further information on available programmes and application processes, please refer to the respective websites.

Overview of exchange programmes for international students

If you intend to spend a period abroad at Leibniz University Hannover within the scope of a research stay, please enrol as a visiting doctoral candidate

How to enrol as a visiting doctoral candidate

In you intend to complete a doctorate at Leibniz University Hannover, please enrol as a doctoral candidate.

Further information on doctoral studies at Leibniz University Hannover

A visitor's pass for postdocs and visiting researchers spending a period abroad at Leibniz University Hannover without an employment contract can be obtained from the International Office. It can be used to:

• prove that you are member of Leibniz University Hannover
• benefit from staff discounts in the cafeteria
• access the library
• or book selected courses at the University Sports Centre

Application form

The International Office accommodation service assists international exchange students, visiting doctoral candidates and visiting researchers. Since the number of available rooms is limited and some enquiries may not be successful, we recommend looking for alternative private housing options.

International Office accommodation service

The halls or residence managed by the student services organisation (Studentenwerk Hannover) offer good value accommodation. However, places are only available for students enrolled in a full-time bachelor's or master's degree programme at a higher education institution in Hannover.

Student housing provided by Studentenwerk Hannover

Exchange students intending to apply for student housing provided by Studentenwerk Hannover must submit their application via the International Office accommodation service. Students enrolled in a full-time bachelor's or master's degree programme must submit their application to Studentenwerk Hannover.

In addition, we recommend looking for alternative private housing options.

Accommodation adverts can be found on the notice boards in the atrium of the main university building ("Lichthof"), as well as in cafeterias, libraries and institutes, or on Stud.IP ("Schwarzes Brett").

Moreover, private housing adverts can be found in the online database from Studentenwerk Hannover.

Private housing database – Studentenwerk Hannover

As soon as the residents' registration office has disclosed your data to the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), you will receive a tax number. You will be notified of this by post within two to three weeks of your appointment at the registration office. A tax number is required to open a bank account in Germany, among other things.

You can open an account at the bank of your choice. To do this, you will need your passport, your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) and your taxID number.

Please note that you may be charged a fee if you withdraw money at an ATM that does not belong to your bank.

In Germany, anybody who inflicts property damage or physical injuries on third parties can be held liable. In addition to mandatory health insurance, we strongly recommend taking out a liability insurance policy for your stay in Germany in order to protect yourself against liability for damage to third parties. This way, you will not have to pay for such damage out of your own pocket.

All registered students, doctoral candidates and employees are covered via the public accident insurance (GUV). Insurance coverage begins with enrolment or the start of the employment contract and covers activities that take place as part of the individual's studies, doctorate or work.

The insurance also covers the direct route between your home and the university.

Visiting doctoral candidates – who cannot enrol at LUH because they are staying not long enough to do so – and visiting researchers can be covered by this accident insurance if they are working "like" regular employees. This requires mandatory registration with Dezernat 2, the Personnel and Legal Department.

During your stay in Germany, you will be required to pay a fee for public service broadcasting ("Rundfunkbeitrag") amounting to €17.50 per month.

Further information on the licence fee

In Germany, there are different types of childcare facilities for children aged 0 to 6.

Information on childcare facilities in Germany

Children aged 6 and over are required to attend school. An overview of the German school system can be found here.

The Family Service Team in the Equal Opportunities Office will be happy to assist you with finding suitable childcare options.

Each semester, the International Office organises orientation days for international students and exchange students. There you will receive information about your studies and about offers and support at LUH and in Hannover. Here you will find the programme.

Many fields of study offer preparatory courses and orientation events. You will find them in the course catalogue.

The International Office offers a specific preparatory course for international master's students: STEPin.

The Study Buddy Programme aims to foster intercultural exchange between international and local students. Moreover, the programme supports international students at the beginning of their studies and provides a contact person for queries regarding the challenges of university life.

Overview – Study Buddy Programme

The International Office offers an events programme during the semester with numerous activities: workshops, excursions, cultural evenings, etc.

This programme is open to both international and German students and is a good opportunity to get to know fellow students.

The welcome reception for new doctoral candidates held by the Leibniz University Hannover Presidential Board takes place every year in October. There you will have the opportunity to learn more about the offers for doctoral candidates at LUH. This welcome reception is for all doctoral candidates (German and international) who are starting their doctorate at LUH within the year. The invitation is sent via email.

The International Office offers an events programme every semester with workshops, lectures and excursions. These events are open to doctoral candidates, postdocs and visiting researchers at LUH and their families.

The Graduate Academy is the central coordination and service facility for doctoral candidates at LUH. In addition to funding opportunities it also offers numerous training programmes.

Each semester, the Welcome Centre organises a reception for visiting researchers together with the LUH Presidential Board. The invitation is sent by mail.

The International Office offers an events programme every semester with workshops, lectures and excursions. These events are open to doctoral candidates, postdocs and visiting researchers at LUH and their families.