Your stay at KIT is coming up soon. There are a few important things you need to take care of in advance. The IScO advisory and support team will be happy to help you keep track of everything.

The overview provides useful information and tips for planning your stay before you arrive in Germany.

  IMPORTANT: ​Visa and Entry Requirements
Citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland do not need a visa to enter Germany or a permit for a longer stay. Only a valid passport or identity card is required for entry.

Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the USA can also enter Germany without a visa, but are entitled to work without a residence permit. For longer stays of more than 90 days, however, you will need a residence permit. However, if you are staying in Germany for longer than 90 days, we recommend that you apply for a visa from your German mission in your home country or country of residence and contact us in advance. 

Citizens of a third country generally require a visa for stays in Germany. You must apply for a visa at a German diplomatic mission in your home country or country of residence before entering Germany. If you are staying in Germany for longer than 90 days, you must apply for a valid residence permit at the relevant immigration office in Karlsruhe after entering the country.

Please note:

Visiting Scientists, including scholarship holders from a third country, require a Hosting Agreement as the basis for issuing a visa.

If an employment contract is to be concluded with KIT, a Hosting Agreement can be considered as the basis for issuing a visa or a EU Blue Card.

The Federal Foreign Office provides an overview of visa requirements/exemptions for entry into the Federal Republic of Germany.You can find more detailed information and advice on visas and entering Germany on Euraxess Germany.
  IMPORTANT: ​Health Insurance 
You and any accompanying family members must have valid and adequate health insurance cover for the entire duration of your stay in Germany.
If you have an employment contract at KIT, you can generally take out statutory insurance.
If you are a scholarship holder at KIT, you generally have to take out private insurance.
General information on health insurance in Germany can be found on Euraxess Germany. 
  ​Register Your Stay at Mobility Online - Mandatory for Visiting Scientists as of May 1, 2024!

Please note: You need a contact person at a KIT host institute to register your stay via Mobility Online! 

As of May 1, 2024, Visiting Scientists are obliged to register their research stay at KIT via Mobility Online.

Once you have successfully registered, you also have the option of requesting Welcome Services from the ISCO.

If you are traveling to Germany from a third country, you will also receive the Hosting Agreement for the visa application directly via your Mobility Online account.  

International researchers with an employment contract at KIT can optionally register via Mobility Online and request welcome services from the IScO and, as third-country nationals, receive the Hosting Agreement for applying for a visa directly via the Mobility Online account.
Mobility Online facilitates contact between you as a guest and the ISCO as the central point of contact.    
  ​Important Documents
- Passport or equivalent identification documents. Please make sure that these have a sufficient period of validity. Ideally, your identity document should be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Germany.
 
- Copies of your doctoral certificate should be notarized and ideally be available in German and English translation.

- If you are receiving a scholarship: Confirmation letter or letter of funding from the scholarship provider.

- Marriage certificate and birth certificate(s) should be brought along in German and English translation and notarized. In some cases, a certificate of authenticity (Hague Apostille) may be required.
  ​Family
General information on kindergartens, preschools and schools can be found on Euraxess Germany. 
The Welcome Center of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion has compiled more information on family reunification and living together in Karlsruhe.  
Information on the topic of family as a KIT member can be found on the website of Human Resources Development and Vocational Training (PEBA) (in German only).
  ​Accommodation
It is not easy to find suitable accommodation in Karlsruhe, especially from abroad. You should therefore try to find accommodation early on.
The KIT International Guest House offers international researchers their first temporary home. The International Guest Lecture House at KIT also has residential units.  
It is also advisable to ask your supervisor at the host institute for assistance in finding accommodation.
General information about living in Germany can be found on the website of Euraxess Germany or Make it in Germany. 
We have compiled links and common search portals for the Karlsruhe area for you in the Accommodation Information Sheet. 
  ​Learning German
If you are staying in Germany for a longer period of time, it is worth learning German in order to integrate well and quickly. We recommend that you find out about possible courses in German as a foreign language before you arrive. 
  ​Doctorate and Postdocs at KIT
The Karlsruhe House of Young Scientists (KHYS) is the central institution for the promotion of junior researchers at KIT. On the KHYS website you will find detailed information, e.g. about the formal steps for a doctorate and support for junior researchers. 

 

Download Checklist "Before Your Arrival"