Practical information
From EESwiki
We try to make the information on this page as accurate as possible, but we recommend that you check for yourself before coming to Munich.
The university has a very useful website for international students, with information on obtaining a residence permit, banks, health insurance, housing, and life in Munich.
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BEFORE you arrive
Financial issues
For students from non-EU countries, it is very important that you are able to prove that you have sufficient funding for your stay here in Germany ("Finanzierungsnachweis"), at least for the first year. There are two main ways that you can go about this:
(1) When you apply for your visa in your home country, your parents need to bring records of their financial circumstances, stating that they will be able to support you during your stay in Germany. The German embassy then needs to verify this in written form.
(2) Open a so-called "Sperrkonto" (blocked account) with a German bank. You can also do this in your hometown, if there is an international branch of a German bank, for example Deutsche Bank. The amount that needs to be deposited in this account is currently at €7908 - this is calculated using the monthly income (€659) which is given to German students when they apply for a student loan (BAföG).
Whichever option you use, you will need this proof for sufficient funding in order to obtain a residence permit here in Germany. This residence permit is then also necessary if you want to apply for student jobs here at the university. A complete description of issues relating to the residence permit can be found here.
The LMU offers more information on this on their "Residence Permit" site. More is offered - only in German, however - by the German National Association for Student Affairs.
Students from the US need to bring a written statement from their parents, that they will provide sufficient funding for the duration of your studies.
Visa issues
In order to enrol at the LMU, you will need to apply for a "D visa" at the German embassy or consulate of your home country.
Kreisverwaltungsreferat
Also known as the KVR, this is the place where you will need to register your address, obtain your residency permit, and get your tax card (if planning on working). You will need to register your address within 8 days of moving into your new apartment. Depending on your country of origin, you may have up to three months to obtain a residency permit. Please note that the KVR is not open on Wednesdays!
To find more specific information about these topics, go to Kreisverwaltungsreferat.
Also, feel free to go to the website for the City of Munich for further information.
Please note: the conditions for applying for a residence permit have changed! There is a waiting period of anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks! This needs to be taking into account when applying for your visa, as it is normally only valid for 3 months. For more information on the new electronic residence permit, click here for a detailed brochure or here for a flyer with further information.
Bank Account
This is probably the easiest step in the bureaucratic process because all you need is your passport and you can chose almost any bank in Munich. Sometimes you may need an appointment, but you can just make it the first time you visit the bank. We recommend picking a bank that is close to your home for easy access. It is essential to have a bank account in Munich because you either have to pay with cash or by bank transfer for almost everything (housing, insurance, school etc). Go to Bank Account for more information.
Health Insurance
You need to have proof of German health care before you are allowed to enroll with the university. If you arrive in time for the EES Orientation in early October, we will help you sign up for health care. However, here is some information for you if you have to do this on your own...
The easiest place to get insurance is at the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK). Check here for some information in English. The rest of the website is in German.
TK provides insurance to students for around 76 Euros per month. It costs 10 Euros to see any doctor and you can see another doctor within three months without paying the 10 Euro fee again (Plan all of your appointments so they are near each other). One of the TK offices is located at the main Mensa (cafeteria) of the University. The address is: Leopoldstraße 13a, München. Click here for a map.
You can go directly to the office and the people there usually speak English and are very helpful. You need to bring a Passport and Bank Account information. You can set up a monthly withdraw or pay the total for the whole year at once. When you enroll with the University you need to bring your proof of matriculation back to the TK office so that you are insured the student price.
If you are more than 30 years old there are different rules for health insurance.
Check the University website for more information about Health Insurance.
Housing
It often takes quite a long time to find housing in Munich! So the sooner you start to look for a place to live, the better!! DO NOT wait until just before you arrive to start looking...
For information about housing in Munich, have a look at this information from the university
The "Studentenwerk" offers some affordable housing for foreign students. You can sign up starting May 15th and we strongly urge you to do so as soon as possible. The online application is here.
There is no guarantee that you will get it, but it is definitely worth a try.
If you would like to live at biking distance from the Biozentrum, you should ask to be placed in the Heiglhofstraße, Sauerbruchstraße or Stiftsbogen.
If you arrive before your room is available or you need a place to stay while you are looking for a room you may be able stay in the guest room at the Biozentrum (Biology Building). However, these rooms fill up quickly. Please contact Beate Meyer-Schmidt (meyer-schmidt"at"bio.lmu.de) for more information regarding the sign-up. The cost is 23 Euros per night.
For information on other housing options, click housing websites.
Enrollment
Once you are accepted to the program, have found housing, and are in Munich, you will need to enroll at the university (LMU). If you arrive in time for the EES student orientation in early October, we will go there together with you and make sure you have everything you need! However, if for some reason you come at a different time, you will need to enroll on your own. Before arrival in Munich, all students should fill out the online form and print out their matriculation number.
For specific information on this in English, click on Enrollment. For information on this en Espanol, click spanish version.
Activities for international students
A group of active students, called "TutoRIA" work for the LMU international office to arranging events and excursions for international and German students.
Link to the international office of the LMU: http://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/institutions/admin/intaffairs/index.html
Volvox is the network of PhD students in Evolution, Ecology and Systematics. They organize social meetings and workshops, and they invite researchers from elsewhere to give talks in Munich. Master's students are welcome to join their activities. To sign up for this email mailing list, please contact Rayna Stamboliska (rayna"at"bio.lmu.de)
Public transport in München: MVV
How to get a season ticket
visit the MVV website (also available in Spanish, French and Italian.
Locations and Directions
- Kreisverwaltungsreferat - the best way to get here is to take the U6 to "Poccistraße" and then follow the signs.
- The LMU campus office of the Techniker Krankenkasse is located in the Leopoldstr. 13A. In order to get here, you need to take the U6 to "Giselastraße".
- Housing: the university's Studentenwerk is located right next to the Techniker Krankenkasse - the address is Leopoldstr. 15.
- LMU Campus locations: Biozentrum, International Office
German Courses
- DKFA: I strongly recommend DKFA, it is through LMU. I took an intensive course with them for 3 months and could speak basic German afterwards DKFA site They also offer affordable during the term classes in the evenings, which is a nice option if you want to learn German during the semester. Matriculated students also get a 25% discount on DKFA courses. The Survival German course is perfect for beginners!
- Goethe Institute: Very good, but expensive and better suited to students who are staying in Germany to learn German. Most courses are intensive and housing is included in the pricing Goethe site
- IUCM: The LMU international club has a special summer language course each year for the month of August IUCM site They also take the group on outings and other social activities are arranged. This is a nice way to get to know Munich and German if you are in the city before the semester start.
- DAF: If your German is already at a high level and you would like to take academic German than the LMU faculty of languages is the way to go DAF site
- DUO: This is an online option for learning German DUO site
TIP: Regarding private institutions, these can be nice as they have more variable and flexible schedules and may offer smaller class size. However, the quality is extremely variable! Just be careful.
Shopping
In Munich you can find really cheap places for by your food and personal stuff. The cheaper places are ALDI, Lidl and Penny-Markt. Other options are REWE, HIT and Tengelmann.
If you want to buy furniture or new things for your house, IKEA is one of the cheapest options. In the city are two stores, one in Brunnthal and the otherone in Eching (This is out of the central zone (Inneraum), so you need a different ticket to get there.)
General
Have a look at this info by the Studentenwerk:
http://www.studentenwerk-muenchen.de/en/international/
The Munich Summer University offers a German course and other activities
