Pre-departure information

All you need to know to help you get started in Stuttgart

Acceptance & Confirmation

Upon being accepted into the WAREM Program you will receive a Letter of Admission (usually until the end of March). Please reply if you intend to participate in the WAREM Program. If you do not plan on participating in the Program, please let us know as soon as possible.

Student Visa

Obtaining a student visa for Germany usually requires often longer waiting periods! Therefore, apply for a student visa immediately upon receiving the Letter of Admission. Arrange a date or call the German Embassy in your country and check for special conditions and necessary papers for the application (proof of sufficient financial means etc.). The visa should be valid from August 31. Do not enter Germany with a tourist visa! A tourist visa cannot be transferred to a student visa once you have entered Germany.
Please check the following website for information on the Visa application process:

Special regulations apply for citizens of USA, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the Republic of Korea as well as EU citizens!

If the Embassy/Consulate requires that you open a bank account in Germany, please get in contact with the Deutsche Bank

German Language Courses

The German Language Courses are a mandatory part of your studies! Please make sure that you arrive by September to be able to register for the German courses.
Monday 2nd September 2024: Arrival of students and registration with IZ
Tuesday 3rd September 2024: start of Orientation Week with Welcome by the International Office (mandatory) and German Language Test (mandatory).
The German language class will start a couple of days after the test and run for about six weeks.

Students with at least Level A 2.1 can apply for exemption from the German Language Classes and arrive in Stuttgart later (latest 1st week of October). In this case please send us a valid German Language Certificate (no attendance Certificate!) by email.

However, even if you could be exempted, we recommend you attend a higher-level Intensive German Language Course (offered up to level C1) which is free of charge. In the latter case, you do not have to apply for an exemption.

Housing in Stuttgart

On-Campus Housing

Private student accommodation in Stuttgart is scarce and difficult to find. Subsidized student housing is available on campus (approx. 350-400 EUR/month ). The Office of Student Housing (Studierendenwerk) has set aside single rooms, especially for new foreign students. These rooms will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. You will have to transfer a Euro 400 refundable deposit and Euro 300 part of the first rent, before arrival in Germany

Admitted students will be informed by email about the application procedure.

Note: Students who have turned 30 at the start of their studies cannot apply for a room

  1. Single-furnished rooms in the student dormitories are provided with shared kitchen, bathroom, shower and washroom facilities. They are available from approx. EUR 350 to EUR 400 per month (including utilities). Meals are not included, and bed linen and dishes are not provided. New bed cover, pillow and bed sheet can be bought from the Studierendenwerk / caretaker upon arrival (approx. 50 € for 5 pieces). Rentals begin at the first of each month. You may only move in on weekdays (Monday-Friday).
  2. Note: If you want to bring your family to Stuttgart, we suggest that you first come alone and rent a single room for six months. During these six months, you have the opportunity to search for an apartment for two or more persons. For a family visayou will have to provide an apartment with sufficient living space (in sq.m) Please ask the German Embassy for exact regulations.
  3. Note: minimum rent duration: six months! Please read the rent conditions carefully: You can only move within the same student dormitory, not to another student dormitory and only if you have good reasons. There is neither special student housing for women nor for men alone.

Temporary Accommodation
Youth Hostels are an option if you arrive outside of office hours, on a weekend, or at a time when you cannot move into your residence (see also 7. and 9.).

Overnight

Stuttgart Youth Hostel
Address: Haussmannstr. 27
Phone: 0711/241 583
Price: Members 35 - 45 EUR per night (incl. breakfast).
Reservations: None
How to get there: U-Bahn 15, stop "Eugensplatz"

 

Jugendsozialwerk
Address: Richard-Wagner-Str. 2, 70184 Stuttgart
Phone: (0711) 2489730
Prices: Single-room: 25 EUR, Double-room: 45 EUR (incl. breakfast)
Reservation: Possible
How to get there: from Main Station with "U-Bahn" 15 to stop "Bubenbad".

 

Internationales Studentenhotel
Address: Neckarstraße 172 , 70190 Stuttgart
Phone: (0711) 41430-0 / (0711) 41430-299
Prices: Single-room: 35,50 EUR, Double-room: 56 EUR (incl. breakfast)
Reservation: Possible
How to get there: from Main Station with "U-Bahn" 14 or 9 to stop "Stöckach".



Hotels near University of Stuttgart:

15-20 minutes by foot from the University of Stuttgart-Vaihingen (or take the bus):
Römerhof-Stuttgart

Stuttgart downtown (Stuttgart West), station: Schwabstraße (one station from station "Universität")
ticket costs: 2.50 Euro:
Central-Classic

Health insurance

Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. The following regulations apply:

  • Students from non-EU countries: Take care to have travel health insurance for September to cover the period until the official semester starts (October 1st). From October 1st on you must be insured by a German health insurance company (e.g.TK, AOK, Barmer). The costs are approx. 125 EUR per month. Admitted students will receive information by email in due course.
  • Students FROM EU-COUNTRIES ONLY: You need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for proof of your health insurance, available by health insurance companies of your home country.

Important Documents

You have to bring the following documents with you to Germany:

  • Letter of Admission
  • Your passport with the student visa
  • 5 passport photos (approx. 45x35mm) and at least two biometrical photographs for the visa extension
  • Proof of sufficient financial resources (at present approx.992 EUR per month), e.g. a bank statement, savings book, proof of scholarship etc. Please check at the German Embassy for detailed regulations.
  • Students from non-EU countries: Travel health insurance if you arrive in September to cover the month of September
  • Students FROM EU-COUNTRIES ONLY: European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for the proof of your health insurance, available at the health insurance company of your home country.
  • Sufficient amount of Euro in cash (at least EUR 150 for the first weeks here plus approx.EUR 190,00 for semester fee to be paid in order to register before the semester starts.

Some useful hints:

  • Make sure that you have enough cash available, e.g. you will need about € 4.5 for the S-Bahn ticket from the airport to the Stuttgart-Vaihingen campus, station "Universität" (most ticket machines accept EUR 5, 10 and 20 notes). You will also need some cash to buy food and drinks.
  • Clothing for rainy and cold weather and any medicine you might regularly need to take.
  • For all non 220 Volt electrical appliances you need a 220 volt adapter for bipolar sockets.

Traveling to Stuttgart

When planning your travel to Stuttgart, please take into account that the student housing administration (Studierendenwerk) does not operate on the weekend. Therefore, arrange to arrive during regular office hours (Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.).

If you arrive in Frankfurt am Main by plane and have to buy a ticket for the train to Stuttgart, purchase a ticket with the destination "Stuttgart Universität". You'll have to change the train at Stuttgart main station (Hauptbahnhof). The Subway of Stuttgart (called S-Bahn) in the main station (Hauptbahnhof ) is on the underground level.

If you arrive at Stuttgart Airport (station "Flughafen/Messe") you need approx. 5.00 EUR to buy a ticket to the University (station "Universität"). The Subway (S-Bahn) in the Airport Stuttgart is on the underground level. You have to enter train  S2 (direction Schorndorf) or S3 (direction Backnang) and leave the train at station "Universität".

For specific information in English about travelling to and from Frankfurt (Main) Airport to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, take a look at the following links:

Maps of Frankfurt (Main) Airport
Getting to and from the Airport

Important: If you plan to arrive in Stuttgart prior to September 1st, you will have to make alternative temporary housing arrangements ! (see 5.)

Registration at Office of International Affairs

From the first work day in September please go to the Office of International Affairs where you have to register, and get further information and forms. Among other things, you'll receive a temporary students' ID card that will allow you to buy a monthly subscription ticket for public transport in September at reduced cost (for students up to 27 years). Link to additional info. 

Office of International Affairs, International Education Services
Campus Vaihingen
Internationales Zentrum (IZ)
Pfaffenwaldring 60, First Floor
Phone: 0711/ 685-68599
Link to IZ website

Registration at WAREM

Please inform us what date and time you intend to show up at WAREM:

Water Resources Engineering and Management - WAREM
Campus Vaihingen
Pfaffenwaldring 7, upper ground floor, room 0.007
70569 Stuttgart
Phone: 0711/685-66615/66616

WAREM Office hours:

Monday - Thursday: 9:00 - 12:00 or with appointment

Direction

The WAREM office is located on the upper ground floor of the building Pfaffenwaldring 7.

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