Before Arrival

Non-EU nationals need to apply for a visa for their studies in Siegen. Nationals of a EU country or a country for which the visa requirement has been aabolished do not require a visa to enter Germany.

Visa Application

Once you receive your letter of admission, you need to apply for a visa. Check the information on visa regulations, documents and procedures provided by the Federal Foreign Office and the German embassy or consulate closest to you. Further information

Entry without a Visa

Nationals of a country for which the visa requirements have been abolished do not need a visa to enter Germany. However, you need to apply for a residence title within 90 days. The documents required for the Application for a Residence Title are usually the same as the documents required for the visa application! This includes the proof of finances (often a blocked account)! Make sure to check the information provided by the Federal Foreign Office and the German embassy or consulate closest to you.

After admission, you should start looking for a room or apartment. For accommodation in a student residence provided by the Student Services Organization Siegen (Studierendenwerk Siegen) you need to apply as soon as possible. Remember to send us your Siegen address! Contact us immediately, if you experience any difficulties. Further information

Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. Students need to provide evidence of sufficient health insurance coverage for the semester to register in person. An additional travel/international health insurance coverage for the time between arrival and semester start might be required. Make sure to check relevant insurance coverage and policies before your arrival. Further information

Information from the STARTING department responsible for enrollment can be found here.
 
Enrollment for studies at the University of Siegen takes place via the online portal unisono. To do this, you must first register to create a personal account in unisono. This is followed by the application. This serves to record the first relevant data for the enrollment to the study program. You can follow this tutorial for pre-enrollment.

Please also contact a German statutory health insurance company in Germany immediately in order to conclude an insurance contract during your studies in Germany or to be exempted from compulsory health insurance (if an EHIC is available or if there is a social welfare agreement with Germany). Please let the health insurance company know that you will be studying at the University of Siegen. 

If you have completed the registration and "application" in unisono and a German statutory health insurance company has transmitted your insurance status in Germany to the University of Siegen, you will receive a welcome email with important information and a request to pay the semester fee. Please transfer the semester fee immediately to the specified bank details of the University of Siegen. Your USiCard will be issued about two weeks after the money has been received, which you can pick up at the Orientation of the International Office or in the International Registrar's Office. The USiCard is valid from September/March as a VGWS semester ticket with which you can use all buses in Siegen and from October/April also as a NRW ticket with which you can use all buses, trams and regional trains in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Our Orientation Days for winter semester take place in September. Depending on the start of lecture period, we provide Orientation Days for students starting in summer semester in mid-/late March. Check the dates of our Orientation Days before you plan your trip. You receive a registration form by email. Please send the completed form to the incoming coordinator within the given deadline.

The Language Center offers a three-week Intensive German Language Course in September for students starting in winter semester. Students starting their exchange or short-term studies in summer semester can participate in workshops in late March. Please register in due time with the Language Center.

Approx. 10 weeks prior to semester start the course catalog is published online on unisono. Check the course offerings for the upcoming semester and document all classes you plan to take in a Learning Agreement. For recognition purposes the learning agreement needs to be signed by student and home university.

Contact your bank for information on exchange rates, international transactions, ATM withdrawals and fees as well as an ATM PIN for your credit/debit card. Exchange domestic currency into Euro to cover your expenses during your first days in Germany, i.e. public transportation, groceries, first rental payment and deposit.