General information about PhD studies in Heidelberg
This webpage provides links to information for IMPRS students and applicants. Most of the information is also distributed elsewhere on the IMPRS webpage, and is summarized here.
Suggestions and corrections are welcome. Please, help us to keep this up-to-date.
General information
On the right column you find:
- collected information about what to do before coming to Heidelberg and information about living in Heidelberg/ Germany.
- Also, there are links to the most important IMPRS forms, and to the IMPRS rules.
- A health dictionary, provided by the Deutsches Studentenwerk.
- Download the MPG supervision guidelines for PhD students
- An information about possible financial support
After your arrival in Heidelberg, you have to arrange for the following
- your working contract (that should have prepared in advance by your supervisor)
- your bank account (no suggestions are allowed, but look for an account for students that is free)
- your accommodation (a preliminary accomodation can be arranged for in advance)
- your health insurance (for work contacts a compulsary healt insurance is needed)
- registration at the city authorities (should be done within two weeks)
- registration at the Department for Physics and Astronomy (respectively the HGSFP, Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics) for PhD studies (see our info about admission)
- enrollment at Heidelberg University (can be done only after acceptance for PhD studies by the HGSFP)
Accommodation:
There are two main options: either you look for a room in a shared flat, which in German is called Wohngemeinschaft (WG), or for a flat of your own, which is usually more expensive.
This is all on the private market, however, there are also dorms for students in several areas of the city.
1.) Apartment search
2.) Room search
Health insurance
If you have a contract then you pay automatically part of your health insurance. If you have a stipend you need to get a health insurance by yourself. Here is an illustrated health dictionary (pdf) provided by the DSW (Deutsches Studentenwerk).
Detailed information about the above topics and also about registration at the city authorities, admission, enrollment, etc. can be found under "Academics" and at the IMPRS student internal pages: https://www.imprs-hd.mpg.de/66356/Login-IMPRS-students (login details provided by IMPRS).
After your PhD examination
1) With a PhD degree from a German university you may extend your visa if you are looking for a job in Germany.
2) If you are un-employed, you may get un-employment money (if you had an un-emplyoment insurance connected to a work contract). Do not forget to register as early as possible (as soon as you know about your un-emplyoment) at the authorities - the "Bundesagentur fuer Arbeit" in Heidelberg.
