Important information about your stay

There are three airports that are best for reaching Koblenz:

• Frankfurt Airport: Travel by train, reach the Koblenz Main Station by train within 90 minutes for 25-30 euros.
• Cologne/Bonn Airport: Travel by train, reach the Koblenz Main Station by train within 90 minutes for 12-26 euros.
• Frankfurt-Hahn Airport: Travel by bus, reach the Koblenz Main Station by bus within 70 minutes for 11.30 euros.

For traveling within Koblenz, please use public transportation. Here you can find a city map of Koblenz showing the available bus lines within the city.

Reaching the dormitories located in the district of Karthause - the same district in which the Koblenz University of Applied Sciences is located:

• Evangelical and Catholic Dormitory:
  Buy a one-way ticket for 2.90 euros. From the station Hauptbahnhof West, take the number 12 bus towards Karthause. Get off at the Löwentor station. From here, the dormitory is roughly 2 minutes on foot.
• The Karthause Student Dormitory:
  Buy a one-way ticket for 2.90 euros. From the station Hauptbahnhof West, take the number 2 bus towards Karthause. Get off at the Bundisarchiv station. From here, the dormitory is roughly 2 minutes on foot.

There are three airports that are best for reaching Höhr-Grenzhausen:

• Frankfurt Airport: Travel by train, reach the Vallendar / Montabaur Main Station by train within 120 minutes, then continue by bus.
• Cologne / Bonn Airport: Travel by train, reach the Vallendar / Montabaur Main Station by train within 120 minutes, then continue by bus.
• Frankfurt-Hahn Airport: Travel by bus, reach the Koblenz Main Station by bus within 70 minutes for 11 euros. Then continue with the public bus to Höhr-Grenzhausen.

In order to enroll and study at the Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, you must provide a proof of health insurance. We also recommend a liability insurance.

Statutory Health Insurance

Upon arrival in Koblenz, you must take out an health insurance. The German health insurance companies offer students an insurance rate of about 80 € a month.  The insurance covers all costs for basic checkups, medical treatments and hospitalizations. It also covers most of the costs for prescribed medication.

A special private health insurance for international students in Germany is offered byDeutsches Studentenwerk.

If you come from an EU Member State and are in possession of an EHIC-Card, you do not need an aditional German health insurance. Your insurance is recognized in Germany and will cover you while you are here. Please be sure to apply for an EHIC-Card well before your departure. Be aware that your insurance must be valid during your entire stay in Germany.

If you are older than 29 years old by the time your study begins, you will have to take out private health insurance. Please seek advice concerning this and double check your coverage. You need to be legally covered for everything students are obligated to be covered for in Germany!

If you are privately insured and not 30 years old yet, you will need an exemption of health insurance in order to sign in. For this case, please get in touch with a statutory health insurance company.

If you decided to get privately insured, you won't have the possibility to switch into a statutory health insurance.

Do NOT take out travel medical insurance for your studies abroad! It will not be possible for you to enroll if you only have travel medical insurance since its coverage does not fulfill the legal requirements to study abroad! 

Liability Insurance

Whether you accidently injure another person or damage another person’s property, liability insurance gives you (full) coverage on all damages. Accidents can lead to millions of euros worth of costs. For example, if you cause a bike or automobile accident and  you don’t have a liability insurance, you will have to bear the costs of all the damages yourself.  Liability insurance costs about 7 € a month and we highly recommend having it.

You will enroll at Koblenz University of Applied Sciences on the first day of the orientation week for exchange students. In order to enroll, you will need to bring the following items with you:

• Certificate/Proof of health insurance (You will receive this on day 1 of orientation week) or your EHIC-Card!
• Receipt of semester’s tuition payment
• Application for enrollment (You will receive this from us on day 1 of orientation week)
• Passport photo

After your enrollment, you will receive a student ID and a username which will provide you with an e-mail address and password. Before using your student ID, you will need to validate it at one of the validating machines in the university.   

Instead of using cash, you will be able to use your student ID to make purchases in the cafeteria and canteen. You will have to use cash at the automat to put more money on your dining card.

Your student ID is also your library card and semester ticket. You can ride all the busses in Koblenz with your student ID.

It is important that you register for all written tests in time. Otherwise, you will not be able to take the test. Each department of study has its own registration deadline. Please contact your department of study to find out when you have to register for the tests.

Registration at the General Register Office

Once you have found an apartment, you are obligated by law to register your address in Koblenz or Höhr-Grenzhausen. The General Register Office in Koblenz or General Register Office in Höhr-Grenzhausen (website in German) is responsible for this. You do not need to make an appointment before registering. You will need to bring the following documents with you:

• Passport
• Rental agreement

You will register your address during the orientation week.

Registering at the Immigration Office

Exchange students from countries outside of the EU must have a residence permit in Germany. After arriving in Germany, you must apply for a residence permit at the Immigration Office in Koblenz.

How to register for a residence permit:

Together with your advisor, we will set up an appointment for you at the Immigration Office. If you are not living in Koblenz, you will have to go to the Immigration Office responsible for the place where your residence is located.

You will receive a proposal for an appointment and a list of what documents to bring with you. Please bring the following documents with you:

• Valid passport
• 2 current passport photos (biometric!)
• Proof of financial stability
• Rental agreement
• Proof of insurance
• Proof of enrollment at the university or an official acceptance letter

This list may not be complete. In some cases, you may be required to turn in additional documents.

Registration fees will cost roughly 100 €.

Registration will take place during the orientation week.

Some weeks after your appointment, you will receive a notice stating that you may pick up your residence permit at the Immigration Office. The application process takes about 8 weeks. The electronic residence permit is given as a chip card. Along with this chip card, you will receive a letter informing about the residence permit. The card is equipped with a memory chip. Your picture, fingerprints, personal information and details concerning your residency title are saved on this memory chip.

If you are interested in working while you are studying, you have to heed to the following labor regulations for international students:    

Students who are not from the EU are allowed to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year.

Minor employment is one such possibility. With minor employment, you are allowed to earn 450 € at most. If you earn more than 450 € each month, you have to pay social security contributions for pension insurance. These fees are transferable within the EU. However, students who are not from the EU can fill out an application for reimbursement. In addition, for positions earning more than 450 € a month, you have to apply for a German income tax card and a social security card at the Koblenz Tax Office. You will need health insurance in order to apply for a social security card.

In order for DAAD-scholarship holders to work, they must receive permission from DAAD and are not allowed to earn more than 400 € a month.

Job search

There are a number of ways to find a job. Here are some recommendations:

• Notices at Koblenz University of Applied Sciences
  
• Contact the Employment Office : Rudolf-Virchow-Str. 5 / Tel: 4050
• Rheinzeitung (local newspaper printed on Wednesday and Saturday)
• Koblenzer Stadtanzeiger (local newspaper printed on Wednesday): delivered to private homes and dormitories
• Blick aktuell (local newspaper printed on Thursday): delivered to private homes and dormitories
• Koblenz am Wochenende (local newspaper printed on Sunday): delivered to private homes and dormitories
• Job Market at the Koblenz-Landau University
• Internet

Are you looking for an internship, a part-time job, or a permanent position after your studies? If so, we can help you with the application process! Application training seminars occur on a regular basis and are designed to teach you how an application should appear after you are done filling it out, what is important when being interviewed for a position, and how to find the company that suits you best. We want to help paving your way into the regional labour market. The earlier you start getting information, the easier the transition into labour market will work out for you! Interested? Then let's meet and we inform you about our program here!

As soon as you arrive in Koblenz, you can open up a German bank account. Most banks offer students to open up a bank account without having to pay any monthly fees. For more information about opening a bank account in Germany, go to: Opening a German bank account.

The Koblenz official registry of doctors (in German!) can assist you in finding the doctor you need.

If you are looking for cheap ways to keep in contact with students, either from or outside of Germany, we recommend buying a cellular prepaid card. Please remember that German SIM cards only work in cell phones that have been unlocked! A number of cellular providers offer prepaid cards with an internet flat rate.

If you are looking to stay fit and meet other students, the university has a group called the AHS (Allgemeine Hochschulsport) which offers students a wide range of sporting activities.

Koblenz is located directly on the mouth of the Moselle River to the Rhein River. Both of these rivers help to the region its character and reflect the city’s friendly atmosphere. The Rhein Gorge was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002. In addition, the gorge offers the people in the region a wide variety of excursions, such as visiting the castles and fortresses.  Even the ancient Roman city of Koblenz contains various historical attractions which can be discovered while walking through parts of the city.    
 

We highly recommend visiting the following five places during your stay in Koblenz:
 

Deutsches Eck  (English: The German Corner)

The point where both the Rhein and Moselle rivers meet is called the Deutsche Eck. From this point, an impressive horseman statue can be seen of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I. Using the stairs, you can then climb the monument to enjoy a beautiful view overlooking both of the rivers.

The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
The origins of the second largest fortress still standing go back to the year 1000. You can reach the fortress by taking an exciting ride in a glass gondola over the Rhein River. Once within the walls of fortress, you can learn a great deal of fascinating history about Ehrenbreitstein while enjoying a breathtaking view above the city.

The Electoral Palace
The Electoral Palace is located directly on the Rhein River and was built at the end of the 18th century. The paths running through the palace’s beautiful garden lead you to the front doors of where Kaiser Wilhelm I used to reside.   

The medieval Eltz Castle
By means of a beautiful train through the woods, you reach Eltz Castle, one of the most famous castles in Germany. Built in the 12th century, the castle provides its visitors with a fascinating impression of the middle ages and is an ideal destination for the people and visitors in the Koblenz region.

 The Forum Confluentes
Located next to the City Library in a recently built culture center in the city of Koblenz, both the Middle-Rhine Museum and the Romanticum can be found here. This interactive exhibition gives you the opportunity to dive into the history of the city and of the Rhein and Moselle rivers while learning about exciting legends and fairy tales. The Tourist Information Center can also be found in the Forum Confluentes.

The city of Koblenz offers students a wide range of activities to attend, such as concerts, exhibitions and cultural events. In addition to these activities, you can go shopping in the city’s new and modern shopping mall, the Forum Confluentes, or visit the ancient city (German: die Altstadt) of Koblenz.Using public transportation in Koblenz, you can quickly and easily reach other cities in the region, such as Cologne, Bonn and Frankfurt.

By train

If you would like to discover other parts of Germany outside of Koblenz or Höhr-Grenzhausen, there are many ways in which you can reach your destination.

For those traveling within Germany, the German railway service, the Deutsche Bahn, has a wide range of attractive traveling offers. Especially for those traveling in small groups of 5, you can discover Germany without having to spend a whole lot of money. For example, the surrounding region in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate can be easily reached with the Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket.  

By bus

If you decide at the last minute to travel somewhere within Germany, long distance buses are a good alternative to taking the train. Here are a few good recommendations:

• www.meinfernbus.de (website in German)
• www.berlinlinienbus.de
• www.flixbus.de (website in German)