We are delighted that you have decided to study at our university! To make sure things run as smoothly as possible for you, we would like to give you a few tips on how best to prepare for studying here and for your future life as a student in Leipzig.
Information for people affected by the war in Ukraine
We have summarised on a website important information for prospective students, students and doctoral candidates who are affected by the war in Ukraine and its effects.
Preparing for your studies
In order to successfully apply to our university, you will need sufficient knowledge of German and the right academic preparation for your degree programme. Find out about the relevant requirements as well as services to help you prepare to study your subject in German on our website.
Getting to Leipzig
Which visa do I need? What is the best way to get to Leipzig? Here we have compiled the most important information you need for a successful start to your studies.
Who requires a visa?
- The following can enter Germany without a visa:
students from the European Union, the European Economic Area and some other countries. - The following require a student visa:
all other students, especially those intending to stay in Germany for longer than three months.
Make sure you check the entry requirements for your country in advance. This information can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. Information is also available from the German representation abroad in your home country.
As soon as you have arrived in Germany, please present your three-month visa to the Foreigners’ Authority (Ausländerbehörde) in Leipzig and apply for a student residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zu Studienzwecken).
For more information, please refer to our information sheet on student residence permits.
What Types of Visa Are There?
A visa for Germany is always issued for a specific purpose. As a student you apply for either a student visa or a student applicant visa.
To apply, please contact the German embassy or consulate general in your home country. Under no circumstances should you enter the country on a tourist visa only. You will not be able to convert it into the necessary student residence permit once you are in Germany.
How Do I Apply for a Visa?
To apply for a visa you need:
- a valid passport;
- your letter of admission from our university or a confirmation of your application to uni-assist;
- if you have already been offered a place, you can apply for a student visa directly.
- if you have already applied but not yet been offered a place, you can apply for a student applicant visa (Studienbewerbervisum). As proof you can use the confirmation of receipt or the review report that you received from uni-assist when applying.
- proof that you can finance your studies. You have two options for this:
- paying for yourself: this requires a deposit of currently at least €11,208 for one academic year (equivalent to two semesters) into a German bank account (blocked account), with the restriction that you may not withdraw more than €934 per month. A bank account can also be set up in your home country by a German bank. Further financing must be shown plausibly by submitting suitable documents.
- declaration of commitment: the declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) must be applied for at the German mission in your home country before you enter Germany. By signing, the person submitting the declaration of commitment is liable for the person entering the country. The former undertakes to pay the cost of living (food, clothing, housing, care in the event of sickness and disability). This commitment is in principle irrevocable and applies for the entire duration of the student’s stay.
To apply for a visa, you can use the database of the German Federal Foreign Office to find your contact person for matters pertaining to visas and entering the country.
Information on the visa procedure, entering Germany and the necessary application forms can also be found on the Federal Foreign Office website.
For more information you can also contact the German embassy or consulate general in your home country.
Visa Requirements for Non-EU Citizens Enrolled at a University in the EU
Non-EU citizens enrolled at a university in an EU country (except the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark) no longer necessarily require a German residence permit if they are planning to stay in Germany for fewer than 360 days for the purpose of studying. This is in accordance with EU Directive 2016/801, known as the REST Directive for researchers and students.
As soon as you have received your letter of admission, please contact our International Centre. As the host university, we must submit an application for mobility to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), which must be approved before you arrive.
To do this, please send us scans of the following documents in an email with the word “REST” in the subject line:
- Student mobility notification form, filled in electronically
- Residence permit of the first EU Member State
- Erasmus+ confirmation of your home university
- Letter of admission from Leipzig University
- Recognised, valid passport
- Proof that you have secured your living expenses
- Proof of health insurance.
If you are planning a stay of more than 360 days for the purpose of studying, then as a rule you must first apply for a visa.
There are various options for arriving in Leipzig.
By aeroplane
- Airlines offer daily worldwide connections from/to Leipzig/Halle. There are direct flights to Leipzig/Halle from airports such as Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Zurich, Vienna and Istanbul.
- Leipzig/Halle Airport is a 30-minute drive from the city centre.
- Deutsche Bahn trains run regularly between the airport and Leipzig’s Central Station.
- The airports in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt am Main and Hanover are also easily accessible from Leipzig. There are rail and coach services between these cities and Leipzig.
By train
- Intercity and Intercity-Express (IC/ICE) services run by Deutsche Bahn connect Leipzig with most major European cities.
- Located in the heart of the city, Leipzig’s Central Station is among the largest and most awe-inspiring train stations in Germany. There are many regional and suburban railway connections linking Leipzig with the surrounding area.
By coach
- The coach terminal is right next to the Central Station in the middle of Leipzig.
- From here you can use coach links to other German and European cities, for example on services offered by FlixBus.
By car
- You can reach Leipzig via the A9 (Berlin–Nuremberg) and A14 (Halle–Dresden) autobahns.
Further travel information can be found on the following websites:
Health insurance, liability insurance, accident insurance
What German health insurance do I need? Is liability insurance necessary? Do I have to take out accident insurance? We’ve compiled the most important information for your time at Leipzig University.
Health insurance
Students are legally obliged to provide proof of sufficient health insurance and to maintain it throughout the duration of their studies. Without student health insurance, you cannot enrol.
What types of insurance are available? Who is excluded from the obligation? How do I insure myself as a doctoral researcher? Is my travel insurance sufficient? These and many other questions are answered in our health insurance guide.
Liability insurance
Although liability insurance is not compulsory by law in Germany. However, we recommend that you obtain information on this and then decide for yourself.
If you already have private liability insurance in your home country, you can check with your insurance provider whether or not your insurance is also valid in Germany. If you do not have liability insurance, you can ask insurance providers if they can insure you for Germany or find insurance providers in Germany online or when you are here.
Accident insurance
Students are protected by statutory accident insurance throughout their education and training at higher education establishments. At Leipzig University, this is provided by Unfallkasse Sachsen (“Saxony Accident Insurance Fund”, website in German).
This insurance covers activities of which the content and organisation fall within the university’s responsibility. These include, for example:
- Attending, or journeying directly from or to, university lectures, seminars and courses
- Study-related practical laboratory work
- Study-related research
- Revision courses, field trips and study trips, including abroad
- Study-related activities, for example interviews or practical activities related to dissertations and theses, if these are done in places for which the university is responsible or which fall within the university’s organisational responsibility.
- Students’ autonomous study activities
- Taking part in university sports, visiting university and state libraries
- Even the route to enrolment is also covered by this insurance.
If you have an accident, please notify the study office of your faculty at Leipzig University immediately. They will notify the accident insurance fund of the accident. Please also tell the doctor treating you – this also includes dentists – that it is an accident to do with your attendance of the university.
For accidents in the private sphere, please contact your private insurance provider directly.
Organising Your Stay
What is the best way to live in Leipzig and what costs can I expect as an exchange student? Here you can find the most important information on living in Leipzig and expenses.
Semester Fee
You must pay the semester fee on time before the start of each semester. It applies to all students at our university, including doctoral researchers and attendees of the Studienkolleg Sachsen.
Tuition Fees
Leipzig University does not currently charge tuition fees for a student’s first degree. Please note, however, that in certain cases students may be required to pay fees for a second degree or for exceeding the standard period of study by too long. Fees are also charged for some special courses and the DSH course.
Monthly Costs
You will need around €950 per month to cover the cost of living in Leipzig. This amount is of course a guideline; your actual outgoings will depend on your spending habits. Average monthly costs in Leipzig consist of the following:
- Rent for apartment/room: €250–€425
(Please note: If you do not get a room in a dormitory or in a shared apartment, please keep in mind that the costs may be significantly higher as a result of the current housing situation in Leipzig. In some cases, landlords may require 2–3 months rent in advance as a deposit.) - Statutory health insurance or Voluntary statutory health insurance: €110/€180
- Study material: €70
- Food, clothing, miscellaneous: €300
If you require a visa, then you will already need to provide proof that you have enough money to live here when applying for the visa in your home country.
One-Off Costs
In addition to the monthly costs, you should expect additional one-off costs at the start of your studies such as a deposit for your accommodation (see note above under “Monthly Costs”) and the fee for setting up a blocked account.
In contrast to other countries, universities in Germany hardly award any scholarships.
The most important provider of scholarships for international students is the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
- The portal for international students run by the Deutsches Studentenwerk contains information about potential funding opportunities and scholarships in your home country.
- Under the Deutschlandstipendium programme, Leipzig University regularly awards scholarships to particularly committed, talented and high-performing students.
Further information on funding opportunities and scholarships can be found on the following pages:
Halls of Residence
If you would like to live together with other German and foreign students in a hall of residence run by the Studentenwerk Leipzig, you can apply for a room using the online form.
Rental agreements for the halls of residence are usually concluded for at least one year. Please contact the Studentenwerk Leipzig directly with any questions concerning halls of residence.
As soon as you have been offered a place at our university, you can apply to the Studentenwerk Leipzig for a room in a hall of residence.
Shared Apartments
Known in German as Wohngemeinschaften or WGs, flat-shares are particularly popular among students in Leipzig. The following are some of the best-known services for finding a room in a Wohngemeinschaft:
- WG-Gesucht: students who are going abroad, for example, advertise their vacant WG rooms. These rooms are often offered completely furnished and on a temporary basis.
- Schwarze Bretter: noticeboards where students advertise various things, including their furnished and unfurnished rooms. These boards can be found in various university buildings and on the online portal.
Be sure to allow enough time to search for an apartment.
A deposit is often required when renting an apartment. This is usually the equivalent of one to two months’ rent, excluding ancillary costs, which is paid into a savings account. When the rental agreement ends, your deposit will be refunded – as long as you return the apartment undamaged.