First things first: the visa procedure:

The experience of the last semesters has shown that the first big hurdle is the visa. I know that the visa process can take a long time, and for some of you it might take much longer than expected. Covid has slowed down the systems even more, and more people are travelling after the pandemic.

So please start your visa application as soon as you have the admission letter!

Some of you also have to go through the APS centres, which also seem to be struggling. My offer is that I can try to intervene at the Foreign Affairs offices if you allow me to forward your data (name, APS unique token number) to them. This also goes for the notoriously slow visa offices around the world. In those cases I'd need the reference number you got for the waiting list and your passport number. For data protection reasons, I need your written consent to do this, e.g. as e-mail. Please note that this is only a service for our international students here at the BGU department!

Also make sure you well prepared for the visa interview: have at least basic knowledge of Germany and Karlsruhe, KIT and your study programme. If you can’t answer the simplest of questions then the visa officer may doubt your intention to come here to study and could reject the visa application.

Don't despair if it takes a while. Once you have everything else sorted out, you will be ready when the visa is issued.

If you want legal certainty on the details, the Federal Ministry of Justice has an English version of the "Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory Residence Act" online.

Another issue is trying to get a written statement for financial help. Sponsors will want a list of the costs for your stay. So for the winter semester 2023-24 for non-EU citizens:
Let's start with the fees: each semester will cost €1500 in study fees plus the semester fee for administration, Studierendenwerk (the institution that runs the dining halls & cafeterias, students housing, counselling, etc.) and student union (covering for students' concerns) of €180. So round about €1680 per semester. Say your masters course takes a regular 4 semesters then multiply that by 4 which brings the total cost up to around €6800.
In addition, you need a Blocked Account with €11208 with a payout max of €934 per month. This is is obligatory as non-EU member to get a visa and to serve as minimum living cost during the first of the two years. Let's double that as you'll be here for two years and hope that covers all sorts of costs. Travel to and from Germany excluded.
Summed up we get a grand total of €30k for two years, i.e. four semesters.

Accept your study place and enrol. Yes, you can enrol even before you receive your visa (this changed in early 2023)! Once you start the enrolment process, you secure your place at KIT, more options open up and you can push your deadlines back a few weeks, making it easier if you arrive a little late. If you fully enrol then you can arrive at any time.

The International Office has a great page on what you need to prepare. The way to get there is through the mouseover drop-down menu: Start with the KIT International Office https://www.intl.kit.edu/english/index.php and follow the top menu Incoming Students -> Degree-Seeking -> Prior to Studies and then ->Enrolment.

Best hint: This list with 12 do-dos is essential and will help you through your first steps. And it's concisely packed in a handy PDF.

KIT's International Office has lots of other helpful advice online - I hope you've already found it (e.g. the preparation page). They also have an online consultation hour every Thursday afternoon - feel free to use this service.

Try to find accomodation before you get to Karlsruhe. Hotels and short-lease apartments are very expensive if you arrive and need a place to stay at short notice.

Already apply for housing at the Studierendenwerk. And also use their web pages to search for private housing offers in case the student dorms are full (highly likely). The private offers are mainly local places within a decent range around Karlsruhe.

Remember Karlsruhe has a great tram & bus system that has good connections to the surrounding areas. Commuting thirty to fifty minutes isn't unusual for a cheaper room on the outskirts or catchment area of Karlsruhe -> go to transportation and have a look at the KVV map and get an idea of how far out you can look. Also think about the possibilities you have if you get yourself a JugendticketBW ticket: commuting from Pforzheim/Baden-Baden/Offenburg/Bruchsal/Vaihingen(Enz) or anywhere along the local train lines (REx, IREx, MEXx) to Karlsruhe.

Other helpful links to dorms in Karlsruhe:

• International Department Hostel, KIT
• Augustin-Bea-Haus (ABH) and Reinhold-Schneider-Haus (RSH)
• Insterburg
• HaDiKo
• Domus7
• Hermann-Ehlers-Kolleg (HEK)

And if all else fails and you find yourself without anywhere to stay then the AStA and Studierendenwerk have a so-called 'Notunterkunft', an emergency place at the very beginning of the semester only(!).

You will soon notice that almost all locations on campus (especially Campus Süd, the main campus in town) have a building number, not an address. Sometimes even the lecture halls are numbered or at least they have a name. The best way to find your way round is to get together with other students and ask them. The building numbers are all listed on the campus map, and once you find the building, you will often find a map inside pointing to the different lecture halls or rooms.

When should I preferably arrive?

The year is split into two semesters. Summer semester lasts from April to September and the winter semester from October to March. So technically the semester starts on the 1st April and the 1st October. The lecture periods are shorter as to leave time for exams, study papers, rest, etc. Lectures start about two weeks into the semester but every semester starts with an orientation phase for new students. The International Students Office, the student representatives and other units have "Welcome Days" or an "O-Phase" (Orientierungsphase - I guess you can understand the German word) with guides on how to study and what to start with. As this is highly recommended we suggest that you arrive in the first weeks of April/October to make sure you don't have to dive in straight away with lectures in a system you haven't got your head round yet. You will need time to adapt to the uni system and life here in Germany.

Which leads us to the question: what happens if I arrive late? And how late is too late?

Authorities

As you already know, authorities at different levels all have their own way of working. Some can be quite stubborn, others want yet another form filled in. But most are friendly. If you get stuck, feel free to come our office and I'll see if we can work things out.

Please remember to have ID on you at all times and preferably a copy of your visa status. If, on the odd chance, you do get stopped and checked by the police, you should be able to identify yourself. And despite open borders around Europe, always have your documents on you when you cross borders  (I can't emphasise this enough).

Everyday life

KIT has special offers for international students who are struggling with everyday life here in Karlsruhe. There is a lot of help available and I would encourage you to reach out if you feel like things are getting too much for you.

A favourite is the international buddy programme at the International Office. They offer meetings such as an International Café where you can meet other students from all over KIT in a friendly atmosphere, inform yourself of all sorts of topics on student life and generally relax and take your mind off work. They also offer board game nights and excursions to nearby sights and places around the Black Forest. All of this is highly recommended! For more information, check out their website and log in to their programme in ILIAS to register for the events and get regular updates.

KIT often has small events or meetings for students who are having problems adapting to life here. Rest assured that you're not the only one struggling and reach out for help.

If you feel you need a more personal advice because you are stuck in your studies, have  financial trouble or an expiring residence permit then you can contact the Welcome-group. And you are always welcome to stop by our office, sit down and tell me what is bothering you, and we will find a way to resolve it over a cup of tea.

Trains

The DB - Deutsche Bahn runs most trains in Germany and you can book tickets online. Be aware that early-booking discounts are often bound to a specific train. Karlsruhe's main train station has fast links to almost all major cities with none or one stop, depending on the time of day. DB trains schedules are updated live online (the DB-app is handy). And when you book you'll see if they expect the train to be full. Reserving a seat can come in handy, too.

Other train services run locally and are often integrated into the DB online schedules and booking system.

Trams & busses

You'll often see the abbreviation ÖPNV = "öffentlicher Personennahverkehr" which translates as "public transportation".

The Karlsruhe Transport Association KVV (Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund) organises local public transport with its trams and busses around Karlsruhe and the region. It reaches half way to Heidelberg and down south towards Freiburg, from Heilbronn in the east to the French border an across to Rheinland-Palatinate in the west. It offers a high train frequency with operating times between 5am and midnight. Here's a link to the network map for the trams and bus services to give you an idea of how far the system reaches.

The stops relevant for BGU students at Campus South are Kronenplatz and Durlacher Tor. Both have an underground ("U" after the name) and overground stop.

Tickets

Here's the great change in 2023: KVV offers a "JugendticketBW" for all students -> here's direct link . Of course that's the ticket to go for as you'll get to travel the whole of the state of Baden-Württemberg for the equivalent of one Euro per day. That's the cheapest price ever and you don't need to study the different tariffs/rates/fares every time you travel. And the best bit is: on 1st December 2023, the JugendticketBW will be replaced by a discounted Deutschland-Ticket. For 365 euros a year, you can then use public transport throughout Germany. The plan is that the subscribers will be automatically switched to the new Deutschland-Ticket, but you will be informed about this by the KVV.
Note, however, that not all DB trains can be used with it. The express trains and long-distance trains are not included! If you have the time though, you can travel across Germany with local transport.

Bicycles

The Karlsruhe area has lots of Nextbikes - those are bike you can rent for short trips. You book them online on the spot and can leave them anywhere in the designated area (see the website for more). They, too, have cargo bikes and some are e-bikes. The app shows you where the nearest bikes are and let's you book ahead.

Please be aware that the long pedestrian zone in Karlsruhe is a no-bike zone and they do have officers enforcing the rules and issuing on-the-spot fines.

Scooters

Several firms have e-scooters scattered around Karlsruhe's inner city area. There are no-go zones and slow-go zones in the pedestrian zones. The apps will tell you more.

Cars

AStA, the student union, offers rental cars at good rates or students. There are also local and the usual global rental car services. Please be aware of the regulations for foreign driving licences and the road code in Germany.