All you need to know and more for all new incoming internationals can be found on a separate page here.

Emergency Contacts

Police:  110

Fire Department:  112

Medical Emergency:  112

Medical on-call service:  116117

116117 vs. 112 – Which number should you call?

116117 – Medical on‑call service
For urgent but non‑life‑threatening health problems
Use outside regular doctor’s office hours (evenings, nights, weekends, public holidays)
Examples: high fever, severe cold or flu symptoms, earache, migraine
Free of charge, available 24/7

112 – Emergency number
For life‑threatening emergencies
Examples: serious accidents, chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, unconsciousness
Includes ambulance and fire brigade services
Free of charge, available 24/7

Important: If you are unsure how serious a medical situation is, call 112.

Karlsruhe also has a list of standby numbers to call in different emergency situations.

116 016 is an anonymous free 24/7 Violence Against Women hotline. They offer advice on all forms of violence, including domestic abuse, sexual abuse, forced marriage and mobbing. Accessible in 18 foreign languages: Deutsch, English, Español, Français, Italiano, Português, Türkçe, Kurmancî, Română, Polski, Русский, Shqip, Български, Srpski, Tiếng việt, Український, 中文, فارسى/دری,  عربي , 

Local Laws and Regulations

Carry identification with you at all times. At the least a copy of your passport. You can be randomly checked by the police and will have to provide proof.
If you're in public transport and using a ticket linked to your name then the ticket inspector might ask you to provide ID, especially in trains.

Understand and respect local laws and regulations, including those related to traffic rules and safety regulations. Also be aware that alcohol consumption, noise, and public behaviour are subject to national and local regulations.

Safety apps

nora is the official emergency call app of the German federal states.It lets you contact the police, fire brigade and rescue service quickly and easily in an emergency. Anywhere in Germany. It uses the geolocation function of your mobile device to communicate your exact location to the responsible emergency control centre. This enables responders to find you more easily, even if you don’t know exactly where you are.

NINA  this federal emergency information and news app provides important warning messages from the civil protection authorities. If the area where you currently are is affected by accidents or disasters such as fire, flood or a release of hazardous substances, the local authorities will provide you with crucial information and safety instructions.
Subscribe to areas and locations for which you would like to be warned: Counties, municipalities or for a radius of 1 to 9 square kilometres around a freely selectable location are possible.

KATWARN sends public warnings and behavioural advice directly to the people affected. All warnings originate from government agencies or responsible safety and security organisations, who decide on the content, timing and extent of issued warnings.

Health insurance - how does it work?

If you're feeling ill and need medical help, your first step is to visit a GP (general practitioner) – in German, they are called a Hausarzt or Allgemeinarzt. GPs treat most common health issues. If it's an emergency see Safety and Security above!

How to get an appointment:

• find a GP nearby (depending on how ill you are: the closer the better)
• Call the doctor’s office and ask for an appointment.
• If they are fully booked or not accepting new patients, try contacting other GPs.
• If you still can’t find a doctor, call your health insurance provider – they can help you arrange an appointment.

Important: Always bring your health insurance card to the appointment. The doctor’s office has to scan it before they can treat you.

If you need to see a specialist (like a dermatologist or orthopaedist), you usually start by visiting a GP. They will examine you and give you a medical referral (German: Überweisung) if necessary.

What is covered by public health insurance?

If you are insured in Germany’s public health insurance system as a student, most medical services are covered. In general, you can see a doctor whenever you need medical help.

• Doctor & dentist visits: general practitioners, specialists, and dental care (including basic dental prosthetics).
• Necessary prescription medication (with a small co-payment)
• Hospital treatment: inpatient hospital care, surgery, and emergency services (with standard co-payments).
• Preventive check-ups: health screenings, vaccinations, and early-detection programmes.
• EU/EEA emergency coverage: you're covered for emergencies in other EU/EEA countries with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Ladies, public insurance also covers a gynaecological check-up every six months with an obstetrician (German: Frauenarzt). Female obgyns are available if you prefer to be treated by a woman. Your health insurance provider can help you find a suitable doctor if you're not sure.

Extending Your Student Visa

If you’re studying in Germany on a standard student visa, you’ll probably need to extend it around your 5th semester.
The visa office (Ausländerbehörde) in Karlsruhe will ask for a document that shows:

• how your studies are going so far, and
• when you’re expected to finish your degree.

This document can only be issued by the Examination Board Master (Prüfungsausschuss Master, PAM) pam∂bgu.kit.edu. Please email them directly from your KIT account.

What Documents Do You Need?

Here’s what the Karlsruhe District Office usually asks for when you apply to extend your residence permit:

If you're planning to bring your spouse to Germany, there are a few important things to prepare. The German authorities will want to make sure you can support your family financially and have enough space to live together comfortably.

Ask the German embassy or consulate in your home country which documents they need from you. It’s best to start early, as the application process can take a while.

What documents do you need?

Here’s a list of the most common documents required for a family reunion visa:

Proof of living space.

You’ll need to show that you have enough space for both of you. In general, that means:

• At least 12 m² per person
• Plus 15 m² for shared spaces (like the kitchen and bathroom)

So, for two people, that’s around 40 m² in total.

You’ll need to provide:

• Your rental contract (showing the size and cost of the apartment)
• Your Meldebescheinigung (registration at your address)

Valid residence permit

Make sure that you permit is valid and readable.

Sufficient income to support the family

You need to show that you can support your spouse without public assistance. This usually means:

• A net income of €1,200–€1,500/month (for a couple, depending on where you live – this is a rough estimate for Karlsruhe)
• Enough to cover rent, health insurance, living costs, and your study fees

You can prove this with:

• Your employment contract (including duration and conditions)
• Your latest payslips (usually from the last 3–6 months)
• Your latest tax return (if available)
• Bank statements showing regular income and financial stability

What about savings?
Yes, savings can help.  While regular income is preferred, substantial savings can also show financial stability. You’ll need to provide:

• Bank statements showing your savings
• Savings certificates, or
• Investment documents (like stocks or bonds)

It all depends on how the authorities interpret the documents.

A valid marriage certificate

You’ll need a marriage certificate that is recognized in Germany. Check with your local German embassy or consulate to make sure yours is valid.

Important: You need to get this right right from the beginning of your visa application as changes might lean towards the visa office thinking the marriage is "concluded without the purpose of creating a family", i.e. it might be a fictitious marriage. That could lead to your visa being denied.

Age requirement

Both you and your spouse must be at least 18 years old.

Health insurance

You must show that both of you will have health insurance in Germany. This can be a private insurance, or family coverage under your insurance plan

Basic German language skills

Your spouse will need to show basic German skills (A1 level). The idea behind this: speaking a little German will help settle in and manage everyday life in Germany.

Valid passport

Make sure your spouse’s passport is valid. Getting a new one abroad can be expensive and take time.

Other documents

Depending on your situation, the embassy might ask for more documents, like a letter of motivation or other supporting documents.

Checklist: what to prepare

Make sure you comply to what your local embassy/consulate asks for. It is likely that they will provide you with a list anyway.

• Completed application form (from the German embassy/consulate website)
• Declaration form (confirming all info is correct)
• Biometric passport photos (size: 35mm in width, 45mm in height)
• Valid residence permit (for you)
• Marriage certificate (and documents from any previous marriages)
• Birth certificate
• Invitation letter
• Proof of income
• Meldebescheinigung (your address registration)
• Health insurance
• Any additional documents requested by the embassy

Verified copies of KIT documents

Verified copies of KIT documents can be issued by the KIT student service office (Studierendenservice) upon request. See Education Verification for further information.

Apostilles and higher-level certification

If you need an official certification of a KIT document for use outside Germany (for example when applying for a scholarship, government programme, or further studies abroad), the certification must usually be issued by the next higher institution rather than KIT itself. For KIT documents this is the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK). They have a service for apostilles and certifications here:
https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/apostillen/beglaubigung
Please note that the website is only available in German.
Procedure

1. first you send them the document you want certifying as email - there's a form to fill in, too (of course).
2. the ministry will confirm quite quickly whether the document can be certified.
3. only send the original document by post after receiving confirmation 

Be aware that this generally takes five to six weeks and costs around €13 per document.

Changing universities in Germany, for example after finishing your bachelor’s degree and starting a master’s programme, comes with several administrative steps. Planning ahead will help you avoid problems.

Important: You are generally not allowed to be fully enrolled at two German universities at the same time. While overlaps can happen briefly during transitions, staying enrolled at both universities will cause serious issues. If discovered, you may be expelled from both universities and lose your student status.

Checklist for a smooth transition

 University-related

• Offboarding (leaving)
  • confirm your de-registration (Exmatrikulation) and download all official certificates. You will need the de-registration to enrol in the other university
  • save your final semester certificates
  • check what happens to your student email account after you de-register. You will probably have to save your mails as your account my get deleted after a short transition period.
     
• Onboarding (arriving)
  • complete enrolment at your new university and keep the confirmation
  • activate your student email account
  • pick up your student ID
  • register for courses and set up access to campus systems

Moving & city registration

• moving out 
  • arrange the deposit return and final inspection (Übergabeprotokoll)
  • deregister utilities (electricity, gas, internet if separate) or at least note the final meter readings and have them noted in the final inspection. If in doubt take photo evidence of the meters.
  • check whether the new town offers to deregister the old place and register you in the new place
• moving in
  • register your new address at the Bürgerbüro within 2 weeks, if you move within Germany, online registration may be possible
  • bring your passport, residence permit, housing confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), and rental contract

Immigration office (Ausländerbehörde)

• report your new address
• check if the residence permit still matches your new study programme
• this may also affect your visa conditions
• submit your new university enrolment certificate as you have switched level/subject
• check your permit expiry date and apply for an extension in time

Health insurance

• update your address
• provide your new university’s enrolment information

Banks & financial accounts

• update your address in online banking
• update credit card providers, and international banking services

Postal & delivery services

• change your address for online shops and subscriptions
• consider mail forwarding service (Nachsendeauftrag)

Mobile phone & Internet

• update your address in your provider account
• move or cancel your internet contract if needed

Insurances

• change your address with your liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung)
• change your address and update your household insurance (Hausratversicherung)
• change your address with your travel or international insurance

TV and radio licence (GEZ / Rundfunkbeitrag)

• deregister your old address and register your new address or join an existing household account

Employment / taxes

• inform your employer about your new address
• update your address in ELSTER (tax system)

 Doctors & healthcare

• choose a new general practitioner or at least check which one you could go to
• transfer medical records if needed

Transportation / local services

• cancel or transfer public transport subscriptions
• update car/bike registration if applicable

Other important updates

• check local memberships
• check and/or change any library accounts