Traveling to, arrival and living in Göttingen

Göttingen, with a population of over 134,000, is a city where tradition and innovation complement one another perfectly. The city dates back to the Middle Ages and still boasts a unique historic centre with beautiful half-timbered buildings. While the architecture breathes history, the spirit of Göttingen is young and vibrant – thanks to its 28,000 students, more than fifteen per cent of them with an international background.

Popular annual events include the Nacht der Kultur, the Jazz Festival, the International Literature Festival and the European Film Festival.

In addition to the University, Göttingen also hosts five Max Planck Institutes and a number of other important scientific institutions, such as the German Primate Center and the German Aerospace Center.

The local economy includes many innovative technology-oriented enterprises in the sectors of measurement and control engineering, biotechnology, optics, medical technology and information technology. Several companies are spin-offs from university research projects.

• Student Life in Göttingen
• International Communities
• Festivals
• GISEL - Online-Guide for international students

Your visa for study purposes allows you to enter Germany, but not yet to stay for a longer period of time. For this purpose, you must apply for a residence permit at the Foreigners' Registration Office in Göttingen. You submit this application in person within 90 days of entry.

How to proceed and what documents you need for this, you will learn here.

Guidance and non-technical advice during the doctorate and qualification work Enrolment Child Care

Good language skills open up opportunities for you to get to know the country and its people, to successfully design your studies and to build up professional networks. On the other hand a lack of language skills may lead to considerable problems and delays in studies.

• Language courses for international students

Graduate Schools

• GAUSS (Georg-August University School of Science)
• GFA (Agricultural and Forestry Sciences)
• GGG (Göttingen School of Social Sciences)
• GSGG (Graduate School of Humanities)
Family Services

The doctoral period usually falls into a phase of life in which the topic of the family also comes to the fore: many doctoral students bear family responsibility for children and/or relatives in need of care.

The University's Family Service offers you advice and support on all aspects of the compatibility of research/doctorate and family.

Gender equality and anti-discrimination

The University's Equal Opportunities Officer and the decentralised Equal Opportunities Officers of the faculties are available to you for advice and support. You can also contact the graduate schools in these cases.

What is discrimination? How do I recognise discrimination? What can I do? Comprehensive information for people affected, observers, counsellors or general persons can be found with the Guide: Dealing with discrimination at the University of Göttingen

Disability/chronic illness

A doctorate demands a lot from you not only intellectually, but also organisationally. Disabilities and chronic illnesses represent an additional challenge that you should not and must not cope with alone:

• The Representative for Disabled Persons is responsible for the employees of the University.
• The Representative for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses is available to all doctoral students who are not employed at the university.
Further advisory and information services

If you have any questions or problems, the University of Göttingen and cooperating institutions will provide you with comprehensive advice and information in order to provide you with the best possible support.

• Advisory and information services for international students
• Advisory and information services for students

Good scientific practice is the basis for scientific knowledge. For this reason, the University has established a code of good scientific practice, which you as doctoral students and (prospective) scientists* have committed yourself to adhere to. The graduate schools regularly offer courses on good scientific practice and advise on questions of good scientific practice and scientific misconduct or if you have problems with your supervisor.

Other advisory institutions are:

• Office of the Ombudsman and good scientific practice
• Ombudspersons of the faculties and graduate schools
• Central conflict management (only for employees)

• Medical Care and Emergencies

If during your doctoral phase you experience writers block, personal crisis, depressive moods or similar emerge, act before this situation manifests itself chronically! The sooner you seek advice and help, the greater the chance that you will soon feel better again:

• Psychosocial counselling (PSB)
• Psychotherapeutic Outpatient Clinic for Students (PAS) at the University of Göttingen

Below please find a small selection of leisure activities offered by the University

• InDiGU - Integration and Diversity at Goettingen University
• Foyer International
• Studentenwerk - catering, culture and more
• University sports centre
• University sports centre offerings for employees of the university
• University Choir and University Orchestra
• Academic Orchestra Association Göttingen
• Theatre
• DEGIS in Göttingen - Community for international students

As you will notice very soon, almost everyone in Göttingen seems to own a bike. Since this is the cheapest, most convenient and an environmentally friendly mode of transportation, it is certainly a good idea to buy one. You can reach almost every place in Göttingen within a 15 minute bike ride.

• Bicycling in Göttingen
• Semesterticket
• Car driving in Germany

After completing your studies in Germany and you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, you can remain in the country up to 18 months as a university graduate to find a job that matches your qualifications.

• Career planning for international students

Have you successfully completed your studies and are getting ready to leave Germany?

Before you leave, there are a number of things to be taken care of. Our checklist is intended to help you prepare:

• Check-out Göttingen