Preparing Your Stay

International researchers who come to Germany for research purposes require proof of financial security for their livelihood in order to obtain a visa and residence permit in Braunschweig. The German authorities estimate that you will need around €950 per month for yourself, a further €300 per month for accompanying spouses and usually €250 per child for accompanying children. You can provide proof of funding in various ways.

Employment contract
If you receive an employment contract at TU Braunschweig, your livelihood is considered secured if your net salary is sufficiently high. You sign the employment contract once you have arrived on site. You will receive a “confirmation of employment” in advance, which you can submit as proof that your livelihood is secured.

Scholarship
A scholarship can secure your livelihood if the monthly installments are sufficient. Find out about funding opportunities in the DAAD Scholarship Database.

Self-financing
You can also finance shorter research stays on your own. You must then provide proof of the necessary amount of cash, usually in the form of bank statements. German missions abroad may also require you to set up a blocked account.

Are you planning to do a doctorate at TU Braunschweig? Here you will find all the information about the formalities you need to complete.

Check Requirements

Requirements for a doctorate at the TU Braunschweig are:

• a good or very good university degree at Master's level
• at least 5 years of study
• completion of the Master's degree with an independent project work or thesis

If you would like to do your doctorate in Germany, you do not necessarily have to take a German language exam. Clarify with your supervisor in which language you can do your doctorate and which language requirements you need to fulfill.

Find a Supervisor

In order to find a doctoral supervisor for your doctorate, you must already have precise ideas about the topic and objectives of your doctoral thesis. So choose a topic for your doctorate and then find out at which of the faculties or institutes at TU Braunschweig you could work on this topic:

Research areas at TU Braunschweig

Institutes of TU Braunschweig

Then send a project outline of your doctoral topic and your CV to the relevant faculty, institute or directly to a professor in your chosen subject area.

Evaluation of Foreign Degrees

Once you have found a supervisor for your doctoral thesis, TU Braunschweig must check the equivalence of your foreign degrees. You do not need an evaluation if you have completed your Master's degree in Germany.

Please send the following information and documents in PDF files to a.sebastian(at)tu-braunschweig.de

• Name of your host institute and supervisor at TU Braunschweig
• Bachelor's degree certificate and a list of grades in the original language and in German or English translation
• Master's degree certificate and a list of grades in the original language and in German or English translation
• Curriculum vitae

Once your degree equivalence has been evaluated, your supervisor will be informed whether your qualifications meet the formal requirements for admission to doctoral studies at TU Braunschweig.

Apply for Admission to Doctoral Studies

Please contact the doctoral office responsible for you to apply for admission to doctoral studies. The contact details and information on how to apply can be found on the website of the respective faculty:

Doctoral Office of Faculty 1 (Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Faculty)

Doctoral Office of Faculty 2 (Faculty of Life Sciences)

Doctoral Office of Faculty 3 (Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences)

Doctoral Office of Faculty 4 (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)

Doctoral Office of Faculty 5 (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Physics)

Doctoral Office of Faculty 6 (Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences)

Enrolment as a Doctoral Student

Once you have clarified all the requirements for a doctoral programme, please complete the online enrolment via the TUconnect portal of the Enrolment Office:

TUconnect

You can find the documents required for your enrolment here.

If you have any questions, the staff at the Enrolment Office in the Student Service Centre will be happy to help you.

Third country nationals require a visa to enter Germany. Which visa or residence permit is suitable for you will depend on your personal situation and the purpose of your stay.

Short Stays up to 90 Days

For short stays of up to 90 days, you can stay in Germany with a Schengen visa. Citizens of certain countries do not require a visa for short-term stays of up to 90 days (see list of Federal Foreign Office).

Visa-free Entry

• Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not require a visa or residence permit for entry and stay.
• Citizens of certain countries do not require a visa for entry and short-term stays of up to 90 days (see list of Federal Foreign Office).
  If you plan to enter the country without a visa and apply for a residence permit on site, please bear in mind that you are not allowed to start any work until the residence permit has been issued. (see Federal Foreign Office: BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge - Entry regulations).

Long-term Stays

If you are coming to Braunschweig for a longer stay as a PhD, PostDoc or Professor, you will apply for one of the following visas depending on the purpose of your stay. Information on the different types of visa can be found at Make it in Germany:

Visa for research

Visa for work/EU Blue Card

Visa for studying

As a rule, the visa is issued for 90 days, but for certain residence purposes it can also be issued for up to one year. Please remember to apply for a residence permit at the immigration office after entering the country and within the validity period of the visa. You do not need to apply for a residence permit if the visa covers the period of stay (see BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge - Entry regulations).

Documents for the Visa Application

When you apply for a visa, the embassy will send you a list of documents to be submitted.

When applying for your visa, you must provide proof of health insurance that covers the period of your travels and your first few weeks in Germany. We advise obtaining international health insurance prior to your travel to Germany.

If you require a "Letter of Acceptance" for your visa application, please contact us in time.

Family reunification

People who have received a visa and/or a residence permit for Germany can bring their spouse and children to Germany.

Spouses and children who are nationals of EU, EEA or Swiss countries can accompany you to Germany without restrictions.

If your spouse and children are not nationals of EU, EEA or Swiss countries, please check the visa requirements overview to see whether your family members need a visa to enter Germany. Details about visa requirements are available at German embassies and consulates worldwide. Contact the embassy or consulate in whose jurisdiction you currently live.

To obtain a visa, you must prove that all family members have sufficient financial means to cover their living expenses, sufficient living space and adequate health insurance. In certain cases, spouses joining you must provide proof of German language skills at a basic level. Further information can be found here.

Gainful employment of accompanying/trailing spouses

If your visa or residence permit permits gainful employment, your spouse may generally also take up gainful employment in Germany. Further information can be obtained from the responsible German missions abroad or the local foreigners authority.

With lots of greenery and culture, a beautiful old town and short distances, Braunschweig is a comfortable city, rich in tradition, and a great place for research. However, the housing market in Braunschweig is very tight. Particularly at the beginning of the semester, there is often a shortage of accommodation. We therefore recommend that you look for an apartment as early as possible. It is best to start looking for accommodation as soon as you have received your admission letter. Here are a few tips for your search.

Student Dormitories (For Doctoral Students)

Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen operates ten halls of residence in Braunschweig with over 2,200 places and 20 guest rooms. You can find an overview of all dormitories on the following website:
Dormitories - Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen (stw-on.de)

If you would like to apply for accommodation in a student dormitory, you will find the online application form on the following page of the Studierendenwerk:
Application - Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen (stw-on.de)

Please read the information and notes carefully before completing the application. We strongly recommend that you are flexible in your choice of rooms and halls of residence and that you do not set the upper rent limit too low, as the places available are limited.

Do not apply until you have been officially admitted to a doctoral program by a professor. Please note that TU Braunschweig cannot guarantee you a place in a dormitory!

Apply early, as dormitories can have long waiting times! You can apply even before enrolment, and it does not commit you to anything. However, proof of enrolment must be provided to the Studierendenwerk no later than your move-in date.

Guest Apartments

The Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen also offers guest apartments. These are more suitable for short-term stays and can be rented for a few weeks up to a few months. Enrolment is not required. You can find more information and the contact details of the Studierendenwerk on the following website:
Guest apartments - Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen (stw-on.de)

Private Housing Market

You can also find apartments and rooms on the private housing market. Many people rent an apartment together and live together in shared flats (so-called WGs). In the following link list you will find some online portals with advertisements:

• www.stw-on.de/biete-und-suche
• www.immobilienscout24.de
• www.immo38.de
• https://www.homecompany.de/agenturen/braunschweig/
• www.wg-gesucht.de
• https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-auf-zeit-wg/braunschweig/c199l2448

Temporary living

• https://www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/braunschweig/
• https://www.ipartment.de/standorte/braunschweig/
• https://livetolion.de/
• www.airbnb.de

Braunschweig is conveniently accessible via four international airports and direct train connections from numerous European cities. Click here for detailed route descriptions and information on airports, trains, and buses:

Arrival by plane, traine, bus