Preparing your stay

There are different types of visas depending on the length and type of your stay.

Forschervisum

The Forschervisum enables scientific personnel to come to Germany for teaching and research purposes.

You should apply for a Forschervisum if you are from a non-EU country and plan to stay for more than 90 days in Germany.

The University of Wuppertal is registered with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlich or BAMF) as a recognised research institution. Therefore, we can offer entry with the Forschervisum under certain conditions.

You will need the following documents to apply for the Forschervisum:

• Hosting agreement (see Download Center) for the implementation of a research project with the Bergische Universität Wuppertal.
• Declaration by the research institution that the costs of public authorities will be covered
• Sufficient health insurance cover
• Proof of a secure livelihood (currently around 1,800.00 € net/month).

Please inform yourself in advance about the respective visa regulations, procedures and required documents/forms at the responsible authority in your home country, as these may vary depending on the country of origin. For example, some countries charge a visa fee.

For more information on the procedure, see "Hosting Agreement" (see below).

National Visa

You should apply for a National Visa if you are from a non-EU country and plan to stay for more than 90 days in Germany.

• It is suitable for stays for the purpose of gainful employment, among other things.
• The stay is only possible in the Federal Republic of Germany
• Travel within the Schengen area is possible for a maximum of 3 months in any six-month period
• The purpose of stay/permissible gainful employment is stated in the visa
• After entering Germany, the national visa must be converted into an electronic residence permit (eAT).

As it may take some time to process your application, you should apply in good time (2 to 3 months before entry) and in person.

The national visa is usually issued for a period of three months. For the period thereafter, you must apply for a residence permit in Germany at the local foreigners authority.

Further information can be found here.

Schengen visa

The Schengen visa is an alternative for shorter stays lasting less than 3 months, as it also allows you to travel to other Schengen countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland).

The Schengen visa is mainly suitable for (tourist) visits and short business trips.

Attention: If you plan to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days, you must not enter Germany with a Schengen visa under any circumstances, as it cannot be extended and you will have to leave again after 3 months!

Under German law (section 71 (2) of the Residence Act), the responsibility for issuing visas lies with the missions of Germany, i.e. its embassies and consulates-general, which reside in your home country. The following website of the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) will show List of German missions in your area.

Hosting Agreement (Aufnahmevereinbarung)

The Hosting Agreement is a contract under private law and serves to quickly obtain a visa and later a residence title (Aufenthaltstitel or Aufenthaltserlaubnis) as a researcher (Section 18d Residence Act - Residence Act). The requirement to submit a letter of invitation or an employment contract as well as the approval of the local Foreigners' Registration Authority (Ausländerbehörde) and a labor market examination are not applicable in this procedure.

As a research institution recognised by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge or BAMF), the University of Wuppertal can conclude Hosting Agreements with researchers from non-EU countries, which is particularly recommended for planned employment as a research associate. Further information can be found on the website of the BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees).

According to § 38a Abs. 5 AufenthV, the University of Wuppertal is obligated to immediately notify the BAMF of any termination of research activities and of any changes after the conclusion of a Hosting Agreement (see Merkblatt Anzeige-und Mitteilungspflichten von Forschungseinrichtungen in the Download Center).

Documents to be submitted
Please submit the following doucuments by email to Ms. Isaeva isaeva{at}uni-wuppertal.de.

• Hosting Agreement form signed by you only (see Download Center)
• CV
• Copy of your passport
• Health insurance for the entire duration of your stay
• Proof of sufficient financial means (if no employment contract or scholarship is available).
• If applicable, scholarship grant (if not in German or English, please have it translated)
• Letter of invitation from your host department

The Hosting Agreement form has to be filled out in German and can be completed additionally in English. Only the Rector is authorised to sign the Hosting Agreement. The International Center will check the documents to be submitted for the conclusion of an Hosting Agreement and submit them to the Rector.

Proof of sufficient financial means

The granting of the visa as well as the residence title (Aufenthaltstitel or Aufenthaltserlaubnis) requires in particular that your livelihood is secured.

In principle, it is also possible to conclude a Hosting Agreement if you do not finance your stay either through an employment contract or a scholarship. In this case,  you must prove that you have sufficient funds of your own.

In this case, proof a secured livelihood is usually provided by means of a so-called blocked bank account. A blocked bank account is comparable to a savings book with sufficient funds and a blocking notice in favour of the foreigners authority.

As of 1 January 2023, approx. 11,208.00 € per year/ approx. 5,604.00 € per half year is assumed to be the standard requirement for students, then no more than approx. 934.00 € can be withdrawn from the account each month and this note can only be deleted with the consent of the Foreigners' Registration Authority (Ausländerbehörde). How high the amount is for you depends on the living costs locally and can therefore be higher. In general, sufficient financial means is examined by the Foreigners' Registration Authority.

From September 2024, this amount is expected to increase to 11,904.00 € for 12 months, with a maximum withdrawal amount of 992.00 € per month.

Further information on blocked bank accounts and a list of banks that offer blocked accounts throughout Germany can be found here.

All persons visiting Germany are required by law to obtain health insurance, including visiting academics and researchers.

International researchers with an employment contract

Statutory health insurance applies when you start working in Germany and when your employment contract begins. If you enter the country earlier, you must obtain private health insurance until the start of your employment until you can transfer to statutory health insurance.

International researchers without an employment contract

GKV Zugang für Forschende aus Drittstaaten ohne Arbeitsvertrag (Presentation in German)

Researchers can only be covered by statutory health insurance in certain cases. It is possible to apply for statutory health insurance up to 3 months after arrival if you previously only had travel health insurance. The start of membership depends on the start of the research contract and is only possible as voluntary insurance.

The voluntary contribution is calculated on the basis of income (e.g. scholarship) and amounts to a minimum of EUR 179.11 per month and a maximum of EUR 786.60 plus long-term care insurance.
Family members may be eligible for non-contributory family insurance under certain conditions.

There are also many other possible constellations in which researchers have access to statutory health insurance or can remain insured in their home country.
For example, family insurance or previous insurance periods in a statutory health insurance scheme within Europe or coming from a treaty country, with which the Federal Republic of Germany has concluded social security agreements.

IMPORTANT note on the researcher group:
Accidental registration as an employee only becomes apparent after many weeks. Therefore, in this case, you should not apply for membership with TK as an employee, but apply for membership as "Other".

Further information for English-speaking employees/researchers and an invitation to our monthly webinar "Social Insurance in Germany - Good things to know" can be found here:

Good things to know about health insurance (tk.de)

If you have any further questions, please contact the office on the Grifflenberg campus:  TK Wuppertal Campus | Die Techniker

Cheap housing

• Overview of cheap guest houses und hotels in Wuppertal
• Youth hostel Wuppertal
  Address: Obere Lichtenplatzer Str. 70, 42287 Wuppertal
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0) 552 372
  Reservation by email: wuppertal[at]jugendherberge.de
• Hotel Reservation Service

Furnished flats and accommodations

• University Guest House
  Furnished accommodations for visiting scientists offered by the University of Wuppertal
  Address: Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 3, 42119 Wuppertal
  Reservation by email: Mrs. Siebert siebert[at]uni-wuppertal.de
• Hochschul-Sozialwerk Wuppertal (HSW)
  Furnished accommodations for visiting scientists in dormitories
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0)202 - 430 40 40
  Reservation by email: Mrs. Peschke peschke{at}uni-wuppertal.de
• "flow" Wuppertal
  Furnished accommodations 2-4 persons in dormitories
  Address: Lahnstr. 15, 42117 Wuppertal
  Reservation online: www.flow-wuppertal.de
• Theologisches Zentrum Wuppertal
  Furnished single or double rooms
  Address: Missionsstr. 9 a/b, 42285 Wuppertal
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0) 202 28 20 - 538
  Reservation by email: Christine Boldt christine.boldt[at]ekir.de
• Appartementhaus am Kleeblatt
  Furnished accommodations for short-term and long-term stays
  Address: Kleeblatt 2a, 42119 Wuppertal
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0)202 42 00 24
  Reservation by email: sneuerburg[at]t-online.de
• Gemeinnützige Wohnungsbaugesellschaft mbH Wuppertal (GWG)
  Furnished accommodations
  Address: Tannenbergstr. 53 und 57, 42103 Wuppertal
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0) 202 9311 343
  Reservation by email: vquast[at]gwg-wuppertal.de
• Produkt Idee GmbH & Co. KG
  Furnished appartements near to the campus
  Reservation by phone +49 (0) 202 24529-0
  Reservation by email: w.schmidt[at]produkt-idee.com
• Haus Honigstal
  Four furnished accommodations Address: Im Honigstal 7, 42117 Wuppertal
  Reservation by phone: +49 (0) 202 42 64 55 Reservation by email: wohnen[at]haus-honigstal.de

Flats in Wuppertal and the surrounding area

• WG-Gesucht
• Home Company
• HomeToGo
• Immowelt
• ImmobilienScout24

Legal framework for the entry and residence of foreign students and academics.

Overview of possible residence titles for academics from third countries according to the Residence Act.