International Office
Before arrival

Plan your stay as visiting scholar at Chemnitz University of Technology

We are pleased that you have chosen Chemnitz University of Technology and are planning a stay in the Visiting Scholar Program of our university! In order to facilitate your application and preparation, we have summarized the most important milestones on your way to our university.

Please contact the International Office of Chemnitz University of Technology at visitingscholar@tu-chemnitz.de if we can assist you with any further questions.

Please note that some websites are available in German language only. We indicate this by using *. You may contact us at visitingscholar@tu-chemnitz.de if you need assistance.

The Visiting Scholar Program is a special program for tandems of international and Chemnitz scientists who have been working together successfully for many years. Please check first whether you and your Chemnitz partner meet the requirements to participate in this program.

Your most important contact is the hosting professorship at Chemnitz University of Technology.

In addition to the Visiting Scholar Program, Chemnitz University of Technology offers further possibilities to organize stays of international guest researchers.

If you meet the requirements for admission to the Visiting Scholar Program, the next step is to prepare the content: Please discuss with the hosting professorship at Chemnitz University of Technology which scientific question you would like to work on and which joint activities are necessary. Please also coordinate which resources such as office/laboratory equipment or consumables will be necessary for a successful stay.

Then please fill in the application form for admission to the Visiting Scholar Program and send it to your hosting professorship together with all necessary attachments. The professorship also completes an application form and submits all documents to the International Office.

Please note the application deadline: all documents must be submitted to the International Office.

You can find detailed information about the application here.

Your most important contacts are the hosting professorship at which you want to carry out your guest stay and the International Office.

 

If your application for admission to the Visiting Scholar Program has been approved, the following steps are necessary:

A letter of invitation is mandatory for visiting scholars who are required to apply for a visa to enter Germany and/or need to obtain a residence permit for the period of their stay in Chemnitz. The letter of invitation is one of the compulsory documents to be submitted to the German consular authorities.

Please contact us well in advance so that we can issue the letter of invitation to you. We need the following information from you:

  • given name(s) and surname(s) as indicated in the passport
  • date of birth
  • passport number

We recommend to send us a scan of your passport.

The letter of invitation will state the period of your stay in Chemnitz and the amount of funding you will receive within the Visiting Scholar Program. In addition, the invitation contains a reference to the fact that sufficient health insurance coverage must be provided in Germany.

If your family members accompany you to Chemnitz, please point this out to us. Then the above information is required respectively for all accompanying family members and will be stated in the letter of invitation.

Even if you are exempt from the visa requirement, please check with your home institution whether you need a letter of invitation.

Your most important contacts are the International Office of Chemnitz University of Technology and your home institution.

This step applies only to visiting scholars who are nationals of third countries. Citizens of the European Union (EU) and EEA countries can skip this step.

You will need a Hosting Agreement for your national visa or residence permit to be issued. Please complete the form and send it with the following documents to the International Office of Chemnitz University of Technology:

  • certificate of the last academic degree (usually a doctoral certificate; if necessary with translation into English or German)
  • copy of your passport
  • proof of health insurance for Germany

Note for visiting scholars from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America: In order to be able to start your research activities as soon as possible after your arrival in Chemnitz, you will need a residence permit. The Immigration Office of the City of Chemnitz will examine your application prior to your arrival and will require the signed Hosting Agreement.

Note for visiting scholars from other third countries: In the letter of invitation, we ask the German consular authority to issue your national visa for the entire duration of your stay in Chemnitz and refer to the Hosting Agreement. For this reason, the Hosting Agreement is concluded prior to your trip to Chemnitz.

The International Office coordinates the conclusion of the Hosting Agreement and will also contact your hosting professorship. We require a commitment from your hosting professorship that the framework conditions are in place for the successful conduction of your research project.

Your most important contact is the International Office.

Sufficient health insurance coverage is essential for your stay in Chemnitz! The proof of the health insurance cover is necessary above all also for the granting of a visa and a residence permit.

Please note that you will be in Germany for a relatively long period of time and that other regulations for the health insurance cover of your domestic insurer may apply than for short business or conference trips! Travel health insurances are usually unsuitable for your stay as a visiting scholar.

Nationals of EU Member States and EEA States

Citizens of the European Union and the EEA states who are covered by statutory health insurance in their home country can apply to their local health insurance fund for the so-called Form S1. You can use this form to register with a German health insurance fund. The German health insurance fund will then provide you with all the benefits to which German health insurance fund members are entitled.

If you are not covered by statutory health insurance, please contact your health insurance company and inquire about the benefits that your insurance will cover for Germany. Please also inquire about the options available in your home country for obtaining health insurance cover for your stay in Germany.

Third-country nationals

Since you are staying longer than 6 weeks in Germany in the Visiting Scholar Program and register a residence here, you are obliged to obtain health insurance with an insurance company that is licensed in Germany.

Please note that during the Visiting Scholar Program you are not employed at Chemnitz University of Technology and thus not subject to social security contributions and therefore are required to obtain private health insurance.

You can choose between different providers of private health insurance, an overview of all companies can be found at the association of private health insurers "Verband Privater Krankenversicherungen".

Some companies offer special products for international guest researchers who only come to Germany for a limited period of time. These often include accident and liability insurance as well.

Providers of such special products include, but are not limited to:

A proof of sufficient health insurance cover is a prerequisite for the issuance of a visa. Thus, please contact the providers well in advance and inform yourself about the various options.

When arranging health insurance, please ask the provider whether the contract can be concluded until a certain end date. This means that you do not have to cancel your health insurance separately at the end of your stay.

You can find an overview of the health care system in Germany on the website of Schengen Visa Info, which is available in 7 languages.

Please note that all related costs are covered by the expense allowance and shall be borne by you.

Your most important contacts are your local health insurance company and health insurance companies in Germany.

Whether this step is relevant for you depends on your nationality. Citizens of the European Union and EEA countries can skip this point. Visiting scholars from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America also do not require a visa, but please note the information under 7. Applying for a residence permit. Citizens of Switzerland can enter Germany without a visa, but need to apply for a Swiss residence permit after their arrival in Chemnitz. Details on this can be found under Entry, visa and residence permit.

Citizens of all other countries need a national visa for research purposes to enter Germany. It is best to apply for this visa for the entire duration of your stay in Chemnitz. We have compiled all the important information in the section Entry, visa and residence permit.

To apply for a visa, please allow for a processing time of 4 to 6 weeks at the German Embassy or Consulate. In some cases, the processing time may extend over several months. Information on this can be obtained from the responsible German representation abroad.

The costs incurred for applying for a visa shall be borne by you.

Your most important contact is the German representation abroad.

This step is only relevant if

  • you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America or
  • your national visa was not issued for the entire period of your stay in Chemnitz.

To ensure that you receive your residence permit as soon as possible after your arrival in Chemnitz, you can submit your application to the Immigration Office of the City of Chemnitz before you travel to Germany. We have compiled all the relevant information for you in the section on Entry, visa and residence permit.

Swiss nationals can apply for a Swiss residence permit after their arrival in Chemnitz.

Your most important contact is the Immigration Office of the City of Chemnitz.

Please be sure to note that the payment of the living allowance (Aufwandsentschädigung) on the part of Chemnitz University of Technology is made without deduction of taxes, as the deduction of taxes depends on your personal circumstances. However, Chemnitz University of Technology is obligated to inform the responsible tax authorities about the total amount of annual payments exceeding the limit of 1,500 EUR (Notification Ordinance of September 7, 1993, BGBI. I p. 1154 as amended). You will then most likely receive a letter from the relevant tax office requesting you to submit a personal income tax return. We therefore recommend that you check the obligations incumbent on you under German and international tax and social security law on your own responsibility and comply with them. For this purpose, you may seek tax advice in your home country or during your stay in Chemnitz. Unfortunately, Chemnitz University of Technology cannot provide individual advice in this regard.

Your most important contact is a trusted tax advisor with knowledge of international tax law.

The TU Chemnitz is happy to support you in your search for accommodation. There are various options, ranging from a single room in a student hall of residence to a furnished flat for you and your family.

Here is a selection of different providers:

Your most important contact are the housing providers.

For visiting scholars who come to Chemnitz with their family, the question of childcare may arise. Chemnitz University of Technology has been a family-friendly university for many years and offers you a wide range of support options.

Please let us know as soon as possible whether you need a place in a day care center or in a school for your children. The Family Service of Chemnitz University of Technology will then get in touch with the contact persons of the City of Chemnitz and organize the next steps.

Your most important contact is the Family Service of Chemnitz University of Technology.

The Contract with a Visiting Researcher is an important internal document at Chemnitz University of Technology for your stay as a visiting scholar. Our Human Resources Department is responsible for issuing this agreement and cooperates closely with your hosting professorship and the International Office.

In order to prepare the agreement, please forward the following documents to your hosting professorship:

The hosting professorship and the Human Resources Department then prepare the agreement, which you will sign after your arrival in Chemnitz.

Please submit all documents to the International Office at least 6 weeks before the start of your stay.

With the conclusion of Contract with a Visiting Researcher, the Human Resources Department will arrange for you to get an IT-account at our university via the University Computer Centre.

Your most important contact is the hosting professorship.

In order to complete all the formalities regarding your stay, you will need various documents that you are required to bring with you to Chemnitz.

These include above all:

  • your passport incl. your visa (if a visa is necessary)
  • proof of your qualification, e.g. completed doctorate (if necessary with translation into English or German)
  • confirmation from the visiting scholar’s home institution (university or research institution) that an employment relationship will continue for the duration of your stay in Germany, in English or German
  • a certificate from your health insurance company
  • your EU driving license or an international driving license if you want to drive in Germany

Should your family accompany you to Germany, please bring your marriage certificate and/or birth certificate(s) of your child/children with you.

The International Office is the central point of contact for international guest researchers and hosting professors for organizational questions. You can, of course, contact us at visitingscholar@tu-chemnitz.de before you arrive in Chemnitz, e.g. if you have any questions about visa or looking for accommodation. We will also be delighted to support you during your stay and assist you in dealing with the authorities.

 

Now you have made all the necessary preparations to carry out your research project at Chemnitz University of Technology. We wish you a successful and pleasant stay at our university!

University News