General info about doctoral studies in Heidelberg

This webpage provides links to information for IMPRS students and applicants. Most of the information is also distributed elsewhere on the IMPRS webpage, and is summarized here.

Suggestions and corrections are welcome. Please, help us to keep this up-to-date.

General information

On the left column you find:

  - a collection of info about how to prepare your arrival to Heidelberg and info about living in Heidelberg/ Germany.

  -  links to the most important IMPRS forms, and to the IMPRS rules.

  -  a health dictionary, provided by the Deutsches Studierendenwerk.

-  the MPG supervision guidelines for PhD students for download

-  information about possible financial (travel) support

After arrival in Heidelberg, please arrange for the following

- your work contract (that should have prepared in advance by your supervisor)

- your bank account ( look for a student account that is for free )

- your accommodation (preliminary accomodation may be arranged in advance)

- your health insurance  ( a compulsary healt insurance is needed for a work contract )

- registration for doctoral studies (see our info about admission) at the Department for Physics and Astronomy (respectively the HGSFP, Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics)

- enrollment at Heidelberg University (can be done only after acceptance for doctoral studies )

Accommodation:

There are two main options: either you look for a room in a shared flat, which in German is called Wohngemeinschaft (WG), or for a flat of your own, which is obviously more expensive.

Accomodation is almost all on the private market. However, there are a few student dorms (most of them run by the Heidelberg Studierendenwerk), most of them intended for undergrad students.

Health insurance

If you have a work contract then your health insurance is automatically deduced from the health insurance you have once chosen. If you have a stipend things are somewhat different, please check with us. Here is an illustrated health dictionary (pdf) provided by the  DSW (Deutsches Studentenwerk).

Detailed information about the above topics and also about registration at the city authorities, admission, enrollment, etc. can be found under "Academics".

After your PhD examination

With a doctoral degree from a German university you may extend your visa if you are looking for a job in Germany.

If you will become un-employed, you may get un-employment money (if you before had an un-emplyoment insurance connected to a work contract). Do not forget to register with them as early as possible (as soon as you know about your un-emplyoment) at the authorities - the "Bundesagentur fuer Arbeit" in Heidelberg.