Welcome guide for researchers

Getting started in Dresden‘s research landscape

1
INDEX

Rector´s statement..................................................................................4

Before arrival

Visa and entry..........................................................................................5

Travel health insurance and important documents..............................6

Family
After arrival
Dual Career Service ...................................................................30
Local registration .....................................................................................8 Childcare....................................................................................31
Residence and work permit .......................................................................9 School system...........................................................................33
Funding...........................................................................................................10 School registration.....................................................................34
Social security system.............................................................................12 Benefits for families...................................................................35
Health insurance.....................................................................................13 Having a baby.............................................................................37
General information on housing................................................................14
Short-term accomodation........................................................................15
Long-term accomodation........................................................................16 Returning home
List of abbreviations................................................................................17
Utility costs and recycling.........................................................................19 Returning home ..........................................................................39
Local relocation services .............................................................41

Living in Dresden

Bank account.............................................................................. ............21

Driving license........................................................................... ............22
Other insurances ....................................................................................23
Language courses ..................................................................................25
Taxes and fees .......................................................................................26
Doctors and pharmacies ........................................................................27

2
Before arrival

„I love Dresden! I think it is the perfect size to support a vibrant and dynamic community.
There is an interesting mix of old and young (buildings, people, ideas) that keeps you on your toes. I don’t
know exactly what the future holds for me, but I wish I could stay in Dresden forever.“
Matt from the USA, Postdoc at Leibniz Institute - IFW

3
„The research alliance DRESDEN-concept
has clearly and unambiguously positioned
itself for open-mindedness and tolerance.
We are grateful that we, at DRESDEN-concept,
learn, teach, work and live together with several
thousand international researchers and students
to achieve top performances in both research and
teaching. Science and knowledge are international
and not subject to national, cultural or religious
backgrounds! DRESDEN-concept thrives on the
interaction between our foreign and German mem-
bers, who are all a non-negotiable part of our re-
search alliance. We have achieved our aim of ma-
king foreign staff and students enthusiastic about
their chosen DRESDEN-concept institution, at
which they came to work and study. Now I see it as
our duty to ensure that they experience Dresden as
a charming city and a great place to live. Come and
join us, we look forward to seeing you here!”
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Hans Müller-Steinhagen

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Hans Müller-Steinhagen is chairman of the Executive Board of DRESDEN-concept and Rector of TU Dresden 4
Visa and Entry

A valid passport is necessary when coming to Germany. EU citizens may enter

Germany on their national identity card. Non-EU citizens generally need an ent- Who does not need a visa? Citizens from the
ry visa and, for a longer stay (more than 3 months), a residence permit, which
Member States of the European Union (EU), Swit-
is issued at the Dresden Immigration Office after arrival. Exemptions from the
requirement of an entrance visa are listed below. zerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein do
not require a visa. Nationals from Australia, Isra-
Non-EU nationals have to apply for the entry visa at the German embassy or
consulate in their home country or current country of residence. The applica- el, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of
tion process may take up to 2 or 3 months. Visa for family members travelling Korea and the USA do not require an entry visa,
with you should be applied for at the same time.
but have to apply for a work permit after arrival
Please make sure you apply for the correct type of visa. The International Of- immediately. They are not allowed to work before
fice of your host institution or DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dres-
den will be glad to inform you, which type of visa you should apply for. having the permit.

Please note: Do not enter Germany on a Visitor or Tourist Visa (Schengen Brazilian PhD students, who are going to enroll
Visa/C-Visa), when you are planning to stay longer than three months! This
at the TU Dresden, can enter Germany without
type of visa cannot be extended or redesignated for other purposes.
visa and should apply for a residence permit
Please note: If you intend to bring your family along for longer than 3 months
within three months after arrival. Employees and
(family reunion) please contact the International Office or DRESDEN-concept
Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff as early as possible before your stay to guest researchers with a scholarship have to ap-
find out about prerequisites and procedures, which in some cases may require ply for an entry visa for research purposes before
several months’ planning lead.
coming to Dresden.
Generally, a visa only entitles you to enter Germany and stay for 90* days. If
you are planning a longer research stay, you have to apply for a residence per- You may find more information on entry require-
mit within the first days after arrival.
ments on the Federal Foreign Office‘s webpage.
*Sometimes it may be valid for a longer period of time, when you stay only for a few
months in Dresden.

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Travel health insurance & important documents

Travel health insurance Important documents to bring to Germany

Non-EU citizens will have to procure a travel health insurance for the entry valid passport and entry visa, also for accompanying family members
visa’s validity. If you do not need an entry visa, a travel insurance for the first letter of invitation/letter of acceptance/employment contract/hosting ag-
few weeks might be advisable but is not mandatory. reement with the host institution or funding certificate
for determining the appropriate salary level: previous academic employ-
This travel insurance for visa purposes needs to meet particular requirements ment contracts or letters of reference outlining job descriptions from all
such as providing at least €30,000 in coverage. The policy also has to provide former academic employer(s)
benefits for emergency medical evacuation, medical expenses and repatriation only for non-EU citizens who need a visa: certificate of travel health
(return of your mortal remains to your home country). For more details please insurance (in English or German)
check with the local German embassy/consulate. birth certificates of accompanying children with apostille/legalisation
marriage certificate with apostille/legalisation, if applicable*
Please do not contract a travel health insurance in your home country or coun- original of your university degree and/or doctoral degree with German or
try of residence for more than three months. A foreign travel health insurance English translations, if possible
may not be accepted by the Dresden Immigration Office when you apply for
the residence permit after arrival.

For any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the International
Office at your host institution in Dresden or DRESDEN-concept Welcome Cen- * Please ask your German embassy/consulate
ter at TU Dresden team.
or the Immigration Office in Dresden about the
requirements regarding legalization of your docu-
ments. More information on legalization of docu-
ments can be found here.

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After Arrival

„I really feel that this is my home and my best time is

the time I get to spend with my German families. When I came
here I only had one family in Iraq but now I belong to many German families. Wearing a headscarf has never
been a problem, neither my religion nor my skin color. Still people smile at me, still people support me, still
the TU Dresden is offering chances, and most important, still knowledge has no borders of nationality here.“

Iman from Iraq, guest researcher at TU Dresden

7
 Bild 1 Bild 2

DRESDEN WELCOME CENTER

local registration
After moving to Germany everyone is obliged to register at the local Registra-
tion Office (“Bürgerbüro”) within two weeks. The Central Registration Office Moving allowance for (PhD) students
is located in the city center on Theaterstraße 11, room 008. To register at the
Registration Office you need a valid identification document. Students, e.g. PhD students, who are enrolled at TU Dresden
or another Dresden-based higher education institution and
At move-in request your landlord to give you the official confirmation called who register their principal address in Dresden for the first
„Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung“ (commented form „Wohnungsgeberbe- time are eligible for the City of Dresden’s moving allowance
scheinigung“). It has been a requirement for any registration process incl. re-
for students (€150). Applications for the allowance must be
registration and deregistration since 1 November 2015.
filed in person at the Studentenwerk Dresden between Janu-
ary and March of the year after first moving to Dresden. You
Non-EU citizens may register at the Dresden Welcome Center, Schweriner
Str. 1, which also processes the applications for a residence permit. The Regis- need the application form, your registration certificate (“Mel-
tration Office resp. Dresden Welcome Center issues your registration certifica- debescheinigung”) and a valid identification document. The
te (“Meldebescheinigung”). allowance will be paid out via bank transfer to a German bank
account only.
Any change of address and residence within the city or country must be repor-
ted to the Registration Office. Before you leave Germany you have to deregis- Please find more information and the application form here.
ter and will receive a certificate confirming your deregistration (“Abmeldung”).

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Residence and work permit

Non-EU citizens Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Lux-
embourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzer-
If you plan to stay in Dresden for longer than three months, you need to apply land, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain) within the temporal validity of the visa.
for a residence permit (which usually includes a work permit) at the Dresden
Immigration Office (“Dresden Welcome Center”/”Ausländerbehörde”). This EU citizens
also applies to foreign nationals who are exempt from the entry visa re-quire-
ment (citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic Citizens of the European Union as well as the European Economic Area (Ice-
of Korea or the USA, see chapter 1.1). land, Liechtenstein and Norway) can work and travel freely throughout Germa-
ny and the EU and do not require a permit for long-term stays. If you are plan-
Please make an appointment before visiting the office by sending your first ning to spend a longer period of time in Germany (more than three months), all
name, surname, date of birth, nationality, date of arrival, entry visa’s expiry you have to do is register at the Registration Office.
date and the reason of your stay to: termin.auslaenderbehoerde(at)dresden.de
or ask your International Office/the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Swiss citizens
Dresden to do so. You can also get an appointment when registering at the City
of Dresden Welcome Center for the first time. Swiss citizens can work and travel freely throughout Germany, but must apply
for a residence permit if they intend to stay for longer than 3 months.
Along with the date and time of your appointment, the office will send you a
list of the documents required. If necessary, the International Office at your Brazilian citizens
host institution or the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden will
assist you with the application form and explain the list of required documents. Brazilian PhD students, who are going to enroll at the TU Dresden, can enter
Germany without visa and should apply for a residence permit within three
While holding a valid entry visa, you are allowed to travel within the Schengen months after arrival. Employees and guest researchers with a scholarship have
Area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, to apply for an entry visa for employment or research purposes before coming

9
funding
There are usually three possible sources for funding your stay – either through TU Dresden Graduate Academy
a German work contract, through a scholarship of your German host institution,
your home country/home institution or an international grant, or through your We also recommend that young researchers contact the Graduate Academy
own funds. Your income from a work contract is taxable and subject to social which is the central service point for PhD students and Postdocs at TU Dres-
security contributions under German law. It might also entitle you to claim den. Membership at the Graduate Academy is free of charge and open to all
German pension (see also chapter 2.5.) and unemployment benefits, provided PhD students who have been accepted by one of TU Dresden’s faculties as a
certain criteria are met (depending on the duration and amount of taxes/contri- Doctoral Candidate and to Postdocs holding a work contract with TU Dresden.
butions paid over time). To its members, Graduate Academy offers a wide range of qualification semi-
nars and workshops as well as funding programs such as short-term fellow-
If your research stay in Germany takes place in the framework of a fellowship ships and mobility grants. Furthermore, consultations, i.e. on funding opportu-
you may be exempt from taxation. It is certainly worth consulting the organiza- nities, are offered to all young researchers independently of a GA membership.
tion which has awarded the fellowship on this issue. Furthermore, you should
find out whether the fellowship paid in Germany is subject to taxation in your TU Dresden Graduate Academy
home country. Mommsenstraße 7
01069 Dresden
Along with self-financing, or funding your stay through your home country/ Tel: +49 351 463-42241 / 42242
institution, you can ask your academic advisor in Dresden if there is an existing E-mail: graduiertenakademie@tu-dresden.de
exchange programme that can help you fund your project. Website

In addition, there are various German sponsors and foundations that offer
grants to graduates, doctoral candidates, and professors that allow them to
stay for an extended period of studying and/or research.

EURAXESS

The German EURAXESS funding database for incoming researchers al-

lows you to search for foundations and sponsors that offer research grants:
More information here.

EURAXESS Germany
National Coordination Point at the PT-DLR
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1, 53227 Bonn
Tel.: +49 228-3821 / 1382
Fax: +49 228-3821 / 1649
E-mail: katrin.schaarschmidt@dlr.de
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FUNDING - QUALIFICATION - ADVICE
Become a member now at www.tu-dresden.de/graduiertenakademie

11
Social Security system
The German social security system is based on the solidarity of the insured
community. It provides an effective financial safety net for major life risks and
their consequences, including illness, unemployment, work-related accidents
and the need for long-term care. Social insurance aims to maintain a stable
standard of living for every individual. Coverage encompasses the following
branches:

• Health insurance
• State pension insurance
• Unemployment insurance
• Accident insurance (covers the commute to/from work and workplace ac-
cidents)
• Long-term care insurance

If you earn at least €450.01 per month, your income from employment is sub-
ject to statutory contributions to all of these five types of social insurance.

Contributions to accident insurance are carried by the employer alone. The

other contributions are paid in (mostly) equal shares by employer and emplo-
yee. As an employee, your contributions are automatically deducted from your
monthly gross salary and transferred to the social insurance funds by your
employer.

For more information on the German social security system please have a look
online.

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Health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory for everyone living in Germany. Health insurance The benefits of statutory health insurance are standardised for the most part.
arrangements are individual arrangements and thus may vary in coverage. However, health insurance companies may vary in terms of customer service,
There are two types of health insurance in Germany, „public“ (statutory) and additional and optional benefits. You are free to choose any statutory health
„private“ health insurance. insurance fund.

If you hold a contract of employment, public health insurance is mandatory up There are two main benefits of public health insurance: First, your family
to a certain income threshold (see below). If you hold a scholarship or finance (spouse and/or children) may be covered free of charge, with just one family
your stay on your own expense, you can either procure a statutory (public) member paying a contribution (unless their income from employment is sub-
health insurance voluntarily or choose a private health insurance instead. ject to contributions itself). Second, a wide range of basic coverage is included
without discrimination: In contrast to private health insurance, contributions
If you have questions on the health insurance system in Germany, please con- are independent of age and pre-existing conditions. All pre-existing conditions,
sult your host institution’s International Office or the DRESDEN-concept regular check-ups and eventual pregnancies are covered.
Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff.

Public health insurance Private health insurance

For anyone working in Germany with a gross annual salary of up to €59,400 In contrast to public health insurance, the contributions to, and coverage ob-
(income threshold for 2018), health insurance with a statutory health insurance tained via, private insurance are not standardised by law. If you opt for private
company is mandatory. If your salary is above the income threshold or if you health insurance, please be aware that it must meet certain requirements in
hold a scholarship or fund your stay by means of your own resources, you can order to be accepted when you apply for a residence permit. In contrast to public
choose between public or private health insurance. health insurance, contributions are paid individually for every single family mem-
ber. They depend on each individual person’s age, pre-existing conditions and
The contribution to public health insurance is calculated as a percentage of the service package desired to be included. Pre-existing conditions and eventual
your income. The general statutory health insurance contribution rate is a stan- pregnancies may not be covered.
dardised 14.6 % (2015) of your gross salary, which is paid in equal shares by
employee and employer (7.3 % each). Some insurances may take an additional For guidance, please refer to your institution’s International Office or the DRES-
(flexible) rate (0,3-1,8%) to meet the costs and keep their standards. DEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden.

13
general information on housing
The staff of the International Office at your host institution, or of the DRES- more expensive than unfurnished ones (increasing your rent by approximately
DEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden respectively, can assist you in one third).
finding a place to stay. Please get in touch as early as possible.
Unfurnished apartments may have a minimum rental period (i.e. 12 months).
Please note the following basic information regarding the housing market Therefore, we recommend that visiting scientists staying for less than one
in Dresden: year lease furnished accommodation, whereas PhD students and new scien-
tific staff with a contract of employment or fellowship exceeding one year
Generally, furnished accommodation is much less prevalent (and more expen- choose either furnished or unfurnished accommodation. If you are interested
sive) than unfurnished accommodation. Unfurnished apartments are the rule. in looking for long-term accommodation, we recommend booking temporary
Therefore finding temporary and/or furnished accommodation almost always accommodation for one to two months first (e.g. at a guest house, bed and
requires the services of an agency, to be paid by the landlord. breakfast, hostel or hotel). This leaves you with enough time to search for long-
term accommodation without being pressed for time.
Apartments, whether furnished or unfurnished, are only let to a certain num-
ber of occupants which must be in good proportion to the number of rooms, Please note that doctoral students or visiting scientists are usually not eligible
according to German standards. Note that the designation of “rooms” counted to rent a room in a student dormitory.
in an advertisement does not correspond to the number of bedrooms like e.g.
in some English-language housing markets. The number of rooms instead com-
prises all full-size rooms in addition to the kitchen and bathroom.

As housing standards in terms of space per person differ from one country to
another, here is a simple rule of thumb to get an idea of what is considered a
“reasonable” proportion: Calculate one room per adult at minimum. To give an
example, an apartment advertised as a studio or 1-room apartment will accom-
modate one person only or, at the very most, a single parent with a very small
child or a couple, but definitely not two adult roommates. A 2-room-apartment
will accommodate two adults maximum, at the very most with a small child. A
family of four (2 adults, 2 children or 3 adults, 1 child) will only be accommoda-
ted in at least a 3-room apartment, and so forth.

As for housing costs, if you are in full-time employment, you should expect to
pay rent at approximately one third of your monthly net income (after taxes
and social insurance contributions have been deducted) for an unfurnished
single-person apartment (sometimes less). Furnished apartments tend to be

14
short-term Accomodation
Subject to capacity/availability and usually for a limited period of time, visiting For this reason we recommend you start looking for suitable furnished accom-
scholars and their families can stay at their host institution’s guest house or at modation as early as possible ahead of your stay in Dresden.
the International Guest House of the Studentenwerk Dresden. The Max Planck,
Leibniz and Fraunhofer Institutes as well as the University hospital all provide Please note that a centrally located furnished one-room apartment for a sin-
temporary accommodation in their own guest houses for their visiting resear- gle person costs between €500 and up to €800 per month depending on the
chers, or new scientific staff respectively. Please check with the institution’s location, the furnishings and equipment as well as the housekeeping services
International Office or HR department about availability and making a reserva- offered.
tion. All guest houses come equipped with the basic modern conveniences at
a reasonable price. A much more inexpensive option for a longer stay is to search for a room in a
shared apartment. Such a room may or may not come fully furnished itself, but
In addition, TU Dresden runs two guest houses, „Am Weberplatz“ and „Ein- the common areas will be. For the most part, this sort of room search is only
steinstraße“, which come furnished to a higher standard and at a higher price. possible after your arrival, because flatmates usually prefer to meet the new
They are open to all researchers working at any host institution in Dresden. tenant personally before renting out the available room. Therefore, and with
Prices and contact information are available online. the peak seasons in mind(!), if you consider this an option, please secure some
temporary lodgings for your first one or two months upon arrival to have a bed
while you will be searching for an apartment share.
Furnished accomodation
Please note that, if you consider temporarily bunking together with a friend
Dresden is a beautiful and very liveable city. During certain times of the year or staying at a friend’s place in her/his absence upon your first arrival, you are
even more so than at others, this results in a shortage of furnished apartments not allowed to use your friend’s address for your registration (see chapter 2.1)
which fulfil some (or all) of the criteria most frequently mentioned to us in the unless you have an official sublease contract for her/his place.
search for accommodation.
Please feel free to discuss your housing requirements with, and trust in the ad-
While almost everyone would like to, at those peak times not everyone may vice and long years of experience of, your host institution’s International Office
get to stay in a place... and the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden.

1) close to the university campus and/or their host institution,

2) available on a short lease, and
3) at a reasonable price.

15
long-term Accomodation
Unfurnished accomodation

Rents are calculated with respect to the apartment’s size in square meters,
independent of the number of rooms. Although advertisements will of course Helpful websites for your home search:
include the number of rooms (again, not bedrooms) in an apartment, the rent
will be calculated per square meter. • www.immobilienscout24.de

The total rent or warm rent (“Warmmiete”) comprises two parts: „Kaltmiete“ • www.immonet.de
(cold rent) and “Nebenkosten/Betriebskosten” (running costs) such as garbage
disposal, street and house cleaning costs, and above all, utility costs such as • www.dnn-online.de (web page of Dresdner Neueste Nach-
heating and water costs (see chapter 3.3). Some of the running costs depend richten, local newspaper)
on the apartment’s number of occupants and their personal usage, e.g. parts
of the heating, water and wastewater costs, while others are calculated de- • www.sz-immo.de (web page of Sächsische Zeitung, local
pending on the size of the apartment. newspaper)

Before you move into an apartment, a security deposit („Kaution“) has to be • www.wg-gesucht.de (shared accommodation)
paid as a financial guarantee in case of damage to the apartment. The amount
usually ranges from one to three months’ (cold) rent and will be returned when • www.airbnb.de (temporary accommodation)
you move out (provided the apartment is in good condition and repair and that
there are no rental or utility arrears).* For further links and information, please visit the websites of
your host institution’s International Office and the DRESDEN-
The particular details of the apartment, the rights and obligations of the tenant concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden.
and landlord (e.g. period of notice, permission to keep pets) as well as the
house rules are set down in the tenancy agreement. Once the tenancy agree-
ment is signed, both parties accept, and are legally bound by, the contract’s
contents. Open-ended rental agreements usually have a three month‘s period
of notice. The landlord cannot terminate the contract without a reason. If a
conflict arises with your landlord, please contact your International Office/the
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden, a lawyer or a tenants’ as-
sociation.

* Please note that landlords are given 6 months before they have to return the
money.

16
List of Abbreviations for your home search

Abbreviation German / English Abbreviation German / English

2-Zi-Whg = 2RW 2-Zimmer-Wohnung / 2-room apartment (NB: ≠ MM Monatsmiete / monthly rent

2-bedroom apartment!) NB Neubau / new building
AB Altbau / period building NK / NBK Nebenkosten / running costs such as water,
Abstellk Abstellkammer / storeroom heating, cable TV, cleaning of common areas, waste
App. Appartment / apartment removal etc.
Blk / Balk. Balkon / balcony NR Nichtraucher / non-smoker, non-smoking
DG Dachgeschoss / top floor, attic floor OG Obergeschoss / floor (where 1. OG refers to first
D Diele / hallway, corridor floor (BE), second floor (AE))
DU Dusche / shower Prov. Provision / agent’s fee, brokerage
EB Erstbezug / first tenancy RH Reihenhaus / terraced house, town house (AE)
EBK Einbauküche / built-in kitchen, fitted kitchen (BE) Stellpl. Stellplatz / parking space, parking spot
EFH Einfamilienhaus / single-family home (AE), detached Terr. Terrasse/ patio
house (BE) TG Tiefgarage / underground parking
EG Erdgeschoss / first floor (AE), ground floor (BE) TL Tageslicht / (e.g. bathroom with) natural light
ETW Eigentumswohnung / common hold apartment (BE), UG Untergeschoss / basement floor
condo(minium) unit (AE) WM warm/WM Warmmiete / ‘warm’ rent incl. utility
G-WC Gäste-WC / guest WC, small guest bathroom costs such as water, heating, cable TV,
HH Hochhaus / high-rise building cleaning of common areas, waste removal etc.
HK Heizkosten / heating costs Wfl. Wohnfläche / floor space (size of the apartment)
Hzg. Heizung / heating WG Wohngemeinschaft / (the community of those who
inkl. inklusive / inclusive, including live in a) shared apartment
Kaut./ Kt. Kaution / deposit Whg. Wohnung / apartment, flat
KM Kaltmiete / ‘cold’ rent excl. utility costs such as WK Wohnküche / eat-in kitchen, large kitchen (which
heating, cable TV, cleaning of common areas, waste due to its size could double as, or be regarded as
removal etc. the spatial equivalent to, an extra room)
mbl. möbliert / furnished ZH Zentralheizung / central heating
Zi Zimmer / room(s)

17
Different in each country: waste seperation 18
Utility costs and recycling
Utilities

Usually the costs for electricity, telephone and internet are not included • Paper and cardboard are collected in the blue bin („Blaue Tonne“ or "Pa-
in the rent. Instead they need to be contracted and paid for separately by piermüll") or in special newspaper and paper/cardboard recycling contai-
the occupants. Therefore, once moved into a new home, each household is ners in your neighbourhood.
obliged to register with the local electricity supplier and, if desired, contract
a telephone and/or internet provider. If you need assistance, please do not • Glass needs to be taken to glass recycling containers in your neighbour-
hesitate to contact the International Office at your host institution or the hood. Old batteries are collected in special battery boxes near the exits
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden. at many stores and supermarkets. All stores selling batteries must accept
used batteries!
Water, heating and other general costs related to the apartment (e.g. garbage
disposal, service charges, building insurance and taxes) are included in the • Some buildings also have a brown bin for compostable, biodegradable
‘warm’ rent as agreed in the rental agreement. They are prepaid as part of waste (or, even better, a compost heap in the garden). This is where to
the monthly rent at a fixed rate, which is mentioned in the rental agreement. put any left-over food, kitchen and yard waste, such as most prominently
Once a year the heat cost allocators on the radiators (or heat meters), along fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds and cof-
with the water and electricity meters, are being read and the actual heat fee filters or plant leaves, but excluding meat or bones (which belongs in
and water usage of each household is calculated. According to the resulting “Restmüll”, see below). Always wrap compostable waste in old newspa-
annual bills that you will receive by your landlord and electricity company, any pers or use biodegradable paper bags (no plastic or cornstarch bags)
difference between the pre-paid lump sums and your actual usage will either when putting it in the bin to avoid it attracting animals and sticking to the
be refunded (if you overpaid) by the owner or the respective company or, on sides of the bin.
the other hand, you will be charged the difference (if you underpaid and used
more). • If, after separating out all the above, you have anything left, put it in the
black bin for unrecyclable waste ("Restmüll"). Note that the contents of
Recycling yellow bin (plastics), blue bin (paper/cardboard) and glass containers are
collected free of charge(!), whereas you pay per use for the black (all-
For those unfamiliar with strict waste separation, the German household else) bin as part of your rent. This means that by properly separating was-
waste separation and recycling system may appear quite complicated at first. te – and by raising awareness for proper waste separation among your
Here are some general guidelines and rules of thumb to help you get started: flatmates and housemates – you can decisively lower your annual bill.

• Most plastic and plastic-coated wrappings and containers have a "Grüner

Punkt" – a small green round symbol of intertwining arrows, marking this
sort of packaging as recyclable. These items, as well as empty metallic
drinks and food cans, belong in the designated yellow bin, or yellow bags
respectively ("Gelbe Tonne"/”Gelber Sack”).

19
living in dresden

„I have been living in Dresden for over two years now

and have found that the city has lots to offer. Dresden is just the
ideal size for a modern city and offers all the amenities that you could ask for, be it healthcare, education or
job opportunities. The scientific landscape is exciting and an open mindset of the people implies that there
are opportunities to collaborate with people from the different Max Planck Institutes as well the University
campus within the city.“
Virag from India, Postdoc at MPI-CBG

20
Bank account

The most common form of a bank account in Germany is a “Girokonto” (giro In Germany most bills are paid via credit transfer (“Überweisung”). Often a
or check account). Most financial transactions are completed using this type transfer form is included with your bills or you can do the transfer online using
of account, such as receiving your salary or scholarship, paying the rent, your the bank details from the bill. In contrast, making out and cashing checks as
bills, making debit card transactions when shopping for groceries and clothes well as paying by credit card locally is very unusual.
etc.

To open an account at a bank, you will need:

• your passport or national ID card for identification
• your confirmation of registration (“Meldebestätigung”) from the Registra-
tion Office

If you have your acceptance letter/enrolment certificate or (the draft of) your
employment contract you should also bring it.

Bank fees differ greatly from one bank to another, so it is worth comparing
them.

Once you have opened a bank account you will receive a debit card, or cash
card (“EC-Karte”), which enables you to withdraw cash from the majority of
cash machines in Germany and Europe. This is normally free of charge at your
own bank’s ATMs and those of the “cash group” or “cash pool” that your bank
is affiliated with. Cash machines from other banks will charge you a fee. Many
shops allow you to pay for goods and services using the cash card in conjunc-
tion with your PIN or signature. Online banking is also available when holding
a “Girokonto”.

21
driving license

Short-term stays of less than six months the driving licence office (“Fahrerlaubnisbehörde”) in good time to obtain a
German driving licence or ask the International Office at your host institution
Citizens of the EU-EEA (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Re- or the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff for assistance.
public, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Nether- You may find detailed information here.
lands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
United Kingdom) may drive in Germany with their national driver‘s licence. If
your driving licence has been issued outside the EU-EEA, you may drive in Ger-
many with your national driving licence for a period of up to six months (with
a possible extension of six additional months if your stay does not exceed one
year in total).

Long-term stays of more than six months

If you have a driving licence from a member state of the EU or EEA, it is valid
in Germany until it expires. After its expiry date you can still drive for six more
months in Germany. Within this period of time you should apply for an extensi-
on of your driving licence or obtain a German licence.

If your licence was not issued by an EU or EEA country, it is valid in Germany

for six months after your relocation to Germany. After this period a licence
issued in Germany is required. The requirements to obtain a German driving
licence depend on the country where your licence was issued. Please contact

22
other insurances

Personal liability insurance Household contents insurance

In Germany each person is held liable for damages to a third party. Parents Household contents insurance covers damage to, or loss of, an individual’s
are liable for damages caused by their children. We therefore highly recom- personal possessions while they are located within that individual’s home, as
mend taking out (single, couple or family) personal liability insurance to insure a result of fire, water damage, theft, vandalism or hail. It is not required by law
against claims arising from unintentional damages to a third person’s health in Germany, but if you have valuable possessions (e.g. a bike), a household
or her/his belongings, especially if you are accompanied by your family. Often contents insurance might be worth taking out.
landlords require proof of liability insurance from the future tenant.

Please note that personal liability insurance is rather inexpensive and usually
does not cover damages
• in the workplace (if you have a contract of employment at your host insti-
tution, personal or material damages at your host institution/laboratory are
covered by your employer), or
• arising from driving a car (requires separate motor liability insurance).

Some insurance companies offer combined health and personal liability insu-
rance.

Please consult the International Office of your host institution or the DRES-
DEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff for further information.

Motor/Car liability Insurance

A motor/car liability insurance is mandatory, if you would like to drive a car in

Germany. Please ask the International Office of your host institution or the
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff, should you require
additional information.

23
News? Events in and around Dresden? Tips for the
upcoming week? www.ddcwelcome.de
Blog for international researchers giving tips for cultural and social events 24
Language courses

Language is the key to the culture and society of any country. Even if in many
research facilities the working language is English, it is not spoken and/or un-
derstood everywhere and by everyone.

For everyday life and leisure time in Dresden it is very helpful to pick up a
basic knowledge of German. The German language is considered to be some-
what difficult and certainly requiring motivation to learn in the beginning. The
reward, however, is that it will smoothen the way into your new environment.
In Dresden you will find a wide variety of face-to-face German language courses
that will help you acquire the new language. You can also ask your institution’s
International Office or the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden
for further information.
Here are some free online language courses:

Deutsche Welle
Deutscher Volkshochschulverband

25
Taxes & Fees

Everyone registered in Germany automatically receives a tax identification

number about four weeks after registration in Dresden. At the end of each calendar year you may apply for a tax return. This may entitle
Whether or not you need it and whether or not you have to pay taxes if you are you to a partial reimbursement of taxes paid. The required forms can be ob-
working depends on a number of factors. tained from the local tax office ("Finanzamt") or town hall ("Rathaus"). In many
cases, it is worth commissioning a tax accountant to help you file a tax return.
Research stay based on a fellowship Please ask your International Office or the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center
at TU Dresden for general recommendations.
If your research stay in Germany takes place in the framework of a fellowship,
it may, under certain circumstances, be exempt from taxation under German More information here.
income tax law. It is certainly worth consulting the organization which has
awarded the fellowship on this issue. Furthermore, you should find out whe- Broadcasting fee
ther the fellowship paid in Germany is subject to taxation in your own country.
As of 1 January 2013, every household is charged a flat rate broadcasting fee
of €17.50 per month, regardless of its equipment with, or usage of, television,
Research stay based on a contract of employment radio or web-enabled devices. This licence fee is used to fund the public broad-
casting stations.
If your research stay is based on an employment contract in Germany and will
last for more than 6 months, your income and assets earned globally will gene- In the case of a shared apartment, the fee is only charged once per apartment
rally be subject to taxation in Germany. If you stay for less than 6 months, your (i.e., per household). When everyone in a household pays their fair share, this
income will be taxed in your own country provided that you work for a foreign means that the more persons share an apartment, the smaller the individual
employer and a double taxation agreement allocates the right of taxation in contribution gets. It is not relevant whether an individual has a separate te-
such cases to the home country. If one of these conditions does not hold, your nancy agreement or not. Only one person per household needs to register
salary will be taxed in Germany. Agreements exist with some countries stating for the broadcasting fee. Find out who of your flatmates has registered your
that lecturers and researchers who come to Germany for a maximum of two apartment and ask them for the registration number, when paying your share
years to work in research in a public institution may pay their taxes in their of the fee to the registered flatmate.
own country. Details can be found in the double taxation agreements between
Germany and the member states of the EU and certain other countries. Beware: Deliberate or negligent non-payment is an administrative offence and
Income tax which you incur in Germany will be deducted from your gross a penalty is to be paid.
salary at source.

26
Doctors and pharmacies

Seeing a doctor

You can obtain a list of English-speaking doctors and doctors speaking other During the night, on weekends and holidays an emergency pharmacy service
foreign languages from your International Office or the DRESDEN-concept is in operation. Certain designated pharmacies are open or can be reached by
Welcome Center at TU Dresden. Before consulting a doctor it is useful to ringing the bell at the door. Since the pharmacy in charge of the emergency
arrange an appointment. Otherwise you may have to wait in line for a while. service changes weekly, you can either go to any pharmacy in your area, where
Always bring your chip card (public health insurance) or proof of insurance co- the current emergency pharmacy is pointed out on the door or find it here.
verage (private health insurance) for consultation or hospital care.
In the event of medical problems arising in the evenings or on the weekend,
a number of doctors are always on duty. At those times, the central informa-
tion hotline +49 (0)351-19292 directs you to the nearest doctor on call in the
Dresden area. If you cannot go to the doctor yourself, a house call (home visit)
may be arranged.

Pharmacies

In Germany, all drugs, both over-the-counter medications and prescriptions,

are available only at pharmacies (“Apotheken”), which are usually open from
8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. on weekdays. While your health insurance covers some
or most of the cost, a co-payment for prescribed drugs may need to be made.
It ranges from €5 to €10 per medication.

27
Family

„For anyone with an interest in biology and biotechnolo-

gy, Dresden is like a candy store for a kid. I find it to be a great place
to do a PhD in, institutes are well connected, atmosphere is collaborative, infrastructure for work is more
than one would require.
It has been a great place to stay with my young family, as there are more young people with children than
anywhere I have seen before, so it’s a very family friendly city. Beautiful architecture, artistic, very green,
love the Elbe and have a forest close to my apartment in Neustadt, I find it to be a great blend.“

David G. from Georgia, working at IPF

28
Everyone with children from one year will get a kindergarten place by law. 29
 Dual Career Service

Dual career service

Service for newly appointed professors Service for PhD students and Postdocs

The Dual Career Service (DCS) for newly appointed professors of the Techni- The service is provided to international scientists like PhD students, postdocs,
sche Universität Dresden assists dual career couples relocating to this region researchers, guest professors and their partners and families. Spouses of PhD
in finding a place where they can live and work together. It is the core task of students and PostDocs can be supported by the Dual Career Service for In-
the Dual Career Service to support partners of newly appointed professors in ternational Scientists in the search for employment, trainings and internships.
their professional integration in Dresden. Their office is located at the City of Dresden Welcome Center, Schweriner
The consultation and support services of the DCS are aimed at the partners of Straße 1 (only on appointment!)
newly appointed professors at TU Dresden and at partners of jointly appointed Please arrange an appointment with Mrs. Gabriele Feyler via e-mail in advance:
professors of DRESDEN-concept associates. gabriele.feyler@tu-dresden.de.

Essentially, the consultation and support services cover the following areas: • Individual counseling and support for:
• Providing information on the regional employment market • Scientific and professional orientation
• Providing support in developing a personal professional network • Personal career planning
• Establishing contact with potential employers • Job search and placement
• Advising on job application strategies and on continuing education oppor- • Search of internship opportunities
tunities • Integration of partner and/or family
• individual questions • Language and conversation courses

Website Website

30
childcare

Since 1 August 2013, children from age one are legally entitled to a place in a design, equipment, opening hours, support (state-funded or privately funded)
childcare facility. As a child-friendly city, Dresden offers a wide variety of child- etc.
care possibilities ranging from crèche to kindergarten to child minders.

Some of the host institutions as well as the TU Dresden have a quota at the Day-care (child-minder, day nanny)
communal crèche or kindergarten. Please ask your International Office or the
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden team, whether you are eli- A child minder is a very good alternative when parents prefer child care in a
gible. family atmosphere or if the child is younger than 1 year. Child minders care for
small groups of children (usually up to five) ranging in age from 0 to 3 years.
Crèche (“Krippe”) The child-minder normally hosts the children at her/his house, but under special
circumstances care can also be arranged in the child's familiar environment.
Children aged one to three years old attend crèche (“Krippe”). In some day-
care centers children of different ages are mixed in one group, i.e. they offer a
mix of crèche and kindergarten. Remedial day-care facilities

Children with disabilities (permanent or gradually worsening physical or mental

Kindergarten impairments) can be cared for intensively and given special treatment in a re-
medial day-care centre until they start school.
From the age of three up until they start school, children are legally entitled
to a place in a kindergarten. There is a wide variety of kindergartens and child- Source: http://welcome.dresden.de/
care concepts: In some, children are split up into smaller groups. In others, all
children are free to join any activity. In so-called „forest nurseries”, the majority
of the time is spent out of doors in the forest exploring nature. Inclusive day- Application, monthly fee and accommodation period
care centers focus on caring for children with and without disabilities together.
There are also many private kindergartens, which work according to the Wal- A prerequisite for applying for a place in a crèche or kindergarten is that you
dorf or Montessori principles or specialize in a second language, such as for and your child must first be officially registered in the City of Dresden. Upon
example the nursery at the Dresden International School. registration and successful application, you will be charged a fixed monthly fee
for childcare. The day care in Dresden costs between €70 and €260 per month,
For further information on public crèches and kindergartens as well as contact depending on the contracted hours to be spent at the day care facility, your
information please have a look online. family situation, income and the sponsorship of the establishment. Additional
fees are charged for food and drinks (depending on the caterer).
Criteria for choosing a kindergarten include location, size, educational profile,

31
Please note that, although Dresden boasts an extensive range of child care
institutions, especially when compared to other German cities, many day-care
centres have waiting lists. Accordingly, it may take several weeks before a
place in a crèche or kindergarten becomes available. Therefore please apply
as soon as possible and be flexible concerning the location of the child-care
institution.

In addition it is worth noting that, depending on your child’s age and prior ex-
perience with childcare, an accommodation period of a few weeks is common,
which your child will need to get used to the new caretakers and environment
(including the new language). During the accommodation period your child may
not yet be spending the entirety of the contracted time in the day care facility
and, in addition, your presence at the day care facility may be required for a few
hours per day. For all this, from application to the end of the accommodation
period, time is needed. That is why it is crucial to inform yourself (and poten-
tially your supervisor and others concerned) of the available possibilities and
apply for childcare as early as you can.

The International Office at your host institution or the DRESDEN-concept Wel-

come Center at TU Dresden will assist you in applying for a place in childcare.

32
School system

In Germany school is compulsory for at least nine years for children aged six Before/ after-school care – “Hort” (grades 1 to 4)
and older. The school system is made up of primary schools, secondary schools
and grammar schools. This is an optional social and educational programme for children from first
to fourth grade. Most primary schools in Dresden offer a before/after-school
Primary school – “Grundschule” (grades 1 to 4) programme, either directly in the school building or in its immediate vicinity. At
the parents’ request children can be supervised here before and after school
Primary school covers first to fourth grade. The emphasis in these four grades and during school holidays. Parents contract and are charged a fee for this ser-
is on basic knowledge (reading, writing, arithmetic) and on learning and social vice. The adult employees are trained in pedagogy. Children take part in leisure
skills. In addition, a foreign language is taught in order to lay the foundations activities and finish a large part of their homework here.
and understanding needed for learning languages. These subjects are comple-
mented by ethics or religion and art lessons. There is a fee paying International School in Dresden with Pre-School, Primary
School and Secondary/Grammar School (www.dresden-is.info). A wide range
Secondary school – “Mittelschule” branch of private schools (Waldorf, Montessori, laboratory school etc.) are available,
too.
(grades 5 to 10)
Secondary schools of the “Mittelschule” branch convey both general know- More information here.
ledge and specialised skills to prepare pupils for their future careers. Often
technical or economic specialisation profiles are offered. Fifth and sixth gra-
des are orientational in purpose, i.e. the curriculum during these two years
is identical for secondary and grammar schools. Transfers between the two
school types at this point are therefore unproblematic. From 7th grade on,
Mittelschule branches pupils into Hauptschule (grade 9) or Realschule (grade
10) graduation types.

Grammar school – “Gymnasium” branch

(grades 5 to 12)
Grammar school (“Gymnasium”) takes on especially well-performing pupils
and prepares them for demanding careers or university studies, leading to
“Abitur” graduation.

33
School registration

Registration for Primary School for children turning informs families about educational options available in Saxony and provides
individual advice on educational pathways.
six in Germany
According to Saxon school laws, at the beginning of the school year in autumn; Pupils who do not speak German or whose German is insufficient must first at-
all children who have turned six by 30 June of that calendar year are required tend a preparatory class. Here they learn German as a second language and are
to attend school. The School Administration Office (“Schulverwaltungsamt”) prepared for the transition to the regular class of their age group. After four to
informs parents about the registration dates and local primary schools nearby. six weeks these pupils will start to attend some of their future class’ lessons,
Registration at the chosen primary school should take place about 10 months with the transition up to complete integration depending on the individual. It is
before the start of school (at the end of October of the previous year). usually completed by the end of a school year.

For more information on primary school districts in Dresden and general admi- Saxon Education Agency („Sächsische Bildungsagentur“)
nistrative questions please contact the: Großenhainer Straße 92
01127 Dresden
School Administration Office („Schulverwaltungsamt“) Phone: +49 (0)351 84390
Fiedlerstraße 30 Fax: +49 (0)351 8439310
01307 Dresden Website (German only)
Tel: +49 (0)351 488 92 23
More information here.

Please feel free to contact your International

Pupils of foreign nationality who have already started Office of your host institution or the DRES-
school outside Germany DEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden
Children of foreign nationality who have already started school in their home
staff if you need assistance in finding a school
country (or their previous country of residence) must register for German
schools at the Saxon Education Agency (“Sächsische Bildungsagentur”) – un- for your child(ren).
less they register at certain private schools. For registration their identity card
or passport, a certificate of registration in Dresden and the most recent school
report from their country of origin are required. The Saxon Education Agency

34
Benefits for families

Every working parent who has registered dependent children and pays income Parental allowance (“Elterngeld”)
tax is automatically entitled to child relief in the form of tax breaks on income
from employment. Apart from this generally available benefit, parents may Parental allowance compensates for part of the loss of income following the
also be eligible for Child or Parental allowance under certain circumstances. birth of a child. It amounts to 65-67% of the average monthly net income
(after taxes, social security payments and tax allowances) prior to birth, up to
Child allowance (“Kindergeld”) a maximum of €1,800. The minimum allowance is €300, which also applies to
non-working parents or parents who prior to birth received a tax-free income
Germany supports parents by providing a child allowance payment until the (e.g. scholarship). Parental allowance is paid to the father and mother for a
child’s 18th birthday. If the child takes up a place on a vocational training or a combined maximum of 14 months. Both are eligible to divide the period up bet-
course of studies, this entitlement extends to the child’s 25th birthday at ma- ween them. Neither parent may claim the allowance for more than 12 months.
ximum. For the first and second child, child allowance is €194 per month per A further 2 months may be paid if income is lost during this period and the
child; for a third child it is €200 and €225 for any additional children (data from partner is involved in caring for the child.
2018). PhD students holding a student’s residence permit (§16 AufenthG) are
not eligible for child allowance. Single parents receiving parental allowance to compensate for loss of income
The application must be handed in to the Family Office of the Federal Employ- are eligible for the full 14 months of parental allowance.
ment Agency (“Agentur für Arbeit”) in a written form.
Mothers and fathers are eligible for parental allowance if they
The Federal Employment Agency or your public service employer (e.g. Fraun- • care for and raise their children themselves after birth
hofer Institut, Helmholtz Center, Leibniz Institute, Max Planck Institute, TU • are not employed for more than 30 hours per week
Dresden) will hand out the application forms which you can also download • live together with their child(ren) at one address and
here. • are resident or have their usual place of residence in Germany.

Contact:
Familienkasse Sachsen Parental allowance for EU/EEA citizens
09092 Chemnitz
E-mail: Familienkasse-Bautzen@arbeitsagentur.de Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and
Switzerland are usually eligible for parental allowance if they are employed in
More information you may find online. Germany or if they are not employed but live in Germany.

35
Parental allowance for other foreign nationals:

Other foreign nationals are eligible for parental allowance if their residence in
Germany is deemed permanent according to the type of residence title they
possess and their access to the employment market. Those holding a settle-
ment permit automatically fulfill this requirement. Those holding a residence
permit only fulfill the requirements if they are also entitled to take up employ-
ment in Germany or have already worked here legally. Parents of foreign natio-
nality who hold a residence permit for the purpose of studying or in connection
with a work permit for a specified maximum period are not eligible to receive
parental allowance.

Application for parental allowance:

An application for parental allowance must be made in writing to the office
responsible for parental allowance in the respective federal state. Each parent
may apply for parental allowance for her- or himself. The application does not
necessarily have to be submitted immediately after birth. Retrospective pay-
ments are, however, only made for a maximum of 3 months prior to the month
in which the application for parental allowance was made.

You may find further information and download the application form (only in
German) on the city’s website. If you need assistance in applying for parental
allowance, please contact your institution’s International Office or the DRES-
DEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden staff.

More information on parental allowance via EURAXESS Germany for Resear-

chers here.

36
having a baby

Before giving birth meet with the hospital’s midwives and medical staff to discuss your questions.
Keep in mind that not every hospital has birthing suites, chairs, tanks, etc., so
look carefully. If there is something specific that is important to you, make sure
If you will be having a baby - Congratulations! As soon as you have found out to ask. Be aware that while all hospitals have some pediatric care facilities,
– a pregnancy test (“Schwangerschaftstest”) can be bought at every drug- not all have a full pediatric hospital (Kinderklinik). If the baby is born premature
store or pharmacy – you should arrange an appointment with a gynecologist or needs extra care, your baby may be transferred to the nearest Kinderklinik
(“Frauenarzt”). Please ask your host institution’s International Office or the and you remain at the hospital where you gave birth. Therefore, you might be
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden for a list of English-spea- separated.
king doctors and doctors speaking other languages, if you do not already have Once you have chosen a hospital, you should register at the delivery ward
a doctor. In Germany, there is a definite distinction between a gynecologist (“Kreißsaal”) at the hospital. When you pre-register, the hospital will already
(with their own practice), an obstetrician (who actually delivers babies in hos- have all the information they need in order to process your case and can then
pital), and a midwife (who may work at a hospital, a birth center, or supervise focus on the baby on the “big day”, rather than worry about the paperwork.
homebirths). Usually the gynecologist will perform all routine medical exams Your employer has to give you time off for mandatory medical appointments.
and oversees the pregnancy until the hospital of choice takes over when you All employed women with state-funded (public) health insurance go on mater-
give birth. nity leave (“Mutterschutz”) six weeks before the due date.
Public health insurances cover most costs during and after pregnancy. If you
A midwife is allowed to do pre-natal checkups (with the exception of ultra- have a private health insurance you should ask your insurance company for
sound), can offer advice on pregnancy-related questions or aftercare and assist further details or consult the International Office at your host institution or the
in a routine delivery without complications. Midwives can be found online:
www.hebammensuche.de (German only). The website allows you to search Delivery
for various parameters (such as “homebirth”, “yoga” or languages other than
German). If you have time left and are feeling well, phone ahead to the delivery suite
(Kreißsaal). Although this is not required it can help to let them know that you
At your first pre-natal checkup, you will be handed a little booklet called “Mut- are on your way. When you arrive you will be asked to give your maternity
terpass” (literally: mother’s passport). This will contain details of each medical record to the hospital midwife, who will confirm your hospital registration.
appointment and must be brought to each appointment and to the delivery You will also have the opportunity to advise the medical staff of your birthing
suite when you are giving birth. preferences, if they are not included in your maternity record.

Please choose a hospital a few weeks ahead of the expected delivery date. Remember to bring the following documents with you to the hospital: “Mut-
Parents-to-be can visit the hospital as part of a scheduled tour of the maternity terpass” (or equivalent maternity records and child health records); your birth
unit. During the tour you have the opportunity to visit the delivery suite and certificate (advisable); marriage certificate (advisable, if applicable).

37
Returning home

„If I try to think about what I would remember ten years

from now about Dresden, I can surely say TUD Welcome Center would be in top five.
My romantic experience with German culture and German way of life started with people from the Welcome
Center, one may think it is an office dedicated to help foreign scientists but then you will miss the true es-
sence of those people who are working here. If you miss your home you can easily find a new home within
the Welcome Center comrades as they put a big smile on your face while asking you ‘How may I help you?’.“
Dipjyoti from India, PhD student at HZDR Rossendorf

38
Returning home
Before you leave Dresden you will have to cancel your contracts and insurances

Cancellation of rental agreement • Join the alumni network of your host institution or the TU Dresden
Unless a fixed-term rental period was agreed from the beginning, the rental • Give notice of departure at the Registration Office (“Bürgerbüro”)
agreement should be cancelled three months in advance in written form. Fax • Inform the Familienkasse („Kindergeld“) and the Beitragsservice
or e-mail is not legally binding. (Check your contracts for divergent terms of (broadcasting fee) that you are going to leave Germany. Please attach
cancellation!) a copy of your certificate of deregistration (“Abmeldebestätigung”)
from the Registration Office (“Bürgerbüro”)
Cancellation of utilities
Electricity and gas can usually be cancelled only after the takeover of the apart- If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your International
ment when the landlord has read the meters. Office or the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden.

Phone/internet/TV
Phone and internet should be cancelled three months in advance in written
form unless you have a year‘s contract. (Check your contracts for divergent
terms!). Sometimes you might be asked to supply a proof of your leaving
Germany (“Abmeldebestätigung”, deregistration from the Registration Office).

Further to-dos:
• Cancel insurances and all other relevant contracts
• Deregister your children at their day-care and school
• Deregister your car
• Apply for redirection of your mail at the post office
• Employees: complete your tax return (due on May 31st for the
previous calendar year)
• Close your bank account

39
With the help of international offices you´ll be able to start your work quickly. 40
Local relocation services

HZDR International Office Visitors program MPI-PKS

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e. V. Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems
(Building 110, Room 203) Nöthnitzer Straße 38
Bautzner Landstraße 400 01187 Dresden
01328 Dresden Tel: +49 (0)351 871 - 1935
Tel: +49 (0) 351 260 - 2343 E-mail: visitors@mpipks.de
E-mail: internationaloffice@hzdr.de Website
Website
The Visitors Program is located in Guesthouse 4.
International Office MPI-CBG and Dresden International
PhD Program (DIPP) Visitors program MPI-CPfS
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
Pfotenhauerstraße 108 (Office: C1.4.08)
01307 Dresden Nöthnitzer Straße 40
Tel: +49 (0)351 210 - 1018 01187 Dresden
E-mail: io@mpi-cbg.de Tel: +49 (0)351 4646-4608 or -4678
Website E-mail: visitors@cpfs.mpg.de
Website
The International Office is located in the Guesthouse, 1st floor, room 1.
Important Telephone Numbers
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden Police: 110
Nürnberger Straße 31a Emergency rescue / fire brigade: 112
01187 Dresden Poison emergency: +49 (0)361-730 730
Tel: +49 (0)351 463 - 34009 Medical standby duty (“Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst“,
Fax. +49 351 463-34023 available on weekdays 7 p.m.-7 a.m., weekends & holidays
E-mail: welcome.center@tu-dresden.de
24h; only urgent cases!): +49 (0)351-1 92 92
Website
Lost-property office (“Fundbüro”): +49 (0) 351-488 59 96
Facebook
Loss of residence permit: +49 (0)180-1033033033
Blog
Blocking lost/stolen debit/credit card: 116 116

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Inhaltlich verantwortlich:

DRESDEN-concept e.V.
DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center at TU Dresden

TU Dresden
01062 Dresden

Tel: +49 351 463 34009

E-mail: welcome.center@tu-dresden.de

www.dresden-concept.de
www.welcomecenter.tu-dresden.de

Fotografen:
Matthias Hultsch, Robert Lohse, Amac Garbe,
Claudia Reichert

Grafik:
Doreen Thierfelder

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