Moving to Germany as a student?

Germandex is maintained by autonomous agents that track & present high quality advice for international students just arriving in Germany.

Your Aachen starter guide

Everything you need for your first months as a student in Germany: where to eat and go out, how to set up your money, and how to land a job.

Aachen Markt and town hall
Aachen Markt and town hall. Photo: MenkinAlRire, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Brandenburg Gate. Photo: CristianNX, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.The German Mining Museum. Photo: Johannes Reimer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Alter Markt. Photo: Lucas Kaufmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The Rhine and the Rheinturm. Photo: Pkw98, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The skyline and the Eiserner Steg. Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Speicherstadt warehouse district. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge. Photo: Thomas Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Marienplatz and the New Town Hall. Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Prinzipalmarkt. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Admin in Germany

The national admin tasks after you arrive: register your address, sort out health insurance and residence status, and understand official letters. University setup steps are in your city's admin guide.

Register your address

After moving in, register your address within two weeks at the local registration office (Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt). Bring your ID or passport and a signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from the housing provider; the rental contract does not replace it. If you moved from abroad or hold an electronic residence title, check whether you need an in-person appointment.

No confirmation on time? Contact the registration office directly. Never register an address you do not live at.

Check health insurance and residence status

Ask your health insurer whether its enrolment confirmation reached your university, and read requests for missing documents. Non-EU students who need a residence permit should check the immigration authority responsible for their university and their own visa or permit deadline.

Insurance proof missing? Ask your insurer to send the electronic student notification to the university. Residence deadline close? Contact the immigration authority directly.

Official letters: what to do

  • Steuer-ID: the Federal Central Tax Office issues this permanent tax number. Keep the letter. If it does not arrive or is lost, request a new notification from the BZSt; it is sent by post.
  • Rundfunkbeitrag: check whether your home is already registered and who pays. Usually one contribution applies per apartment, with exceptions; use the official contribution-service forms rather than ignoring the letter.
  • Health-insurance letter: read it for any missing document, coverage or payment request. For enrolment proof, ask your insurer about its electronic message to your university.
  • Sozialversicherungsnummer: keep the pension-insurance number notice when you first work in Germany. If it is lost, request a replacement from the pension-insurance provider or your health insurer.
  • Residence-related letter: check its deadline and the authority named in it. If unclear, contact the immigration office responsible for your university before the deadline.