1. Register with the residents’ registration office
- In Germany, you must register your address with the residents' registration office within 14 days of moving into your accommodation.
- If you move during your stay, you must register your new address. If you leave Germany and return to your home country, you must deregister your address.
- Please also inform other important institutions of your new address, such as TUM and your health insurance provider.
You will need the following documents to register your address:
- National ID card or passport
- Registration form (available from the registration office or on its website)
- Confirmation of residence from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung): You will often receive this document when you move in. If not, you can request it from your landlord.
Please note: Registration requirements may vary depending on the city or municipality. Be sure to check the requirements of the local authority responsible for your place of residence.
If you live in Munich, you must register your residence in person at a KVR Bürgerbüro (Citizens Office). To do so, please book an appointment in advance and select Wohnsitz-Anmeldung (residence registration) when scheduling your appointment.
You may choose any Bürgerbüro in Munich, regardless of where you live. Locations
We recommend booking your appointment as early as possible. Especially at the beginning of the semester, available appointments can be limited.
If you have any questions, you can contact the KVR Service Center at +49 89 233 960 00.
If you live in Freising, you must register your residence in person at the Citizens Office (Bürgerbüro) in Freising Town Hall.
Please book an appointment in advance through the Citizens Office website and select Anmeldung in Freising (residence registration) when scheduling your appointment.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Freising Citizens Office at +49 8161 54 0.
If you live in Garching, you must register your residence with the Residents' Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt).
No appointment is required on Thursdays. On all other days, you must book an appointment in advance. When scheduling your appointment online, select English as your preferred language and then choose Anmeldung (Registration). Select one person, download the required forms, and proceed to the appointment booking.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Residents' Registration Office at +49 89 32089 444.
If you live in Straubing, you must register your residence with the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt).
Please book an appointment online in advance.
If you have any questions, you can contact the residents' registration office at +49 9421 944 0.
If you live in Heilbronn, you must register your residence with the Central Citizens Office (Zentrales Bürgeramt).
Please book an appointment online in advance.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Central Citizens Office at +49 7131 56 3800.
Tips for booking an appointment
- When booking an appointment online, select Registration Services (Meldeangelegenheiten) and then Registration (Anmeldung) or Registration / Change of address (An- bzw. Ummeldung).
- No appointments available? Many Citizens Offices (Bürgerbüros) release additional appointments at short notice on their websites. We recommend checking regularly for newly available slots.
Residence outside the cities listed above
If you do not live in one of the cities listed above, you must register your residence with the Citizens Office (Bürgerbüro) or Residents' Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt) responsible for your municipality. Information about the relevant authority can usually be found on your city or municipality's website.
Please note: If you permanently leave Germany and return to your home country, you must deregister your residence before departure.
License fee for public broadcasting
In Germany, every household is required to pay a monthly broadcasting contribution (Rundfunkbeitrag) of €18.36 to fund public broadcasting services, regardless of whether a TV, radio, computer, or other media device is available in the household.
If you live in a shared apartment (WG), only one person per apartment needs to pay the broadcasting contribution. It is not charged per person.
International students, including scholarship recipients and exchange students, are generally not exempt from this fee.
For more information, please see the website on the license fee in Germany.
only have to register in Munich or the registration office responsible for their place of residence. They do not require a residence permit.
see Entry requirements – Overview of visa requirements / exemptions must apply for a visa at the German Embassy in their home country and, when in Germany, apply for a residence permit. Exception: If the visa was issued for the entire duration of the stay abroad, it is not necessary to apply for a residence permit.
You will need the following documents:
In some offices (e.g. KVR Munich) to apply for a residence permit is possible via an online system of the office of foreign affairs (see adresses under "Responsible authoritiy"). Please have the following documents ready to upload them during the application process for your residence permit:
- Completed application form (can be found on the websites of the responsible authorities)
- Valid passport
- Enrollment certificate from the Technical University of Munich
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of financial resources of € 992/ month: Financing must be secure for at least one year. If you are granted a scholarship of less than currently € 992 monthly, you must submit additional evidence from your parents or from a sponsor to make up the difference in the amount.
- Visa for study purposes, if applicable
- Recent biometric passport photo
Fees: Issue of a residence permit € 100, extension € 96
Futher information can be found on the websites of the office of foreign affairs (see next part).
Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR), Ausländerangelegenheiten (Foreigners Office)
Ruppertstr. 19, 80337 München
Phone: +49 89 233 960 10
Online application for a residence permit
Please find an English step-by-step explanation below under Downloads and Safety information.
Please note: If you require an appointment due to an emergency, this needs to be arranged online.
Emergency appointments are reserved for urgent cases only. These may include the loss of financial benefits or essential travel for important reasons, such as a business trip or illness.
Freising District Office (Landratsamt Freising), Foreigners Office
Landshuter Str. 31, 85356 Freising
Phone: +49 8161 600 0
Email: auslaenderamt@kreis-fs.de
On the website of the Foreigners Office of the Freising District, look for Ansprechpartner (contact persons) on the right-hand side of the page. There you will find the staff member responsible for your case based on your last name. Then contact them by email or phone to make an appointment.
Munich District Office (Landratsamt München), Department 4.6.1 – Entry and Residence
Ludmillastraße 26, 81543 München
Phone: +49 89 6221 1400
Email: auslaenderbehoerde@lra-m.bayern.de
Visit the Munich District Office website. You will first see additional information in several expandable sections. Scroll down to the application options and select Ich möchte erstmalig eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zweck der Ausbildung beantragen (I would like to apply for a residence permit for educational purposes for the first time). Then enter the postal code of your place of residence and click Jetzt starten (get started).
Please note: Have your passport, visa documents, and registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) ready before starting the application.
Rathaus Straubing, Ausländeramt
Am Platzl 31, 94315 Straubing
Tel.: 09421/944-70150
E-mail: auslaenderamt@straubing.de
Website (German only)
Bürgeramt, Ausländerbehörde
Marktplatz 7 (entrance Lohtorstraße), 74072 Heilbronn
Tel.: 07131 56-2064
E-mail: abh@heilbronn.de
Website (German only)
Online appointment
If you do not live in one of these towns, but in a neighboring community, the responsible authority can be found at the town hall or district administration.
Please note: It is advisable to apply for a residence permit soon after registering your residence (but at least 6 weeks before your visa / residence permit expires), since you may have to deal with considerable delays at some Foreigners' Offices. You are entitled to stay in Germany while waiting to get an appointment, even if your visa / previous residence permit expires (so-called "Fiktionswirkung" - proof: visa + Foreigners' Office's confirmation of receipt of your application). However, students who entered Germany without a visa must not travel outside of Germany after the permitted duration of their visa-free stay without a residence permit (i. e. they must stay in Germany until obtaining their residence permit).
3. Open a bank account
As in Germany you can only pay your rent (utilities, etc.) via money transfer, international students are advised to open a bank account (check account) as soon as possible after their arrival. Account management is free of charge, if you are able to identify yourself as a student. As at the time of account opening you may not have a student identification yet, you should explain this to the bank and submit your TUM Student Card at a later date.
Documents needed for opening a bank account
- Passport
- Registration certificate issued by the residents‘ registration office
- Student ID or enrollment certificate
- Tax ID
Immediately after opening an account you will be given the number for an account where you can deposit or withdraw money. Usually, you will receive the EC card for your account a few days later.
Since 2018, it is obligatory in Germany to show a tax ID when opening a bank account.
- When coming to Germany, please bring with you your own tax-ID from your home country.
- Where to find it? Visit the OECD portal or ask your home university / family.
You can also get a German tax ID:
- Find an accommodation in the city / environment of Munich.
- Register at your local resident registration office.
- Around six to eight weeks later you will receive it via post.
Please note: Landlords and most institutions, such as the University Sports Center, will need your bank data immediately, so you typically cannot wait six to eight weeks for the tax ID. To avoid inconvenience, bring your tax ID from your home country when opening a bank account.
In Germany, you can choose between traditional banks with local branches and online banks. Some online banks allow you to open an account from abroad. This can be helpful if you would like to set up your bank account before arriving in Germany. The services offered by student checking accounts often differ only in minor details.
Many banks offer the following benefits:
- free account maintenance
- free cash withdrawals at ATMs within the bank's network
- free bank transfers within Germany
- online banking
- a debit card (Girocard) for payments and cash withdrawals
Some of the largest branch banks in Germany include Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse, Volksbank, Raiffeisenbank, HypoVereinsbank, Sparda-Bank, and Postbank.
Well-known online banks include N26, DKB, and ING.
4. Get your TUM Student Card
After enrollment, you will receive a TUM Student Card. It serves as your student ID card and can be used, for example, to access the university library and to pay for food and drinks in cafeterias and at vending machines.
The TUM Global & Alumni Office will inform you by email when and where you can collect your TUM Student Card. The email is sent in September for the winter semester and in March for the summer semester.
Important: TUM Student Cards are issued from October 1 for the winter semester and from April 1 for the summer semester. If the date falls on a weekend or public holiday, issuance begins on the next business day.
Before receiving your TUM Student Card, you can already access and download various documents through TUMonline, including your certificate of enrollment.
5. Determine if Confirmation of Stay is required
Please clarify with your home university if you need a certification of your stay signed by TUM and if so, your home university will provide you the form.
If your home university requires this Confirmation of Stay, please contact the International Affairs Delegate at your school.
Please note: TUM Global & Alumni Office is not authorized to sign any documents. For any signatures, therefore please contact the responsible International Affairs Delegate of your school.
Signatures and date of your arrival / departure
- Arrival: This certification will be signed by your TUM school representative after your first academic activity at TUM, e.g. language course, orientation weeks, information event. In winter term at earliest October 1, in summer term at eariest April 1.
- Departure: This certification will be signed by your TUM school representative with the date of your final academic activity, e.g. last exam, end of courses, submission of thesis. Please note: This is not automatically the same date as the end of semester.
6. Attend info events of TUM Global & Alumni Office and the Schools
![[Translate to en:] Informationsveranstaltung an der TUM](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/5/csm_TUM_Orientierungsveranstaltung_046295c442.webp)
During the orientation weeks, participate in the numerous information events to integrate smoothly at TUM and in Munich. In addition to the general events organized by the TUM Global & Alumni Office, most schools host information events.
7. Learn about public transport & buy the Deutschlandticket, if needed
With the optional Deutschlandticket, you can use local and regional public transportation throughout Germany. Further information can be found under To dos after your admission in the section Calculate your cost of living.
8. Find a part-time job
Foreign students enrolled in a German university may work up to a maximum of 140 full days per calendar year. Additionally, part-time student employment at a school of higher education is permitted throughout the year. However, for this you require the authorization pursuant to immigration law from the Foreigners’ Office in your residence permit (Section 16b, para 3 AufenthG, German Residence Act). Any employment beyond this will generally not be possible. Exceptions can only be made in individual cases for temporary hardships or with a special justification. However, students do not have an automatic right to this exception.
EU students from the "old" EU states are normally permitted to work for an unlimited period of time (within the scope of the general provisions for students); citizens of the "new" EU states (accession from 2004 on) require permission from the employment agency for employment for more than 120 days.
In case of an employment relationship (e.g. Mini job, Hiwi-job, working student) during an exchange stay to at least finance themselves on a partially part, there is an obligation to have health insurance.
Helpful contacts
The Career Service of the Technical University of Munich is available to TUM students and TUM alumni. On the central online job and internship board of TUM, you can easily search for internships, jobs for working students, master's theses, dissertations, trainee positions, and permanent employment at TUM, in companies, and other academic institutions.
You can also find much information and many tips on the Working at TUM website.
Students can work as student assistants at TUM within the scope of research projects or work at an institute or academic chair. Vacancies are published on the bulletin boards of the chairs and institutes and can be found online.
When applying for scientific work at an academic chair during the semester, the following documents must be presented to the local Foreigner's Office:
- Personal statement regarding need to work
- Intermediate diploma or certificates acquired so far
- Confirmation from the academic chair with regard to type and duration of the employment and number of hours per week
- Proof of financing since the last extension of the residence permit
This is what the Federal Employment Agency offers in terms of job search and placement services:
- Online job search (search terms: “student job” or “working student”)
- Personal career counseling: University Team at the Munich Employment Agency
Via jobcafe you can find internships, jobs for working students, side jobs and permanent employment for students and graduates. This service is free of charge for all persons seeking employment.