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Finance & Funding

  • Proof of Financial Resources for Your Residence Permit

    Either upon applying for a visa or, at the latest, upon applying for a residence permit, you will have to prove that you possess sufficient financial means for your study stay in Germany. This proof can be supplied by various means: Students who receive a scholarship, for instance, may present a scholarship grant to the embassy or aliens department. Other students might have relatives who have committed themselves to support them financially; those students, in turn, must present a so-called letter of intent (Verpflichtungserklärung) of the respective relatives to the above-mentioned authorities.

    Oftentimes, students supply their proof of financial resources by means of a so-called blocked account that they open with a German bank. In fact, the opening of this sort of bank account may be obligatory for some students. Whether you need to open such an account or not depends on, among other things, from which country you enter Germany.

    Yet, how much money has to be deposited on such a blocked account? It is estimated that a student attending a German university is in need of approximately 934 €per month to cover his or her living expenses. In order to find out how much money exactly you have to put into your blocked account, you have to multiply this monthly demand of 934 € by the number of months you intend to stay in Germany. If you, for example, plan to stay in Germany for the duration of 12 months, your blocked account must hold 11,208 €. There are two reasons for why the blocked account is labeled as such:

     - blocked and cannot be accessed until you have entered Germany.

     - After having entered Germany, you will only be allowed to take out a specific amount of money out of the account per month. This amount is framed by the embassy respectively the aliens department.

    Please pay close attention to the procedures involved of how to ‘activate’ your blocked account: Once you have arrived in Germany, you will need, for a start, to activate your account by filling in specific forms at your bank and by presenting certain documents to your bank’s staff. Usually, you must prove that you are residing in Germany by submitting a certificate of registration issued by the local authorities of the city in which you are living (Einwohnermeldeamt/Stadtbüro). Maybe you are asking yourself now if it is necessary to open a second, non-blocked account in Germany, a so-called Girokonto. In general, you do not need to open a Girokonto if you use your blocked account within the scope of the monthly amount available to you. In this case, the bank where you run your blocked account should offer you all services common for a Girokonto such as money transfers (bankwires) or getting cash at the bank’s ATMs . Please get in touch with your credit institute to learn more about the individual services offered.

  • Living Expenses for International Students (Initial Costs Upon Arrival and Monthly Expenses)

    Your first month in Marburg – How much money will you need?

    Shortly after having arrived in Marburg, i.e. within the first month of your stay, you should adjust yourself to some expenses. To begin with, you will have to pay the semester fee which includes, among other things (as listed below), the costs for the semester ticket for public transportation in and around Marburg. Moreover, you will be asked to pay a rent deposit for your room or flat plus the first monthly rent and, if necessary, the first monthly installment for your German health insurance. Last but not least you will of course need some money for your daily needs (food, drug store supplies, etc.).Please make sure to bring enough (cash) money for the first days of your stay.

    It is difficult to give an exact figure for expected living expenses during your stay at UMR as it surely comes down to your individual needs and lifestyle. Below we put together the major costs for a single person on campus, per academic year, to cover accommodation, food, personal expenses, study-related costs as well as leisure expenses.

    Non-Recurring Fees EXPENSE
    Rent deposit 250,00 - 700,00 € (usually 2 months' rent)
    Regular fees (non-monthly)
    Semester Fee 300,00 - 350,00 € (varies from semester to semester, on average the fee amounts up to 300,00 € to 350,00 €)
    Monthly expenses
    rent (room in a dormitory) approx. 250 €
    rent (room/apartment private housing market) between 250,00 € and 450,00 €
    Health Insurance 90,00 €
    Telephone, Internet, Television 10,00 € - 50,00 €
    Food 150,00 € - 200,00 €
    Clothes 50,00 €
    Leisure Activities 60,00 €
    Books, Copies, etc. 30,00 €
    Total Monthly 650,00 € - 840,00 €
    (Please note: The costs given above are estimates and may vary depending on personal preferences and circumstances)
  • Scholarships

    Every year, usually in spring, the Philipps-Universität awards a small number of international students in undergraduate programs (Bachelor, Diplom, Staatsexamen) and graduate programs (Master) as well as international PhD students with partial scholarships. The scholarships are financed by funds of the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, DAAD).

    There are two sorts of scholarships available: scholarships for students who are in their final study period and will graduate soon and scholarships for students involved in the support of international newcomers in Marburg. The first sort of scholarships aims at permitting international students and PhD candidates to focus on their final study and research. Awardees of the second sort are asked to mentor other international students or visiting scientists (2–4 hours per week). There is an annual call for applications; the International Office of the Philipps-Universität will notify you via email and will announce the scholarships on its homepage.

    You want to learn more about other partial and full scholarships for international students in Germany? The DAAD’s online scholarship database is an excellent research tool, since it does not only list the scholarships offered by the DAAD, but also informs about the programs of other scholarship donors.

    Visit the DAAD scholarship database to search and find scholarships.

    Please note that there exist country-specific scholarships which might not be listed in the DAAD database. Therefore, please contact either the DAAD branch office or the diplomatic agency in charge or the relevant counseling services at the universities abroad.

    Additionally, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has provided an interactive online platform that gives an overview over scholarships and possibilities of financial aid.

    Visit the platform Stipendienlotse

  • Opening a bank account

    To open a bank account, you need a passport and a German address. You can give proof of your status as a student by showing your letter of acceptance (Zulassungsbescheid) or your matriculation certificate (Studienbescheinigung). Participants in the orientation program are given the opportunity to open a bank account as it is part of the program.

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