Main Content
Before Arrival
Application and other paper work
Please make sure that you follow all necessary steps of the application process and respond to emails by our ISU staff in a timely manner. They will always be happy to help you and also will try to solve all your problems and answer your questions as quick as possible, within their working hours.
Please let us know once you booked your tickets. This way we know when you will arrive!
Visa
If you are a permanent resident of one of the countries of the Schengen Agreement you only need a valid passport to enter Germany.
To find out whether a Visa will be necessary for your stay in Marburg, please visit the website of the Foreign Office of Germany, where you will find further information on this topic as well as a list of all countries and their entry visa regulation:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/-/606848
If you need a visa:
Contact the nearest German embassy as soon as possible to inquire about the necessary procedures.
Make sure that your application process for the ISU is complete! The letter of acceptance for a visa application is being issued only when a student has completed the application.
Note: We cannot guarantee that you will receive a visa, this decision is solely at the discretion of the German consulate. We strongly recommend that you begin the application process as early as possible to make sure that you have enough time to obtain a visa. Should your visa application be denied, the registration fee will be refunded to you minus the applicable bank charges and a non-refundable service fee of € 150. A refund in this case can only be granted if we have been informed at least one week before the program begins. A refund will not be issued after that. A refund will also not be granted if the visa denial is caused by personal negligence (e.g. admitting inauthentic or incomplete documents).
In any case, supporting documentation (e.g. a written statement, issued by a German embassy) must be provided.
Health Insurance
While attending ISU, students need to have a valid health insurance, which will be provided by our program. You will need to show proof of your insurance in case you need to go and see doctor. For further information on how to access the insurance information read the insurance section under registration.
Other Insurance
You may also want to consider a luggage or travel insurance before your departure. Please inform yourself on options and take insurance into consideration.
Pre-departure Checklist
o complete your ISU application process
o Check the ISU website and your emails regularly for any updates and information
o Check the ILIAS learning platform and the reading material of your classes, once you receive your account information
o Familiarize yourself with the overall cost of living in Germany and set a realistic day-to-day budget (remember that only breakfast and a meal subsidy of €45 are included in the program fee)
o (If you haven’t already) Learn to prepare easy meals
o (If you haven’t already) Learn how to do laundry and maintain your clothes
o Learn about German lifestyle and culture as well as current news and events in Germany by researching online
o Start packing your luggage (see below)
Packing Checklist
First of all: Please pack light and do not bring anything that will not be necessary, as the dorms do not have elevators and some of the stations do not either. You will be provided bed sheets and be able to do your laundry at the dormitory, so please only bring what you can easily carry without any help.
Important Documents and Items
o Valid passport
o Other official documentation (e.g. driver’s license)
o Copies or scans of official documents (one copy left at home)
o Contact phone numbers for: ISU emergency phone (0049-151 - 70421002), your embassy or consulate in Germany
o Bank card to use the ATM (Be sure to notify your credit card company or bank and ensure that your card can be used in Europe)
o Enough cash to buy food, beverages and other necessary things during the first days (Foreign currency CANNOT be exchanged at local banks in Marburg. This should be done in Frankfurt or at the airport etc.)
o Any medication you may need FOR THE FULL DURATION OF YOUR STAY It will not necessarily be possible to obtain the identical medication here)
Practical Items
o Adapter for electrical devices (Please bear in mind that US electrical appliances will not work in German electrical outlets.)
o Possibly a voltage transformer (Please check before you leave if your electrical appliances can withstand 230 V.)
o Possibly an adapter for your MacBook to use the Internet cable at the dorm, as some are not equipped with Wi-Fi (You will be notified in time)
o Towels
o Sun protection like hats or sunscreen
o Comfortable walking shoes for field trips and other activities
o Formal dressing for the official opening and closing ceremony
o Books you would like to read
o Take some items with you that remind you of home, for example photographs
If you've still got room:
o A plate, silverware, cup, bowl, kitchen towel and dishwashing sponge, can be useful, but of course also be purchased inexpensively in Marburg.
Preparing for your seminars
Once you succesfully registered you will receive a Philipps-Universität Marburg student account. You can use this account for the University wifi as well as for the computer labs, library and for the online learning platform ILIAS.
All seminars will use Ilias as a platform to make readings available. Approximately in June you can find most readings there. Please read the instructions under Classes and Field Trips. You will also receive an E-Mail with further instructions on how to use ILIAS and how to access your classes.
SIM-Cards
Depending on your current SIM-card and phone plan, you may or may not be able to use your phone in Germany. Please check with your mobile service provider if you need to do anything before you come.
For more informaton on SIM-cards in Germany, please visit the Study in Germany page.