Are you looking for helpful information about your studies at KU and your stay in Germany? Here, International Degree Seeking and Exchange Students will find everything they need to prepare, settle in, and wrap up their time with us.
That depends on your nationality. EU citizens do not need a visa. Non-EU citizens usually need to apply for a student visa before entering Germany. However, nationals of certain countries may enter Germany without a visa but must apply for one immediately after arrival.
You can find more detailed information on our webpage “Visa & residence permit”.
That depends on the processing times in your home country, which can vary greatly. As a general rule, we recommend applying for your student visa at least 3 months before your planned arrival in Germany – or better yet, 4 months in advance to be on the safe side. You should apply at the German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence. Please check their website for country-specific procedures and required documents.
Although the exact requirements may vary by country, you will typically need the following documents when applying for a student visa:
Always check the website of the German embassy or consulate in your country for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
You can find helpful tips and resources for finding accommodation independently on our webpage “Housing”.
Important: Start your housing search as early as possible – ideally at least 4 months before the semester begins, especially if you are not applying through KU Housing Support.
Yes, you can apply for KU Housing Support. This service helps international students find suitable housing in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt. Please note that a housing deposit of 350 EUR is required to secure your spot. You can find more information about the application process and deadline on our webpage “Housing”.
That strongly depends on your monthly rent and personal lifestyle. If you need a visa to study in Germany, you must prove that you have at least 992 EUR per month available (usually via a blocked account). However, this amount is often not sufficient, as monthly rent alone can range from 500 to 700 EUR, depending on the city and type of accommodation. Additional monthly expenses include:
We recommend planning for at least 1,000–1,200 EUR per month to cover your basic living expenses in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt.
Yes – health insurance is mandatory for studying in Germany. What kind you need depends on your personal situation:
You can find more details on our webpage “Health Insurance”.
The main difference lies in how the billing process works:
In Germany, you are legally liable for any damage you accidentally cause to other people or their property – and there is no upper limit to the amount you may have to pay. Personal liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) protects you in such cases: it covers legitimate claims for damages and defends you against unjustified ones. Although this insurance is voluntary, it is highly recommended, because even small accidents (e.g. a water stain on a wooden floor, spilling coffee on a classmate’s laptop, or scratching a car while cycling) can become very expensive. Liability insurance usually costs just a few euros per month but offers important everyday protection.
Your ability to work in Germany depends on your nationality and the stage of your studies:
A full day is counted as more than 4 hours of work. A half day is up to 4 hours. Required or mandatory internships tied to your curriculum do not count toward this limit. Academic jobs—like student or research assistant roles—are exempt and do not count toward the 140 full-day quota.
Tip: During semester breaks, you're generally not restricted by weekly hours, but must still observe the annual day limit.
NB: once you have a job, even if it’s only a Hiwi-job with 5 hrs per month, your EHIC is not valid anymore and you need a German health insurance. In any case, please urgently contact your health insurance company in Germany once you are planning to work.
You can find the KU academic calendar on our webpage “Academic calendar”. It includes important dates such as semester start and end, lecture periods, exam phases, and public holidays.
If you are taking part in the German Intensive Course, you will find the schedule and official arrival date on the course website – usually October 1 or April 1, unless that day falls on a weekend or public holiday.
If you are a degree-seeking student, we strongly recommend arriving in time for the Orientation Weeks in early October (or early April), even if you are not attending the language course.
In any case, you must arrive no later than the official start of lectures. You can find the exact dates in the academic calendar.
Yes, please see website.
Click here to register. Further information about the fee-based program can be found on the website “German language courses”.
Yes. KU announces its scholarships each August and February for the following semester. The number of scholarships is very limited and highly competitive, and funding is restricted to a maximum of 5 months. These are partial scholarships. You can find details of the current call here.
If you are generally looking for funding opportunities, we recommend checking the DAAD scholarship database. Please note that DAAD scholarships usually have much earlier application deadlines compared to KU scholarships.
Are you from Central or Eastern Europe? Then BAYHOST is a good point of contact for funding opportunities. In Bavaria, there are also BAYLAT (for students from Latin America), and BAYIND (India).
If you need to transfer money from abroad to a German bank account, there are cheaper and faster alternatives to traditional bank transfers, such as Wise and PayPal, or neobanks like N26 or Aion. Money transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram can be useful for cash pickups, but they are usually more expensive.
Ingolstadt and Eichstätt
Ingolstadt (approx. 140,000 inhabitants) and Eichstätt (approx. 13,000 inhabitants) are located in central Bavaria, about 80–100 km north of Munich.
Munich Airport – Eichstätt:
One option to get from Munich Airport to Eichstätt is to first take the Airport Express to Ingolstadt. To continue from Ingolstadt to Eichstätt, see the section “Eichstätt – Ingolstadt” below. Alternatively, you can use your Deutschlandticket to take the S-Bahn (line S1 or S8) to Munich Central Station (München Hbf) and then take a regional train to Eichstätt Stadt.
Please always select Eichstätt Stadt as your destination – Eichstätt Bahnhof is outside the town with no connections.
In Eichstätt:
Local buses connect the town. You can find a campus map here.
Munich Airport – Ingolstadt:
The fastest way from Munich Airport to Ingolstadt is by taking the Airport Express. Alternatively, with the Deutschlandticket, you can take the S-Bahn (line S1 or S8) to Munich Central Station (München Hbf) and then continue by regional train to Ingolstadt Nord or Ingolstadt Hbf.
In Ingolstadt:
Buses take you anywhere within the city. The bus company also offers an English app.
The bus stop in front of the university is called Universität/Kreuztor.
Commuting between Eichstätt and Ingolstadt:
The best connection between our two campuses is the X80 Express Bus. An alternative is the train connection between Ingolstadt Nord/Hbf and Eichstätt Stadt.
Most students use the Deutschlandticket for this route. However, you can also buy single-journey tickets at ticket machines or online.
Important: Please keep all your tickets – at the end of the semester, you can apply for a 50% refund of travel costs. (For degree-seeking students: this refund is only available if the travel is related to mandatory or elective modules.)
From other airports:
If you arrive at another airport (e.g. Frankfurt/Main, Nuremberg), we recommend taking a train to either Eichstätt Stadt or Ingolstadt Hbf/Nord.
Once you have been officially nominated, the International Office will contact you directly by email and send you the link to our online application system (Mobility Online) along with detailed instructions.
The application deadlines are usually:
If you have any questions, feel free to contact:
Katharina Palt (Ingolstadt campus)
Please see website “Courses in English”.
We recommend taking no more than 5 to 6 modules per semester, each worth 5 ECTS credits, for a total of approximately 30 ECTS credits.
Please note: If you participate in the German Intensive Course (Vorkurs), it also counts as one module worth 5 ECTS credits.
You will need the following documents to complete your application via Mobility Online:
Exchange Students:
You will receive your KU ID via Mobility Online. Your physical KU Card will be issued at the International Office once you arrive on campus.
Degree-Seeking Students:
Your letter of admission lists all enrollment requirements—please check this carefully. The most important documents are:
If you are privately insured, you must contact a statutory health insurance provider (e.g., AOK Bayern, TK) to have your insurance status approved. The statutory provider must then submit the so-called Meldung 10 (electronic notification) to the KU. The KU’s sender number is H0000834.
No, KU does not offer a semester ticket. However, every KU student can subscribe to the discounted Deutschlandticket via the KU website once they are enrolled and have received their KU account.
Exchange Students:
Your login credentials for KU Campus are provided in Mobility Online. You will receive your physical KU Card in person at the International Office after your arrival.
Degree-Seeking Students:
Your KU Campus login credentials will be sent by e-mail to the address you used in your application. After enrollment, your KU student ID card (KU Card) will be mailed to your semester address. Please make sure your address in your student portal HIS is correct to avoid delivery delays.
Log into KU.Campus and click on “My study certifcates” on the left-hand side. Then click on “Student Service” → “Reports / Certificates” → “Studienbescheinigung” and then on the magnifier icon.
You must register your residence at the local citizens’ office (Bürgeramt) within 2 weeks after moving in. A valid address must include street, house number, postal code, and city. Please bring your passport, rental contract, and confirmation from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung).
Yes, a German bank account is strongly recommended, especially for paying rent, receiving refunds, or handling university-related payments. You can open an account at most local banks or online banks. Make sure to bring your passport, residence registration, tax ID and proof of enrollment.
The tax ID (Steuer-ID) is a personal identification number required for financial matters in Germany. It is created automatically once you register your residence at the citizens’ office (Bürgeramt). Within about two weeks, you will receive it by mail at your semester address.
Please note: You cannot open a German bank account without a tax ID, so plan accordingly. The tax ID is also important for student jobs and scholarship payments. In urgent cases, you can request your tax ID directly at the local tax office (Finanzamt).
Recommended: Deutschlandticket
The Deutschlandticket for students costs € 38 per month and allows you to use buses and trains across the entire local and regional public transport network in Germany (e.g. regional trains like RE and RB, S-Bahn, city buses). This makes it a flexible and affordable option for traveling across the country – perfect for getting to university or going on trips. Important: The Deutschlandticket is not valid on long-distance trains (e.g. ICE, IC) or private providers (FlixTrain, FlixBus, Airport Express). There is also a version of the Deutschlandticket for non-students – it costs € 58 per month.
Exchange students: Please do not miss the mandatory online tutorials offered by the International Office.
Degree-Seeking students: Yes, the KU organizes orientation weeks for new students at the beginning of each semester. Attendance is strongly recommended, as you will receive important information about studies, campus services, and student life.
For academic advising, please contact your departmental student advisor (Studienberater). For personal or intercultural questions, you can contact the KU International Office or KU’s Counseling Services. Further details are available on the KU website.
Once your enrollment is completed and your KU account is activated, you have immediate access to all IT services provided by the University Computer Center (URZ), including Wi-Fi. To connect, you first need to install the KU VPN client. Detailed instructions are available on the URZ website.
In Germany, there is no fixed class schedule provided by the university. Instead, students create their own schedule each semester by choosing courses from the course catalog and following the study plan and examination regulations of their program.
Don’t worry if this feels overwhelming at first—it is the same for everyone! During Orientation Week, your department will explain study plans and give advice on which courses are important in the first semesters. Study plans (Studienverlaufspläne) and examination regulations are usually available on your program’s website.
Think of it as an opportunity: you have the freedom to select courses based on your interests and priorities. If courses overlap, that’s part of the system—you decide which one to attend and how to organize your studies.
You must register for each course in KU Campus. You can search for courses, times, and locations in KU Campus even without a login.
Course registration usually opens in mid-September for the winter semester and mid-March for the summer semester. Please note: registration works on a first come, first served basis. Popular courses may fill up quickly; in that case, you might only be placed on a waiting list or have to wait until the next semester or year to take the course. You can find a useful video explaining how to register for courses here.
Important: You must register not only for the course but also separately for the exam at the end of the semester. As soon as exam registration opens, you will receive an e-mail from the Registrar’s Office sent to your KU e-mail account. Remember: all official KU communication is sent exclusively to your KU e-mail address.
A module is an academic unit within your study program. It may consist of several individual courses (e.g., a lecture plus a seminar) or just one course. A course is the actual class you attend in a given semester.
Important: You only earn credits once the entire module is completed. For example, if a module in Modern German Literature requires both a lecture and a seminar, completing only the seminar will not count. You must attend and pass all required parts of the module.
Please also note: A module can only be counted once in your transcript, even if you take it multiple times. The key is the module number, not the course title or content (these may vary).
Everyone registered as a resident in Germany must pay the public broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) of 18.36 EUR per month, regardless of whether you own or use a TV or radio.
The fee is charged per household, not per person. This means that in shared apartments, only one person in the apartment needs to pay, while the others can be registered under the same account.
If you receive student financial aid (BAföG) in Germany or similar social benefits, you may apply for an exemption.
Your KU Card serves as your student ID, library card, and cafeteria card. You must validate it at the beginning of each semester. The card can be topped up with cash and used to pay in the cafeterias in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt (including the Mensa Canisiuskonvikt).
The card is issued free of charge once. If you lose it, both the card and any remaining balance are lost, and you must request a replacement from the Registrar’s Office for a fee.
Further practical information is available on the KU website.
The University Library (UB) is at the heart of KU. It is not only the place to search for and access academic literature, but also an important study space that offers a wide range of services.
Your KU Card also functions as your library card, giving you access to borrowing and other services. We recommend exploring the UB website to get an overview of all available resources. At the beginning of each semester, the library also offers regular training sessions—these are highly recommended, as they help you make the most of the library’s services.
ILIAS is KU’s online learning platform, which you can access with your KU account. Many instructors use ILIAS to share course materials, assignments, and reading lists. Further information is available on the KU website.
VHB (Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern or Virtual University of Bavaria) is a network of Bavarian universities that offers a wide variety of online courses. Many of these courses can be credited toward your study program.
In particular, the foreign language courses are very popular, including German language courses at the A2 level. If you are enrolled in an English-taught degree program, this may be especially relevant: you must prove German skills at the A2 level within your first year of studies—otherwise, you cannot continue your program.
You register directly via the VHB platform, but in order to have the course credited at KU, you must inform the Examinations Office (Prüfungsamt) in time.
If you study in German, we highly recommend the course “Wissenschaftliches Schreiben und Arbeiten” (Academic Writing and Research). It introduces you to German academic standards, which differ significantly from those in other countries.
In most bachelor’s programs, you will also have introductory courses in the first semester that cover academic methods. If you are unsure, contact your program coordinator for advice and resources.
The only mistake you can make is not asking—so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Your academic advisor (Fachstudienberatung) is your main contact person if you experience difficulties with your studies.
Depending on your situation, you can also reach out to the International Office for general guidance or to KU’s counseling services for personal or psychological support.
If you enjoy sports, you can take part in the University Sports Program, which offers a wide variety of courses every semester for students of all study programs. You can also use the university’s fitness room.
If you are musically inclined, you might want to join the university choir or the university orchestra.
If you would like to get involved on campus, the Student Convention (Studentischer Konvent) offers many opportunities through its working groups.
If you are looking for spiritual activities, you are welcome to join the programs of the Catholic University Community (KHG).
(NB: websites only in German).
If you face mental health challenges, you are welcome to contact our Psychological Counseling Service. The service is free of charge and strictly confidential.
You can also find an overview of all KU counseling services for different life situations on the KU website.
In urgent situations, please refer to KU’s emergency website for immediate support and contacts.
If you do not yet have a general practitioner (Hausarzt) in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt, you should look for one as soon as possible. Please note that many practices no longer accept new patients, so you may need to contact several offices. Your health insurance provider can also help you find a doctor.
If you miss classes due to illness, please inform your instructor right away. You will also need a medical certificate (Attest) from your doctor. This certificate is especially important if you are unable to attend an exam, as it must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.
If you are unable to attend an exam due to illness, you must submit a medical certificate (Attest) to the Registrar’s Office without delay. Please make sure the certificate clearly states that you were unable to take the exam on the scheduled date.
Send the original certificate by post or hand it in directly at the Registrar’s Office. Digital copies (e.g., scans or photos) are usually not accepted.
Yes. If you realize that a course is not the right fit for you, please inform the instructor and deregister from the course in KU Campus.
In the middle of the semester, the Examinations Office (Prüfungsamt) will announce the exam registration deadlines by e-mail and on the KU Campus homepage. For every course you attend, you must also register separately for the exam in KU Campus.
Please note: these deadlines are binding. If you miss the deadline, you cannot take the exam.
If you later decide not to take an exam, you must deregister in KU Campus. Otherwise, the exam will be marked as “failed”, and you will only have one more chance to repeat it.
Important: All official notifications from KU are sent only to your KU e-mail account. Please check it regularly.
If you fail an exam, you can register for the resit during the second examination period. Please remember: you must actively register in KU Campus for this second attempt as well—otherwise, you cannot take the exam.
Important: In most cases, you only have two attempts. If you fail the resit, the module is considered permanently failed.
The Registrar’s Office will remind you by e-mail to re-register for the next semester. Deadlines are also published on the Registrar’s Office website.
Re-registration is very simple: transfer the semester contribution of 78.00 EUR to the KU account, making sure to use your matriculation number (not your applicant number) as reference. A few days after the transfer, you can see your re-registration status in your HIS portal.
At the beginning of the new semester, don’t forget to validate your KU Card. Otherwise, it will automatically be deactivated at the end of the semester.
If you do not re-register in time, you will be automatically de-registered (exmatriculated) at the end of the semester (March 31 or September 30).
Non-EU students (with a student visa): You may work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year. Jobs as a student assistant (Hiwi jobs) do not count toward this limit, so you can take them in addition. During semester breaks, you are also allowed to work full-time.
If you wish to work more than the allowed limit, you must obtain approval from the Foreigners’ Office (Ausländerbehörde).
The best place to start is the KU Career Center, which provides advice and job postings. Make sure to register for JobTeaser, the KU job platform, so you receive all updates on student job offers.
Student assistant positions (Hiwi jobs) are often advertised on KU’s website or through KU social media channels.
Depending on your place of residence, you must apply for the extension of your residence permit in Ingolstadt or Eichstätt, but the process can be started online. The International Office will support you in preparing the required documents.
The most important documents are:
Processing times can take several months. After submitting your application, you will receive an appointment date by post from the Foreigners’ Office. If you plan to travel abroad or go on an exchange semester, make sure to apply well in advance—at least 3 months before your current permit expires.
Often, you will need coins to operate the machines (e.g. 50-cent coins).
Contact your landlord or the dormitory administration at least three weeks before your planned move-out date to arrange an appointment for the room inspection. Usually, you will receive a checklist that explains what needs to be done when cleaning and clearing out your room.
If you hand over the room properly, your security deposit will be refunded. Be sure to carefully document the condition of the room at the time of the inspection—take photos and request a written inspection report. You may use the sample handover protocol.
Please arrange an appointment for the room inspection well in advance. Your room must be thoroughly cleaned and completely cleared out before you hand over the keys.
If you used the KU Housing Support and paid the additional KU deposit of 350.00 EUR, you must request the refund through the workflow in Mobility Online. Once the International Office receives confirmation from your landlord that the room was handed over properly, we will refund 300.00 EUR to your indicated bank account or via PayPal.
The security deposit you paid directly to your landlord will be refunded by the landlord, provided that your room inspection was successful and there are no outstanding charges.
After de-registration, you will receive an official confirmation document (Abmeldebescheinigung). This certificate is often required to cancel contracts such as health insurance, broadcasting fee (GEZ), or rental agreements.
It depends:
If you are privately insured, please contact your private provider directly to clarify the cancellation process.
If you leave Germany, you should close your German bank account. However, do not close it too early, as you may still need it for outstanding payments or for receiving your housing deposit refund.
On both campuses and throughout the cities, you will find a number of so-called FairTeiler (sometimes even equipped with a fridge). These are community sharing points where you can leave unopened food that is still good to eat.
In both Ingolstadt and Eichstätt, you will also find book exchange cabinets (Büchertauschschränke), where you can drop off books you no longer need.
For larger items, you can use Kleinanzeigen. You might even earn a few euros for items in good condition. But if you simply want to give things away, you can also post them for free.
For small household items (such as cutlery, glasses, or decorations), Caritas in Gaimersheim is a good option. They accept a wide range of items—including clothing, books, and even broken electronics—and resell usable goods at affordable prices to people in need.
Other ways to pass on clothing in good condition include local clothing donation rooms (Kleiderkammern) or community sharing closets (Kreislaufschränke).