If you move to Pforzheim, you are obliged to register your place of residence with the Bürgerzentrum within two weeks of your arrival. The appointment for the registration can be arranged online here under "Register apartment".
The following documents are required for the registration: ID, landlord's confirmation of residence.

Registration is free of charge.
If you move again during your studies, you will need to register your residence again at the Citizens' Center.

Citizens from countries outside the EU or EEA generally require a visa to enter Germany or a residence permit to study in Germany.
Applicants from some countries can enter Germany without a visa. However, if the stay lasts longer than 90 days, a residence permit for study purposes must be applied for after entry.
This applies to the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, USA and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Students from all other countries generally enter with a national visa. This visa is usually valid for one year. A residence permit must be applied for before the visa expires.

Applying for a residence permit

The residence permit is limited in time and is only valid for the stated purpose of residence (studies).
If the purpose of residence changes, you must inform the Foreigners' Registration Office immediately.

Please remember to apply for an extension of your residence permit in good time before it expires.

Required documents

The following documents are usually required for the application:

• Proof of the purpose of your stay, e.g.:
  • Admission to a language course or course of study
  • Certificate of enrollment
  • Proof of study progress
• Proof of financing, e.g:
  • Proof of income and assets from parents
  • Security deposit in a blocked account
  • Scholarship contract
• Proof of health insurance
• Valid passport (an identity card is sufficient for Swiss nationals)
• a current passport photo

Competent authority

The application for the issue or extension of a residence permit must be submitted to the Pforzheim Foreigners' Registration Office. You can find the contact details of the responsible clerks on the website of the Pforzheim Foreigners' Registration Office under the following link: Contact of the Pforzheim Foreigners' Registration Office

For your stay in Germany, it makes sense to open a German bank account, for example for rent payments, scholarships or a blocked account. We recommend transferring payments, such as semester fees and rent, from a German or European bank account to avoid additional fees. The most common account for everyday use in Germany is the current account. It enables online transfers, ATM withdrawals, card payments and the payment of expenses such as rent, health insurance and tuition fees. Many banks offer free accounts for students.

You can usually open a German bank account online in just a few minutes. Some traditional banks require a tax ID, which you will only receive by post after registering at the Citizens' Center. We therefore recommend online banks, where you only need a valid passport.
At Pforzheim University you will find a branch of the Sparkasse, other banks are located in the city center. Alternatively, you can use online banks such as ING or N26 , which are particularly easy to use.

In Germany, a broadcasting fee of €18.36 per month must be paid per household for the use of TV, radio and internet.

A room in a hall of residence counts as a separate apartment, even if it does not have its own kitchen or bathroom. If several students live together, only one fee must be paid per apartment. If a roommate has already paid the fee, you do not have to pay it again.

Further information can be found on the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice website.

In Germany, you can use mobile telephony via contracts, prepaid tariffs or a prepaid SIM card for your cell phone. It is important to research the different options as some phones will not work with a foreign SIM card. Alternatively, your domestic mobile provider may also offer an international plan that could be sufficient.

With a German mobile phone contract, only outgoing calls are charged, while calls to cell phones can incur higher costs. Prepaid cards are ready to use immediately - after activation you can usually make calls within 15 minutes. Incoming calls are also possible without credit. Prepaid cards are usually available in denominations of €15, €25 or €50.

Before the semester begins, there is a mandatory Welcome & Orientation Period for all international students of the three faculties.
The orientation covers important topics such as:

• Course selection and timetabling
• Introduction to the responsible contact persons
• Campus tour
• Further helpful information for a successful start at Pforzheim University

Attendance is compulsory and makes it easier to start studying and living at Pforzheim University.

Our students at Pforzheim University can use buses and trains in and around Pforzheim free of charge. Your student card serves as a ticket (Studiticket) and is personal and non-transferable.

• Travel outside the VPE network: If you travel beyond the fare limits of the VPE network(VPE), you only need a valid ticket from the respective end point of the fare zone to your destination.
  The fare zone map can be downloaded here .
• Before receiving your student card: You can use the VPE network with your letter of admission in combination with your ID card or passport.

Germany ticket

• Students up to the age of 26 can purchase the D-Ticket JugendBW for €45 per month on the VPE website
• valid for all local buses and trains (2nd class) in Germany, including IRE, RE, RB, S-Bahn, streetcars
• Not valid for long-distance trains (ICE, IC, EC, Flixtrain, TGV) or long-distance buses

Tips for journeys to Karlsruhe and Stuttgart

Students often use the IRE trains to Vaihingen an der Enz (Stuttgart) or Wilferdingen-Singen (Karlsruhe) and buy a city day ticket there.
This is valid for all public transport in the city until 6 a.m. the following day.

• Group option: Day ticket for up to 5 people
• Price advantage: Cheaper than a regular train ticket from Pforzheim to Stuttgart or Karlsruhe

Further information can be found on the websites of the respective transport associations.