Transportation costs are all costs related to the transfer from your home country to Germany and Pforzheim University; these are normally travel costs for buses, railways, flights etc. In many countries students may find travel agencies offering rather cheap flights for students.
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Note: Students arriving at an international airport in Germany (normally Frankfurt or Stuttgart) may book an Airport Shuttle Service in advance. These shuttle services are comfortable and not really expensive (especially in case you will arrive with a small group of other students). One of the local shuttle service companies is called "Mogli Tours" (phone.: +49-7233-81152, email: moglitours@t-online.de) and a return ticket from Stuttgart International Airport is about 85 Euro for one person. In case you will use the shuttle as a party of three students this rate for a two-way ticket is only about 40 Euro per person (much cheaper than the public transport system).
All students - also exchange students from partner universities - have to pay a fee for the enrollment and a social contribution for the student services. The payment to the student services (Deutsches Studentenwerk Karlsruhe) is used as a contribution to cover the costs for the student facilities like Mensa, Cafeteria, Student Halls and other services. The fee covers also free access to the public transportation system of the city.
The social contribution to the student services (Deutsches Studentenwerk Karlsruhe) is 82 Euro per semester.
For the issuance of the student ID (the student card is also used as payment card, copy card and electronic keys) the university charges 20 Euro.
The payment to the Deutsches Studentenwerk should be made after arrival and the student will get a special form to transfer/pay this fee. For exchange students the International Programs Office provides this money transfer form with the relevant student ID (matriculation number).
For enrollment/matriculation all students have to prove adequate health insurance for the study period. Also, international students have to prove that either the health insurance company from the home country covers costs in Germany or that the student contracted a health insurance policy from a German company to cover the costs for medical treatments.
In case of insurance from the home country, the student has to obtain a confirmation letter from the German health insurance company that he is liberated from the compulsory insurance.
In case students will contract a health insurance policy in Germany, the monthly rate may vary by insurance company, gender and age of the student (see also chapter on insurance). On average the costs for health insurance for international exchange students are about 80 Euro per month.
Though it is not a requirement for admission, a private liability insurance is highly recommended for all international students. A liability insurance covers all kinds of damages, adversities etc. caused by the student. Sometimes an already existing liability insurance policy will cover also costs related to studying and/or working abroad. Quite often students may have to contract a liability insurance in Germany. An adequate private liability insurance policy covers damages to persons and property (normally up to a total of 3 Mio. Euro), financial loss (up to 50.000 Euro) and damage to rented property. The liability insurance in addition to that should cover damages related to working in a company (internship) and include an accident/casuality insurance. An adequate liability insurance may cost about 10 Euro per month; quite often the minimum for a contract is six months.
More information in the chapter on insurance.
Based on the data of the German Student Services (Deutsches Studentenwerk, 20. survey on the social situation of students in Germany, 2012) the costs of living for a student add up to about 700 Euro per month.
These costs of living per month cover on average expenditures as follows:
- Rental costs (incl. additional charges): about 298 Euro (usually less in student dorms: 200-250 Euro)
- Food: about 165 Euro
- Clothing: about 50 Euro
- Transportation costs: about 82 Euro
- Health Insurance: about 66 Euro
- Telephone/internet/Radio & TV licence: about 33 Euro
- Learning material (books, prints etc.): about 30 Euro
- Leisure activities (cultural events, sports, dining, dancing etc.): about 68 Euro
These average data may vary from city to city. Bigger cities tend to be more expensive. Pforzheim tends to be pretty close to the average costs. International students in exchange programs (staying for one semester only) may need a little bit less money per month. But these students should also consider that in most cases they will have to pay a rather big total as deposit for renting a room or an apartment (the deposit is quite often two monthly rates or about 500 Euro that a student will have to pay in advance).