International Staff at EUF

International researchers can always apply for any publicly advertised (project) position at EUF. In this case, the university will process your research funding and employment start date in line with its standard hiring processes for all new EUF employees.

In addition to the regular positions advertised by the university, you can fund your research at EUF through a research project or external grant.

Funding programs and organizations

Doctoral candidates

Several funding programs offer scholarships to support doctoral studies. Scholarships are usually awarded for 2 to 3 years and include a monthly grant of approximately 1300 to 1600 euros. In addition, many scholarship providers also offer an annual lump sum for travel to attend conferences or collect data.

An overview of doctoral scholarships and relevant databases can be found on our website under Funding Opportunities for Graduates Interested in a PhD.

Postdocs

Various funding options exist for postdocs in different career phases. Programs are offered at the national, European or international level. Requirements, durations and funding amounts also differ, so it's a good idea to check the websites of each program and seek more detailed advice. Most programs have specific contact persons to whom you can reach out; some also offer regular information events.

You can find an overview of current calls for applications and relevant databases on our website under Funding Opportunities for Postdocs. The ICES website also provides information on funding opportunities for events, travel, and publications as well as for materials, equipment or other resources.

Scholars at Risk

While the above programs are open to all researchers, some funding programs are specifically for Scholars at Risk. Information on these can be found on this page in the "Scholars at Risk" tab (section: Funding).

Seeking financial advice and applying for funds

The EUF Office for Research and the university's flagship research centers, ZeBUSS and ICES, continuously offer advising about research funding for all interested scholars and support you in preparation and submission of an application.

The following information can help you identify further research funding options once your position at EUF or third-party grant has ended.

Advising at EUF

The ICES and ZeBUSS research centers can advise researchers about alternative third-party funding options. Please contact the academic coordinators of the centers.

Of course, you can also reapply for any open jobs at EUF.

The university's Equal Opportunities Unit also offers various workshops on career development and planning, as well as individual and group coaching. See the Networking & Further Education tab (section: Coaching program of the Equal Opportunities Unit) for more information.

Other advising services

For employment counselling and advice, you can also contact the "Arbeit & Ausbildung" department of the Koordinierungsstelle für Integration und Teilhabe der Stadt Flensburg ("Coordination Office for Integration and Inclusion of the City of Flensburg").

Other funding options

An overview of third-party and project funding can be found in this tab in the section "Third-party funding".

Further funding opportunities include:

• The Postdoc-Scholarship: The overview of the most important funding programs (DE) | academics
• A central platform for early career researchers community | ECRcentral

You can also use the following sites for research jobs:

• Academic Transfer
• Akademische Stellen
• Science Careers
• Nature: Jobs
• Euraxess: Jobs
• Times higher education: University jobs
• Euroscience Jobs

If you would like to research or teach at Europa-Universität Flensburg for a fixed period of time as a visiting scholar, you are welcome to contact your prospective host research center, institute or seminar at EUF in order to arrange this.

However, please note that the funding for such a stay has to be obtained from your home institution, or from funding institutions in your home country. Failing that, you can search for possible funding programs in the German databases of the DAAD or EURAXESS:

• Euraxess Germany
• Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD)

The Erasmus+ program can also provide funding for short-term teaching stays. Please contact the Erasmus+ representative at your home university for more information.

1. Residence permit as an employee (with academic training). Entry visa: Visa for qualified employment or visa for the purpose of seeking employment;
2. Blaue Karte. Entry visa: Visa for qualified employment or EU Blue Card visa
3. Residence permit for academic staff and researchers.  Entry visa: Visa for qualified employment or visa for research;
4. Residence permit for study (for doctoral students). Entry visa: Visa to commence studies; 

5. Visa for the purpose of seeking employment. 

Further information about visas and residence permits

Further information on applying for a visa and residence permit can be found on the following pages:

• Visa & Residence | Make it in Germany
• Zuständigkeitsfinder Schleswig-Holstein (search for "Visum"/ visa or "Aufenthaltserlaubnis" i.e., residence permit)
• Einwanderungsbüro | Stadt Flensburg (City of Flensburg Immigration Office)

International scholars who reside in Germany are obliged to take out health insurance. You can apply for health insurance before you enter Germany.

Insurance status: compulsory (Pflichtversichert) or voluntary (freiwillig versichert)

Your insurance status depends on how your research activity is funded.

Funding via a grant or fellowship, with funding contract

Researchers who are funded by a grant are usually not automatically covered by compulsory health insurance. Instead, they usually have to take out voluntary insurance at their own expense. Only a few scholarships (such as those from the DAAD) include health insurance.

Grants to finance a research stay do not usually provide you with access to statutory health insurance in Germany. This does not apply if you are also employed by a research institution or university for the duration of your stay. In rare exceptional cases, you may be eligible for voluntary statutory health insurance in accordance with § 9 SGB V (e.g. if you have student status). If in doubt, please contact your grant provider or the statutory health insurance providers in Germany directly before starting your research stay.

Funding via employment with a regular job contract

Staff who have a regular employment contract are usually automatically covered by social security and therefore also by health insurance. The costs of the insurance contributions are borne proportionately by the employee and employer.

Types of health insurance

• Statutory health insurance (GKV)

GKV works according to the principle of solidarity: contributions are based on the financial capacity of each member, and healthcare benefits are the same for everyone. In principle, all employees whose gross income is below the annual income threshold and above the marginal earnings threshold are obliged to take out statutory health insurance. Voluntary membership is generally possible following previous compulsory or family insurance and, under certain conditions, when taking up employment in Germany for the first time.

If your funding institution does not decide in advance, you can decide on the type of insurance yourself.

When choosing a statutory health insurance provider, most providers offer similarly good/comprehensive benefits. Only if there is a specific pre-existing condition is it advisable to carefully check the conditions of the individual statutory health insurance providers.

• Private health insurance (PKV)

Voluntary insurance through a private health insurance provider can sometimes cost no more than voluntary insurance with a statutory health insurance provider. Unlike statutory health insurance, the premium amount in private health insurance depends on the scope of the insured benefits and the individual insured risk (the so-called equivalence principle). The disadvantage, however, is that insured persons often have to pay in advance for treatment and the costs incurred for treatment are only reimbursed retrospectively.

Switching from statutory to private health insurance is only open to certain people who are not subject to compulsory statutory health insurance, such as the self-employed, civil servants, and employees with an income above the compulsory insurance threshold ("Versicherungspflichtgrenze"). However, there are also very strict limitations on switching from private health insurance back to statutory health insurance.

• Other types of health insurance

In addition to the usual statutory and private health insurance companies, there are also private providers, like Care Concept or Mawista, that offer cheaper health insurance for doctoral students, researchers and staff without compulsory social insurance. Although the premiums here are considerably cheaper, the benefits are also much lower.

The DAAD's group insurance plan is one alternative to the above options. The DAAD offers interns, students and academics who come to Germany - as well as their partners and children - affordable combined health, accident and personal liability insurance. This insurance is already provided for DAAD grant holders. Non-grantees who receive support or funding from European Union programmes and DAAD partner organizations or member schools can also take out this insurance.

Pre-existing conditions

Individuals with pre-existing conditions should stock up on all necessary medications in their home countries, as private health insurance in Germany generally does not cover pre-existing conditions. This means that patients have to bear the costs themselves. Statutory health insurance companies, on the other hand, are obliged to insure all policyholders with pre-existing conditions; these providers must cover the full costs for pre-existing conditions from day one. Nevertheless, we recommend that you contact your health insurance company before entering Germany so that you can clarify any questions in good time, and be covered right from the start.

Source: Krankenversicherung [health insurance], Bundesministerium für Gesundheit. Updated on October 25, 2023; last accessed on November 13, 2023.

More information you can also find at Health Insurance | EURAXESS.

International researchers who would like advice about campus employment on account of their disability can contact the Representatives for the Severely Disabled (Schwerbehindertenvertretung).

The Equal Opportunities Unit (Arbeitsbereich Chancengleichheit) also provides information about studying with a disability, some of which is also relevant to working life.

In addition, the city of Flensburg maintains a website with contact points and useful information for people with disabilities.

Entry and visa

If your spouse and/or children do not have EU citizenship and are not already in Germany, they can come to Germany with you as part of the family reunification procedure. This procedure also applies if you yourself are an EU national but your spouse or children are not. As the requirements for family reunification also depend on whether you yourself have EU or non-EU citizenship, we recommend that you find out about this in good time before entering Germany.

Spouse reunification

If your spouse wishes to join you in Germany, he or she will usually receive the same residence permit as you. Your partner's right of residence ends when your right of residence expires.

A residence permit for a spouse is usually granted if both spouses are able to support themselves without claiming social assistance, if there is sufficient living space available, and if both spouses have adequate health insurance cover.

If the accompanying spouse wishes to take up employment in Germany, approval from the Federal Employment Agency may be required.

Reunification of children

According to the current legal situation, children are only legally entitled to a residence permit if both parents have a residence permit, if the child has not yet reached the age of 16, and if their accommodation and financial support are secured. In other cases, the immigration authority decides at its own discretion.

Important information

The right of reunification generally applies to the nuclear family, i.e. spouses, underage children, and parents of underage children. Only in exceptional cases of hardship can other family members also receive a residence permit.

This means that, as a rule, unmarried partners cannot be brought to Germany. Since November 2024, however, a new right of residence has been introduced for third-country nationals who are "close relatives" of EU citizens. 

These include the following groups:

• Relatives in the collateral line (siblings, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, etc.) of the EU citizen or their spouse,
• Minor foster children or children for whom the EU citizen has guardianship,
• Non-registered life partners if there is a "credibly demonstrated, long-term relationship" with the EU citizen.

As a prerequisite for this right of residence, a close relative must be able to support themselves in Germany.

Further information on the right of residence for close relatives of EU citizens can be found on the website of the Office for the Equal Treatment of EU Workers.

More information on family reunification:

• Family Reunification | Make It in Germany
• Familienzusammenführung | Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration (Family reunification | Federal Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration)
• Nachzug von Familienangehörigen | Wilkommenszentrum Berlin (Reunification of family members | Berlin Welcome Center)

Family insurance

Children, spouses and registered partners of individuals who have statutory health insurance are covered by family insurance (free of charge) if they are resident or ordinarily resident in Germany and have a total income that does not regularly exceed a certain income limit. Another prerequisite for family insurance is that the family members are not otherwise subject to compulsory insurance or exempt from compulsory insurance.

For private health insurance companies, you must register your child with the health insurance company and pay a certain contribution for the child.

Childcare

Finding a daycare or school placement for your child is an important part of your arrival in Flensburg. At Europa-Universität Flensburg, the main source of support is the Family Office, which you can contact with any questions on matters relating to work and family and childcare.

The Family Office and the Equal Opportunities Unit websites offer information about schools and child care centers in Flensburg, as well as childcare options and leisure activities on campus, in Flensburg and in the district of Schleswig-Holstein.

General information about kindergarten and schools in Germany can be found here:

• Childcare, school and family-related issues | EURAXESS
• Schools | Research in Germany

Daycare place or daycare center

If you need to place your child in a daycare (called "Kita"), the city of Flensburg recommends registering on the daycare portal (Kita-Portal) hosted by the state of Schleswig-Holstein. There you can search for and pre-register for a daycare spot. Information on the website is available in several languages, including English, Arabic, Ukrainian, etc.

For children aged 0-3 years, there is also the option of organizing private day care ("Kindertagespflege"). The care takes place in the childminder's home, in specially rented facilities, or sometimes in the parents' own home. Day care can also supplement kindergarten or school time for children up to the age of 14.

You can find more information about child day care on the City of Flensburg website. The city also offers advice on the various options available.

Additionally, doctoral students at Europa-Universität Flensburg who have children can contact the Studentenwerk student association for information about how to place their child in the daycare center for the children of students.

In addition, the EUF offers staff a childcare exchange platform called FLummi (the portal can be accessed via EUF login coordinates). Here you can find short-term and permanent caregivers for your own children. You need an EUF account to use the website.

Searching for a school placement

If your children are over six years old, German compulsory education laws require that they attend school. The vast majority of schools in Germany are run by the state and are free of charge. Of course, there are also private and international schools you may consider, which usually charge a fee. 

There are several types of schools in Germany:

1. Primary school (grades 1-4).
2. After primary school, there are two options:
   • Gemeintschaftsschule (grades 5-9/10/13). In community school, pupils continue to learn together in the same location after primary school and receive individual support according to their abilities, talents and educational intentions in lessons that are mainly internally differentiated. Some community schools also have their own option for the Abitur. Otherwise, after successful completion, students can transfer to an upper secondary school or vocational training.
   • Gymnasium (grades 5-12/13). The Gymnasium provides an in-depth general education. Students acquire a general higher education entrance qualification by passing the Abitur examination. This qualification entitles the school-leaver to subsequently study at a university (Abitur) or university of applied sciences (Fachabitur, Abitur).

"Einschulung", i.e. the child's enrollment in a specific class and school, is decided by the respective school management in consultation with the responsible school board. As a rule, newly immigrated schoolchildren who are not yet able to take part in school lessons on a continuous basis due to their language skills are offered trial lessons. The aim is to integrate the children into regular school lessons as quickly as possible.

The City of Flensburg offers an online overview of schools in Flensburg.

In addition, the Bildungsbüro der Stadt Flensburg (Flensburg Department of Education) provides information and advice on finding a suitable school.

Further information you can find at School system | Make It in Germany

Family-friendly campus

EUF Family Services provides information about family-related services on campus, such as parent-child rooms, baby changing and breastfeeding facilities, and menu options for children on campus.

Information on how to get to Flensburg can be found on the website of the EUF International Center in the tab "Arrival Information".

Finding housing is an important aspect of getting settled in Germany and Flensburg.

In addition, important administrative processes (e.g. registering your place of residence, applying for a tax identification number, opening a German bank account) depend on you moving into your new apartment early. We therefore strongly recommend that you start looking for accommodation in Flensburg as early as possible.

For further information on finding and renting housing, check out the "Prior to arrival" tab under "Housing." 

Anyone moving into a new home in Germany must register their new place of residence with the registration office in their place of residence within two weeks. For children under the age of 16, the person with whom the minor is moving in is responsible for fulfilling the registration obligation.

Registering your place of residence is also necessary to obtain a tax identification number, open a bank account, apply for a residence permit.

To register your new place of residence, you must schedule an appointment at the Burgerbüro (Citizens' Office). You will need to bring a number of required documents with you to the appointment. In the city of Flensburg, you can book an appointment online on the Burgerbüro portal or by calling 115.

Required documents:

• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung ("Confirmation of Residence") - Normally, you would receive this from your landlord,
• Identity card, temporary identity card, replacement identity card, recognized and valid passport, or appropriate passport replacement document (§ 23 paragraph 1 BMG),
• When registering through an authorized agent: hand-signed power of attorney from the person who is required to register, plus one of the aforementioned identity documents for the authorized agent.

Additionally, if you are moving from abroad:

• Marriage certificate + translation, if applicable,
• Children's birth certificates + translations,
• Visas and identity documents of children and partners.

For foreign documents, you will also need to provide a translation of the documents by a government-recognized translator (document and translation must be submitted in the original).

Further information on registration and re-registration can be found on the Bürgerportal der Stadt Flensburg (citizens' portal of the City of Flensburg).

To enter Germany, persons requiring a visa must usually first apply for one at the relevant authority (German consulate or embassy). The visa must then be converted into a residence permit at the local immigration office (i.e. in the city in which you have registered your place of residence).  An application to convert the entry visa into a residence permit must be made 2-3 months before the visa expires.

In certain cases (usually indicated on the website), it is possible to submit the application online or by email / post first and then attend a personal interview (by appointment only).

Information on different types of visas and residence permits can be found on this page under the tab "Prior to arrival" > "Visa and residency."

The Immigration Office in Flensburg provides detailed information on applying for a residence permit.

Please note: You may only apply for a residence permit after you have registered your place of residence. In addition, you can only apply for a residence permit at the immigration office of the city in which you live or in which your place of residence is registered. You can find more information on this page in the section "Registering your place of residence."

The residence permit expires if you no longer have a valid passport, or if you leave Germany for more than six months (for the EU Blue Card: more than 12 months).

If you are living in Germany for a longer period of time, you'll need a German bank account (Girokonto) - for example, to rent an apartment or for salary or grant transfers.

To open a German bank account, you will generally need the following documents:

• Valid passport,
• Residence permit / visa,
• Registration certificate of your place of residence,
• Tax identification number.

Most banks in Germany offer a current (checking) account with an EC card (a direct-debit card) and IBAN. For a fee, you may also order another debit or credit card. Some banks offer a current account with a debit card instead of an EC card.

Most stores accept both cash and EC cards. Many smaller grocery stores, e.g. at the weekly market or at the bakery, only accept cash; others only accept the EC card above a certain amount. You can only pay with a debit or credit card in larger stores, but smaller stores are increasingly adapting to this.

Please note that banks charge different fees, for example for account management or for international (non-European) transfers. It is therefore worth comparing the service fees charged by different banks when choosing a bank.

Please also note that your salary or grant payment from Europa-Universität Flensburg can only be made to a German bank account.

As a rule, it can take about 2-3 weeks to open an account - that is, until you receive your bank card. Thanks to online banking, it is often possible to use an account earlier. But this assumes that you have already registered your residence in Germany and received a tax ID at the time of opening the account. Otherwise, it can take up to 3 months to open a German bank account. In this case, there may be delays in the first salary or grant payments. Once your German bank account has been opened, all outstanding payments will be transferred to you retroactively.

You can find more information about opening a bank account in Germany on the Bank account | Make It in Germany website.

Sperrkonto/blocked account (for doctoral students)

A "Sperrkonto" is a special kind of blocked bank account. With this type of account, you can prove that you have sufficient financial resources during the visa application process - which is especially useful for doctoral candidates. Where you would like to set up your Sperrkonto is up to you; at the moment, many German banks offer this service. When choosing a provider, you should make sure that the following requirements are met:

• The blocked account must contain sufficient funds to cover the costs incurred for the duration of your planned stay in Germany, unless you provide additional proof of funding during the visa process. Certain standard rates apply, which are based on the rates for German students. Since the annual standard amount that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa is regularly adjusted, we recommend checking the current amount on the website of the Federal Foreign Office or on the Make it in Germany information portal.
• The blocked account may only be closed with the consent of the blocked beneficiary. The blocking beneficiary is either the embassy or consulate abroad or, after entry, the competent immigration authority. A blocked account ensures that sufficient funds are always available to cover living expenses. However, it does not entitle the blocked account beneficiary to access the blocked account.

Source: Opening a blocked bank account (Sperrkonto) for students, Federal Foreign Office, last updated on May 17, 2023; last accessed on December 1, 2023.  

You need a tax identification number to take up employment (e.g. at a university) and open a German bank account.

How to apply:

When you register your place of residence at the citizens' office, if you do not already have a German tax ID, the staff there will automatically apply for a German tax ID on your behalf. The application is processed automatically by the authorities: the Flensburg Bürgerbüro reports the person to the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern) in Bonn, which then sends the tax number to the person's home address. This process usually takes about 2-4 weeks.

We recommend that you ask for a tax number when you register your place of residence.

If you have not received a tax identification number within 3 months of your first registration in Germany, you can request one using the application form of the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt).

Source and further information: Schleswig-Holstein: Zuständigkeitsfinder (search: "Steueridentifikationsnummer").

A social security card or social security number is required for employment (e.g. at the university).

Normally, your statutory or private health insurance provider handles this application.

If you don't yet have statutory health insurance when you take up employment (e.g. at the university), you will need to choose a healthcare provider and apply for a social security card when you apply for health insurance coverage with that provider.

As a rule, people who are funded by a grant or scholarship are exempt from the obligation to pay contributions to German social insurance. However, we recommend that you discuss this with your staff contact representative in the HR department.      

More information about the German social security system can be found on the Social Security and Optional Insurances | EURAXESS website.

Bus

Flensburg has a well-developed bus network. You can buy tickets directly on the bus, in the Aktiv-Bus store, in the Aktiv-Bus app or in the NAH.SH app. The apps also provide further information, e.g. on bus routes ("Fahrplan") and ticket types ("Fahrkarten").

Bahn / Train

By train, you can travel to and from Flensburg to other cities, in the direction to Hamburg, Kiel or Denmark. You'll find more information on prices and current timetables on the Deutsche Bahn website, in the DB-Navigator app, and in the NAH.SH app. 

Auto

A car in Flensburg can be very useful, especially if you don't live in the city center or if bus transport is not compatible with your everyday life. If you want to drive a car, you need a driving license that is valid in Germany. The driving license from your home country is only valid for six months, which is why you must exchange it at the driving license office within this period. To do this, you'll need to hand in the driving license from your home country and pay a small fee. Please note that you may be without a driver's license for several weeks due to the processing time for this step. Further information about exchanging your driver's license can be found on the BMDV website (where you will also find a leaflet on driving in Germany).

Source: Moving to Germany - Campus Information Europe-University Flensburg

Getting to Campus

There are many ways to get to the campus. The webpage "Getting to Campus" provides information on how to get to campus by bike, bus, train, e-scooter and car.

Jobticket

If you are a regular employee at Europa-Universität Flensburg, you can apply for a job ticket (Jobticket) for the local public transport network. You can find out more on Jobticket Flensburg / Deutschlandticket and on this page under "Onboarding at EUF > Job ticket".

Barrier-free mobility 

People with limited mobility can find information about barrier-free mobility on campus and in Flensburg on the Arbeitsbereich Chancengleichheit / Equal Opportunity Unit webpage.

Internet & phone services

You usually have to take out a contract for Internet & phone services in your home yourself. When choosing a provider and tariff, you should pay attention to the minimum contract terms, which are often 2 years.

The same applies to mobile phone contracts, although you can opt to use a pre-paid card.

For plans and rates, check out the websites of individual providers or comparison portals like Check24 or Preisvergleich.de.

You can use the university WiFi on campus if you have an EUF account (WLAN eduroam on the intranet (Committees/Organization > Centers > Center for Information and Media Technologies > WLAN Information)). Please contact ZIMT for access data. For more information about ZIMT access data, see the tab "Onboarding at EUF" > "ZIMT and IT."

Public broadcasting fee (formerly: GEZ)

People who live permanently in Germany and register their residence there are generally obliged to pay broadcasting fees. After moving into your new home, you will usually be automatically informed by post about your registration and payment request. If you do not receive a letter after you have registered, you should register yourself to pay the broadcasting fees to avoid being asked to pay large amounts in arrears.

Further information: Public broadcasting fee 

Should you ever need medical assistance, you can find an overview of doctors and medical facilities in various specialties on the following websites:

• After your arrival - Doctor visits
• Doctors in Flensburg
• Doctolib
• Find a doctor or dentist in Flensburg | Arztauskunft

The telephone number for the "Patientenservice" (patient service) is 116117. Call this number outside of normal consultation hours, if you need immediate help (i.e., it cannot wait until the next day) with a medical issue for which you would normally go to the doctor's office.

If the situation is life-threatening, please call emergency services by dialing 112.

If you need psychological support during your time at Europa-Universität Flensburg, the EUF Equal Opportunities Unit will help you find appropriate help. This is your first point of contact for questions and problems in the areas of equal treatment, disability, diversity and variety, equality, discrimination and recognition of special needs. But you can also get advice and information in other cases where you need (psychological) counseling. The contact persons for the Equal Opportunities Unit are shown on its website. The staff there can also provide you with an extensive list of references and contact details for (psychological) counseling centers to which you can turn.

The Counseling Service Stimulus, commissioned by the EUF, offers professional psychosocial and specialist counseling in German, English and other native languages.

Doctoral students can also contact the psychological counseling center of the Studentenwerk student association. The center offers counseling in both German and English.

After your arrival, you will meet with your supervisor / head of the seminar or department.  They will welcome you to EUF, introduce you to the work, and show you around the campus.

The International Center also offers a campus tour (tab: Orientation Week) during the first week in March and September. You can also get to know the campus better during the student orientation week (the second week in March and September).

More information about campus services and activities can be found on the campus webpage.

When you start working at the EUF, your department or institute will provide you with an office and a phone connection. Please clarify with your supervisor whether technical equipment, such as a laptop or fixed workstation computer and accessories, can be provided.

To gain access to your office and other campus rooms, you will need a transponder. Your department or institute will apply for the transponder on your behalf, after which you can collect it in person from the Building Management and Infrastructure (Gebäudemanagement und Infrastruktur) department.

Please contact the department (schliessanlage@uni-flensburg.de) to make an appointment to collect your transponder. You should also use this email address if you need to change your access settings, e.g. if you move to another office or need access to certain rooms.

You can find out more about the locking system and transponder issuance in the Intranet on the Schließanlage website (Formulare/Dokumente > Gebäudemanagement und Infrastruktur > Informationen und Leitfäden > Schließanlage). 

You will also receive a campus mailbox as part of your workplace equipment. This is where you will receive internal mail, such as your payslips (if applicable) or travel expenses. You will need to collect the key for your postbox in person from the university postal service (​​​Zentrale Poststelle). Please schedule an appointment for this by contacting the mailroom staff at poststelle@uni-flensburg.de.

If you work at EUF and hold an employee contact, you can apply for the Jobticket (Deutschlandticket). 

How to apply:

• Ask your personnel number and company code from the EUF HR department and/or the DLZP administrator.
• You can then apply for your Jobticket online (on Jobticket | NAH.SH the ticket ("Deutschlandticket Jobticket SH-Tarif")).
• After a few days, you will receive an email with information on how to upload the Jobticket to the NAH.SH app.

There are also alternative, more expensive Jobticket offers (which, however, allow accompanying persons to travel free of charge at weekends, for example). For more information, please contact the HR department or visit the NAH-SH Jobticket website.

If you are affiliated to the EUF via a grant or scholarship agreement, unfortunately, you cannot receive a job ticket via EUF. However, third-party funding providers sometimes include a mobility allowance as part of your funding allowance, which can be used to finance alternative transportation modes.

The ICES and ZeBUSS research centers organize various events, such as research colloquia, lecture series, method schools, reading circles, etc. You can also become a member of both centers in order to participate in certain events and funding opportunities. Both centers have a monthly newsletter to which you can subscribe, which offers information about upcoming events, funding opportunities and research-related news. You can find more information on the websites of the centers.

If you have any questions, please contact the scientific coordinators Dr. Maria Schwab (ICES, maria.schwab-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de) and Dr. Simone Onur (ZeBUSS, simone.onur-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de).

A third flagship research center, the Center for Research on Sustainability and Transformation (CREST), has already been established and is currently under development.

Many institutes organize colloquia, reading circles and other events. The institute where you work probably also has research-related offers and networking activities. Check the website of your institute, or ask your colleagues or the front office (Sekretariat).

The International Staff Network (ISNet) is a group of international staff at the EUF. It supports the EUF in its ongoing internationalization processes, welcomes new staff members and offers a relaxed environment for the exchange of ideas and experiences. Once a month, the network organizes a "drop-in" coffee meeting to which all EUF employees are invited. There are also Steering Committee meetings approximately every six weeks and other networking events throughout the semester.  The network also offers a Staff Buddy Program for those who need help getting settled at the EUF.

More information about the network can be found on the International Staff Network website. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact the network chairs or members of the steering group.

DokNet, an interdisciplinary network of doctoral students, is available to doctoral students at EUF. The overarching aim of DokNet is to provide networking opportunities for researchers who are in the qualification phase at EUF. This, it especially targets academic staff, project staff, grant holders and external doctoral students. DokNet is a place for university policy networking between and among doctoral candidates. DokNet also promotes informal exchange between them. As a doctoral student, you can subscribe to the DokNet newsletter to receive important information of relevance to doctoral students, and to stay informed about funding opportunities and events.

Further information can be found on the DokNet website. If you have any questions, please contact doknet-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de.

Most of the events taking place at EUF are announced via the university calendar. You can also subscribe to the EUF events info channel and the extracurricular info channel to receive targeted information via email. To learn more about the info channels at EUF and to manage your preferred info channels, visit the info channel management website (available on the Intranet: Anleitungen > Hintergründe zum Infokanalmanagement).

Unisport

Europa-Universität Flensburg offers its students and staff numerous sports activities.

Participation in the Unisport program is very easy, and it is possible to join at any time. The program runs all year round. To take part in the courses, you need a sports card, which you can buy at the ticket machines in the foyer of the Campushalle (Luxembourg/LUX building). With the sports card, you can attend all the courses on offer without prior registration. The current course program can be found on the sports center website.

You can also visit the gym of the EUF and the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences. You can buy a pass for the gym together with your sports card. Further information on the conditions of participation can be found on the fitness center website.

EUF also has a Campus pool with a sports pool and sauna on the premises. 

Campelle chapel

The Campelle chapel is a place of reflection and encounter on campus. In addition to pastoral care and counseling for international students, church services and events such as community evenings, relaxation days, excursions, international evenings and much more take place here. The following religious groups and communities also meet regularly at the Campelle: the Protestant Student Community (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde), the Catholic University Community (KHG, Katholische Hochschulgemeinde), the Student Mission Germany (SMD) and the Orthodox Community.

For further information, please visit the website of ESG Flensburg.

Career counseling

For career and employment advice, you can also contact the Koordinierungsstelle für Integration und Teilhabe der Stadt Flensburg, unit: Arbeit & Ausbildung [City of Flensburg Coordination Office for Integration and Participation, Work & Training unit].

Leisure activities 

Check the following sites to learn more about non-university events and networking activities:

• Flensburger Förde / Flensburg Fjord
• Stadt Flensburg Veranstaltungen / City of Flensburg events
• Freizeit und Kultur / Leisure and culture
• Natur erleben / Experience nature
• Flensburg Macht Spaß / Flensburg is fun
• Museen in Flensburg / Museums in Flensburg
• Veranstaltungen in Campushalle und Deutsches Haus / Events in Campushalle and Deutsches Haus
• Ausflugsziele an der Flensburger Förde /Excursion destinations on the Flensburg Fjord
• FLEO-APP Schnellnavigation /  FLEO-APP quick navigation / Flensburg: show-and-tell about 25 historical places in Flensburg

The website "Engagiert in Flensburg" lists several Flensburg clubs and associations (called Vereinen in German). The Flensburg Sports Association provides an overview of city's sports clubs (Sportvereine).

At Europa-Universität Flensburg, the Zentrum für Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZWW) (Center for Academic Continuing Education) acts as a subject-independent platform and contact point for all early-career researchers at EUF, from doctoral candidates to junior professors. Resources and program offerings include, among other things, further training for the development of interdisciplinary skills, resource collection and info-events on career-related topics, formats for interdisciplinary exchange on the challenges of the qualification phase, as well as individual advice and coaching offers. Course registration takes place online.

You can choose between different formats:

• Individual events
• Certificate program "ReflActive Teaching"
• Qualification Programme for Early Stage Researchers (QP)

If you have any questions about the ZWW courses and program offerings, please contact info.zww@uni-flensburg.de.

The Equal Opportunities Unit at EUF offers various coaching programs to scholars at the university:

The coaching program for early-stage researchers is a support program for doctoral students and post-docs. The program consists of workshops, small group coaching, and individual coaching sessions.

The coaching program for junior professors offers a modular support model that allows researchers to clarify their need for advice and reflection and to work on these individually in one-to-one coaching sessions.

The ICES and ZeBUSS research centers also offer advice on research funding opportunities and career planning. Please contact the academic coordinators Dr. Maria Schwab (ICES, maria.schwab-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de) or Dr. Simone Onur (ZeBUSS, simone.onur-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de).

Current funding opportunities can be found on the ICES website with current calls for applications.

Language Center

At the university, you can take language courses at the Language Center.

The Language Center is the central point of contact for students and staff of the Europa-Universität Flensburg who are interested in languages. The Center offers semester courses and intensive courses for German, English and many other languages, as well as preparation courses for TOEFL (English) and DELE exams (Spanish). Students and staff can register for all courses offered.

If face-to-face courses do not fit your schedule, the center also offers some online courses. University staff can also register for free online German and English courses at Lingoda.

You can also find a language tandem via the Center for Languages. A language tandem offers students and employees of Europa-Universität Flensburg the opportunity to consolidate existing language skills and regularly practice their communicative skills in a relaxed manner.

If you have any questions about the language offer, please take a look at the frequently asked questions page and contact the coordination of the center at sprachen-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de.

Off-campus courses

Off campus, there are several private language schools in Flensburg where you can learn German and other languages for a fee. You can find some offers on the City of Flensburg website (section: Sprache und Bildung).

Adult education centers also offer inexpensive language courses. For example, you can search for a German course in person on the vhs Flensburg website or browse the online offerings nationwide.

Europa-Universität Flensburg supports its researchers in initiating new research activities and communicating their research achievements. You can find an overview of the support available on the research funding at Europa-Universität Flensburg webpage. 

In addition, the Department of Research and Knowledge Transfer provides information about databases and current calls for funding proposals from third-party institutions. You can also find current internal and external calls for proposals on the ICES website.

Some German research funding organizations offer specific funding programs for refugee researchers at different career stages. The aim of most of these funding programs is to enable refugees to continue their academic work by integrating them into the German academic system in the short term. There are also funding lines that open up funding opportunities for other academics without a refugee background to obtain their own position. In the following, we focus specifically on the offers for Scholars at Risk; you can find out more about general funding lines in the "Funding" tab.

Pre-Doc

Hilde Domin-Programm

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers the "Hilde Domin Program" scholarship program with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA). The long-term goal of the scholarship program is to enable students and doctoral candidates to study at a university or conduct research in a safe environment so that they can make an important contribution to political, economic and social development in their countries of origin (or in Germany or third countries) after completing their studies or research project.

Potential candidates cannot apply for the Hilde Domin Program independently, but are nominated by the management (presidency/rectorate) of an institution.

The scholarship benefits include a monthly scholarship installment, health, nursing care, accident and personal liability insurance, an allowance towards travel expenses, participation in a preliminary German language course if necessary and other additional benefits.

The duration of funding is usually as follows:

• Bachelor's degree: Up to 36 months funding (plus 12 months for the Studienkolleg, in exceptional cases)
• Master's degree: Up to 24 months
• Doctoral degree: Up to 48 months

Postdoc

Philipp Schwartz Initiative

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative is a program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation that enables researchers who are exposed to a significant and persistent personal threat in their country of origin to continue their work at German universities and research institutions. The initiative enables universities and research institutions in Germany to host researchers at risk on the basis of a full grant.

Applications for funding for at-risk researchers through the Philipp Schwartz Initiative can be submitted by higher education and research institutions in Germany; researchers themselves cannot apply directly for the program.

The funding covers a period of up to 24 months; an extension of up to 12 months within the framework of a co-financing model can be applied for during the first fellowship period.

Integration into ongoing DFG projects

All project leaders of already funded DFG projects and the universities can submit additional proposals to integrate qualified prospective or postdoctoral refugee researchers into already funded projects. The supplementary proposals can be directed at all funds that enable the integration of refugee researchers into the project. This includes, in particular, guest funds, staff positions or the Mercator module. 

Refugee researchers can also be funded directly in Research Training Groups, Collaborative Research Centers and other DFG-funded joint projects. The funds for this do not have to be applied for separately via supplementary proposals, as corresponding measures can also be financed from the funds already approved.

The legal structure of the involvement of the refugee researchers is the responsibility of the project leaders and the universities or non-university research institutions.

Walter Benjamin-Programm

The Walter Benjamin Program enables academics in the qualification phase following their doctorate to independently implement their own research project at a location of their choice. The project can be carried out at a research institution in Germany or abroad, with the host institution supporting the project.

Only researchers in an early academic career phase are eligible to apply. This restriction does not apply to Scholars-at-Risk. They can apply for the program regardless of their career phase.

The scholarship is made up of a monthly basic amount and, if applicable, additional allowances for working abroad, purchasing power compensation, travel allowances and benefits for parents.

The duration of the scholarship is usually up to 2 years.

Advisory service & application

Further information on research funding for refugee scholars can be found on the ICES website. ICES also offers regular information events for Scholars at Risk who are interested in continuing their research at Europa-Universität Flensburg (dates).

Applications for funding programs are submitted by the coordinators at the ICES and ZeBUSS research centers. The support possibilities of the research centers range from application advice and application submission to project advice and support with administrative implementation. You can find more information on this page in the "Funding" tab, section "Third-party funding."

Follow-up funding

Researchers at risk who have been placed and funded via the Scholars at Risk network can contact the network again for advice on follow-up funding or a new placement at a research institution or university.

Further information on possible follow-up funding can be found on this page in the "Funding" tab, section "Follow-up funding."

As a researcher, you have several options for a residence permit. We have described all options on this page in the tab "Prior to arrival", section "Visa and residence permit." In the following section, we will therefore focus specifically on information about applying for asylum.

For certain reasons, you may be entitled to asylum (Art. 16a GG), refugee status and/or subsidiary protection in Germany. However, the prerequisite is that you are already in the Federal Republic of Germany. The result of recognition is an independent right of residence in Germany. You can also apply for asylum after studying or working.

Asylum and international protection status can only be applied for in an asylum procedure at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and can only be granted by this authority.

Information on the asylum procedure can be found on this page of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

However, none of this applies to people from so-called safe countries of origin. Safe countries of origin include member states of the European Union and the countries specified in §29a Anlage II of the Asylum Act (AsylG).

Source: Questions and answers about the residence status of threatened researchers in Germany, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2023. Last update: December 2023.

ProRef

The Program for the Academic Preparation and Integration of Refugees (ProRef) at Europa-Universität Flensburg supports refugees who are interested in studying at a university to get started on this path. Through language courses and key skills courses as well as studying, career and social counseling, the EUF facilitates integration into the German higher education system, the job market and society. 

Academics at risk can also contact the ProRef program's advice center and receive support in finding housing or childcare, for example, as well as advice on financing and career issues, social integration and health.

Extra-university advising and counseling

If you have questions or experience problems before or after your arrival in Germany regarding your travel preparations, your life in Germany or your arrival at EUF, you can - in addition to the contact points at the university - contact the following counseling centers in Flensburg and the district of Schleswig-Holstein:

• Flüchtlingshilfe Flensburg e.V. – open contact point for all kinds of support.
• Schutzengel – advises pregnant women and families with children from 0-3 years, and provides support with issues relating to authorities and institutions and everything concerning everyday family life, both online and on site.
• Migration counseling for adult immigrants, provided by the German Red Cross.
• City of Flensburg – Integration unit.
• Hotline "Working and living in Germany".
• Migration counseling for adult immigrants (MBE).
• Die Treppe – contact point for women in special life situations.
• AWO Interkulturell – specialist services for migration and integration.

In addition to the psychological counseling services listed on this page under "After your arrival", section "Psychological support", you can contact the following services as a refugee:

• ProRef offers social counseling, including psychological counseling and health counseling. The staff can also refer you to the relevant services if you have a concern that cannot be dealt with by the staff themselves.
• The "SeeleFon für Flüchtlinge" offers information on psychological health care options in Germany.
• The telephone counseling service ("Telefonseelsorge") is anonymous, free of charge and available around the clock. Advice is also available by email or chat.

If you need help finding housing, you can contact the ProRef refugee office by sending an email to info-proref-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de.

For short-term bridging offers for refugees, please contact the following organizations:

• WohnECK is a non-profit organization that helps people in emergency situations to maintain and obtain housing.
• Zusammenleben Willkommen brings together housing providers and refugees to initiate private cohabitation.
• The German Red Cross helps refugees find housing.

All the information you need to find housing is provided on this webpage in the "Prior to arrival" tab under "Housing." 

The ProRef refugee program offers online and face-to-face German courses for levels B1+/B2/C1.

Program content: Language instruction and training in key skills (e.g. intercultural competence, methodological competence). To take part in the courses, you must have a B1 language level, a university entrance qualification, and a refugee background.

Further information and the online application form can be found on the course page.

For further questions, please contact info-proref-PleaseRemoveIncludingDashes-@uni-flensburg.de.

In addition, the Coordination Office for Integration in the Schleswig-Flensburg district provides information about various German language courses for refugees.

You can find other language courses on this page in the "Networking & Further education" tab in the "Language courses" section.

Together with four other member institutions of the Scholars at Risk network, RWTH Aachen University offers seminars and workshops for scholars at risk. The workshops and seminars deal with various research and career-related topics and are intended to make it easier for scholars at risk to enter professional life in Germany. The program is primarily aimed at grant and scholarship holders of the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, but other interested scholars at risk can also apply to participate.

More information about the program can be found on the RWTH Aachen University webpage for scholars at risk.