Information for Incoming Master Students
Go to:
Enrollment at the university's Studentensekretariat
Information about the university
- Tuition Fees
- Semester dates
- Electronic class schedule
- Orientation session
- Economics examination office
- Support, advice, contact
- Accommodation/Housing
- Registration
- Aliens office
- Health insurance
- Bank account
- Living in Bonn
- Learning German
ENROLLMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY'S STUDENTENSEKRETARIAT
Prior to the beginning of classes, you need to enroll with the University of Bonn. This needs to be done in person at the Studentensekretariat (Office of the Registrar) which is located at Poppelsdorfer Allee 49.
The enrollment period for incoming students who received a degree
- from a German university is September 21-22.
- from an international university is October 02-06. Please note that October 3rd is a public holiday in Germany and the Studentensekretariat will therefore be closed that day
If you cannot be in Bonn and need to enroll at a later point in time, let us know.
If you want to enroll earlier, you are usually not going to be turned away but you might face longer waiting lines.
Office hours of the Studentensekretariat: Mo-Fr: 10:00-12:00 am and Thu: 1:30-3:00 pm
In order to enroll, you need to fill in the Antrag auf Einschreibung, which you can find here. The English version of the application for enrollment will be available here.
Please make sure to bring along all the documents listed at the end of the application form. Please note that you need to present the originals of your documents (Bachelor degree, Transcript of Records) as well as certified translations. Make sure to also bring an original of your health insurance certificate or a confirmation of exemption from the need to have German health insurance.
Registration for German students is on the ground floor.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
Tuition Fees
As some of you might already have heard, the newly elected administration of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia has announced that it will introduce tuition fees for all non-EU international students. These tuition fees will amount to 1,500 per semester, that is to say a total of 6,000 Euro for the two-year Master program.
At this point in time, this is an announcement only. A law has not yet been passed. Thus, there will definitely not be any tuition fees in the coming winter semester. However, we do not know when the tuition fees will be charged.
Semester dates
Winter term 2017/18
| Begin Lecture Period | 9 October 2017 |
| Dies Academicus | 6 December 2017 |
| Christmas Break | 23.12.17 - 6.1.2018 |
| End of Lecture Period | 2 February 2018 |
Summer term 2018
| Begin Lecture Period | 09 April 2018 |
| Dies Academicus | 17 May 2017 |
| Pentecost break | 5. -10. June 2017 |
| End of Lecture Period | 28 July 2017 |
Electronic class schedule
All classes offered at the University of Bonn are listed in the electronic class schedule (BASIS). You can browse through the schedule without having to log on. Once you have received your individual account, you will be able to log on and then to register for exams electronically and to see your current transcript.
Orientation session
Before you start your studies, we would like to welcome you to the Bonn Graduate School of Economics and provide some general information about the program, introduce the professors who will teach the classes in the first semester, and give you a chance to meet your fellow Master students, You will receive a separate invitation for this orientation session which will take place on October 6.
Economics examination office
The Economics Examination Office (Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Prüfungsamt) organizes and coordinates all exams and keeps your file. In order for the Prüfungsamt to open your file, you will need to come by and be admitted to the participation in the Master examinations. In the process of this admission, the Exam Office will need to see certified copies and official translations of your documents (Bachelor degree, Transcript of Records, language certificate), a CV, and a photo. More detailed information can be found on their webpage. Admission will take place in December 2017 (specific dates will be announced later).
Support, advice, contact
For a list of institutions providing support and advice with academic affairs, please visit the webpage of the international office.
Below you find information on several issues relevant for preparing your stay in Bonn. For more detailed information on accommodation, visa, health insurance, enrollment, etc. you may also want to check out the pages of our central International Office: Before Studying
Accommodation/Housing
The Studentenwerk (an organisation providing social, financial and other support services for students in Germany) runs the majority of the dormitories in Bonn. The demand for these rooms is extremely high and available rooms are very limited.
We will be able to reserve a contingent of rooms and make these available to incoming international Master students, provided you pay a deposit of €300. If you want to rent a room though us, you will need to
- fill in our form
- follow the next steps described in the e-mail you will receive. We will give you detailed information about how to apply online and how to pay the deposit.
The deposit will be refunded once you have paid the first month's rent for your room to the Studentenwerk..
Unfortunately, parts of the Studentenwerk homepage are in German only. On the left, under the heading "Wohnanlagen" you can find an overview over all their dormitories. You will then be asked where you would prefer to obtain housing. However, please note that this is only for technical reasons as the Studentwerk assigns all rooms directly and we do not have an influence on their decision.
Also note that the chances of receiving a room directly from the Studentenwerk are close to zero. If you do not want to rent a room through us, you will have to be prepared to look for private accommodation, which might be difficult if you are not fluent in German.
You can find more information on short-term accommodation, shared housing, and dorms run by other institutions on the pages of the International Office.
Registration with the city of Bonn
Once you have found a place to stay, you need to register with the Residents’ Registration Office (Bürgeramt). In order to register, you need to bring along your rental agreement and your passport. Students with a room or an apartment in downtown Bonn can register at the Bürgeramt im Stadthaus. You can find more information (in German) on their webpage and also an online form for making an appointment (Terminvereinbarung) but you can also go there without appointment. We will provide assistance for international students seeking to register with the city.
Aliens office (Ausländeramt)
All international students need a valid residence permit: Students with a visa that is valid throughout their stay do not need to register with the Aliens office (Ausländeramt), all others do. You can find a map (Stadtplan) and more information (in German only) on the webpage of the aliens office. There is also an online form (in German) to make an appointment (Terminvereinbarung). We will also provide assistance for international students at the aliens office.
In order to get the residence permit, please bring a valid passport, admission letter or proof of registration from the university, proof of registration form the Bürgeramt, proof that you can support yourself financially, student visa (not applicable for EU citizens), and proof of sufficient health insurance.
Health insurance
In Germany, all students are required by law to have health insurance. EU citizens or students form countries that have signed a social security agreement with Germany can take out health insurance in their home country, this insurance will be recognized in Germany. Please double-check with your insurance company and with the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK) in Bonn whether you are sufficiently covered.
All other students need to take out a German health insurance policy. You can do so with a company of your choice. Several insurance companies are located in downtown Bonn, e.g. AOK, Barmer Ersatzkasse,Techniker Krankenkasse. Health insurance costs amount to about 80 Euro per month. Make sure to bring the certificate of admission to the Master program along when applying for health insurance.
Usually, some representatives of health insurance companies will be present at the Studentensekretariat during the registration period and you will be able to get a health insurance contract then.
You can find more information on the topic on the webpage of the international office.
Bank account
Since most payments can only be made through bank transfers, you will need to open a German bank account, more specifically a current account or checking account (Girokonto). You can open such an account after having registered with the City Registration Office (Bürgeramt) with a bank of your choice or with the post office. In most cases the basic account is free of charge for students.
Living in Bonn
For more programs and activities organized by the International Office for all international students of the University of Bonn, ranging from the study buddy program which will provide you with a German study buddy familiar with the university via the help desk to the program of the international club, please visit the homepage for international students.
Additional information can be also found in the “Guide for International Students”.
Learning German
We strongly urge those of you who have no or only limited knowledge of German to take German language classes.
We offer a Intensive Beginner's class in German Language and Communication for International students of the Master program in Economics. You will receive further information by email.
Information on additional German courses offered at different levels by the International Office through Pro Integration can be found here.
These classes usually start in the fourth week of the semester and are free of charge.
Currently, the information provided is the information for the current summer semester; new information will be available prior to the beginning of the next winter semester.
