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International Office

Frequently Asked Questions concerning a stay in Magdeburg

Part A: Information for choosing Magdeburg

All links have been checked when this list was made. The International Office does not assume any responsiblity for the content and quality of the offerings of these websites.

  1. What kind of stays are possible at the Medical Faculty of Magdeburg?

  2. Where do I find information on the equivalence of my educational certificates?

  3. Do I need a visa? Where do I get a Visa?

  4. What kind of German proficiency is necessary and where can I learn German?

  5. Where can I find support at the Otto-von-Guericke University?

  6. Which possiblities exist for financial funding of my stay?

  7. What is the cost of living in Magdeburg?

  8. Questions on taxes, work contracts, child care facilities and schools in Magdeuburg




1. What kind of stays are possible at the Medical Faculty of Magdeburg?

Depending on your privious education, different kinds of stays are possible at our faculty:

Please note that we do not offer postgraduate studies in the field of Medicine. Studies in Human Medicine end with the degree Staatsexamen (state exam) in Germany. The specialization training (Facharztausbildung) is performed directly in the clinical departments, independently from the university.

If you are interested in further education after the degree Doctor of Medicine, there ist the possiblity to do a doctoral degree at our faculty. Please note that not all foreign university degrees are recognized in Germany. It may therefore be possible, that you are eligible for doing a doctoral degree in your home country, but not in Germany. If you want to do your doctoral degree or a specialization training in Germany, you need a recognition of your previous degree in Germany first. This is a long bureaucratic procedure, which can take some months. Please consider this time when planing your application. Information on where to get your degree recognized is given under the next questions.

Further information on Research, Universities, Studies and Pre-University Year (Studienkollegs):

2. Where do I find information on the equivalence of my education certificates?

It will be best to ask at the German embassy in your home country. As there are many different degrees in each country, it is very hard to give general answers. Each individual certificate has to be checked. Depending on your educational degree and your purpose of stay, different institutions are responsible for the recognition of your Edcucational certificates. Unfortunately, there is no institution where you can have your certificates checked without giving a concrete purpose of stay.

Here is a short overview of institutions responsible for recognition of foreign educational certificates. Please note that most of these institutions offer information only in German.

Study:

If you want to study in Germany, you can check in the database anabin, if your school leaving certificate is recognized for studying in Germany. Click on the country where you went to school. Then go on Zeugnisse (Certificates) and choose your certificate. You will get the information, under which conditions you would be allowed to study in Germany.

www.anabin.de

Your application documents will be checked by ASSIST (Application Services for International Students), where you have to send your application to when applying for the first semester of studies in Human Medicine or for the Studienkolleg.

Recognition of previous studies in other countries than Germany:

If you have already studied Human Medicine in a country other than Germany, you can send your school and university certificates with the transcripts of records in authenticated copy and authenticated translation into German for recognition to the Landespruefungsamt in Duesseldorf. If your studies can be recognized as equivalent to (part) of the German medical education, the Landespruefungsamt in Duesseldorf will send you an Annerkennungsbescheid (notification of recognition), on which is stated, which courses are recognized for studies in Human Medicine and the semester of studies for which you can apply.

This is the address of the Landespruefungsamt:

Landespruefungsamt in Duesseldorf
Postadresse:
Bezirksregierung Muenster
Landespruefungsamt für Medizin, Psychotherapie und Pharmazie
Postfach 103455
40025 Duesseldorf

Telefon: ++49-(0)211-4584-732

Further information on application for studies in Human Medicine is available here:

Doctoral Degree:

For a doctoral degree at our university, you need to apply directly to the department in which you are interested.

If you want to do your doctoral degree in natural sciences your univerity degree needs to be checked at our university.

Applicants for a doctoral degree in human medicine will have their degree be checked by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZaB) in Bonn, an institution for evaluation of non-German education. You need to apply directly to the medical department where you want to do your doctoral degree. From there your university degree will be transfered to the ZaB.

Further information on application for a doctoral degree is available on this website:


Specialization Training / working in the hopital:

If you want to work as physician in Germany (this includes specialization training) you need to obtain a temporary permission to practise as a physician (shortly: work permit). Before obtaining this permission, your university degree has to be checked as well.

Further information on specialization training and work in the hospital is available here:


3. Do I need a visa? How do I get a visa?

On the following websites you will find information on visa application:

4. What kind of German proficiency is necessary and where can I learn German?

Depending on the length and type of your intended stay in Mageburg, the necessity of German knowlegde will be different.All courses of studies in Human Medicine are in German. Prerequisite for application is very good German knowledge on the level of Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung (ZMP) of the Goethe-Institut. In case of admission, you need to pass the DSH-exam for prooving your capability of studying in German. A three weeks course for preparing this exam is offered at our university. German courses for study preparation on a lower level are not offered for applicants in Human Medicine. Please read the application information:

Enrolled students or employees can follow German courses in our language center of the university. German language courses are also offered for employees in the medical faculty but this normally depends on demand. Usually these courses are not offered during the semester break July-September and February-March.

Further information is available on the website of the language center:

If you just want to spend a short period of time at our faculty, English knowlegde will usually be sufficient, but this depends on the department. A doctoral degree can exeptionally be done in English, too. However, as soon as you have direct patient contact you need to be able to communicate in German.

You cannot apply for specialization training without very good German proficiency.

Please note that German proficiency is very important for your every day life in Magdeburg and for getting in contact with German people.

Magdeburg is situated on the territory of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The majority of the people speak little or no English. In the clinical departments or institutes you can communicate in English, but if you need to deal with the administration or want to do shopping in Magdeburg, you might find it very difficult to make yourself understood. For your social life it will be very helpful, if your are able to speak German.

Here you can find further information on German courses in Germany and abroad, German exams and proficiency levels:

5. Where can I find support at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg?

  • The Akademisches Auslandsamt (International Office) of the Medical Faculty councils foreign and German students and scientists. Foreign students get information on the application procedure for studies in Human Medicine here.
    http://www.med.uni-magdeburg.de/en/ioHome.html

  • The Studiendekanat (Office of Student Affairs) of the Medical Faculty administrates all matters regarding students: enrollment, organization of studies and exams. Applications for advanced semesters are examined here.
    www.med.uni-magdeburg.de/studium/studiendekanat.shtml

  • The Studentenwerk Magdeburg (Association for Student Affairs) is responsible for basic needs of students (food, accommodation and social problems). It administrates the student's dorms and distributes the rooms. The Mensa (student cafeteria) is controlled by it. Also the Studentenwerk councils students on social and financial questions.
    www.studentenwerk-magdeburg.de

  • The Fachschaftsrat (student council of the Medical Faculty) represents the medical students in the different decision making bodies of the faculty. It is a group of students who help other students and of course organizes parties.
    http://www.fara-med.de/

  • The IKUS (Interkultural Students) are a group of German and international students who take care of foreign students, help them with administrative matters and organize a lot of social events for bringing together German and international students.
    www.uni-magdeburg.de/ikus

  • The IBZ (International Meeting Center) organizes cultural events for our international staff. Besides the IBZ offers completly equiped appartments for rent.
    www.uni-magdeburg.de/ibz

  • The Ausländerbeauftragte der Universität (ombudsman for international students listens to all problems, critics and wishes of international members of the university.
    http://www.uni-magdeburg.de/international/ueberblick/auslaenderbeauftragte.html

  • You will find further institutions and contacts on the website of the Medical Faculty.
    www.med.uni-magdeburg.de


6. Which possiblities exist for the financial funding of my stay?

It is very difficult to obtain financial funding on a permanent basis. There are prices for excellent study performance and social engagement, but there are no stipends for financing six years of medical studies.

It is not possible either to obtain stipends for specialization training.

For short term stays and research projects it is easier to find funding.

Further Information on financial funding is available here:

7. What is the cost of living in Magdeburg?


The cost of living varies depending on your style of life. The overview below is based on an economic way of life. We cannot guarantee these prices, but we hope that this list gives you an impression of the cost of living in Magdeburg.

The Foreigner's Registration Office ask for a proof that you have the sum of 585 Euro/month for living before issuing a residence permit. You should have at least this sum. One person can live from 585 Euro/month in Magdeburg, but of course only in a very modest way.

 

Accommodation:

1-2 room appartment

200-400 Euro/month

3-4 room appartment

300-600 Euro/month

Furniture:

1-2 room appartment

1000-2000 Euro, once

3-4 room appartment

1500-4000 Euro, once

Food:

self-catering, 1 person

200-300 Euro/month

self-catering, 2-4 persons

300-500 Euro/month

Mensa (Student's Cafeteria)

1,70 Euro/student, 3,00 Euro/staff

Restaurant, one person

15-20 Euro per meal (1 meal + 1 drink)

Fast Food, one person

5 Euro per meal (1 meal + 1 drink)

Insurance:
Student health insurance 48 Euro/month

Private health insurance

30-70 Euro/month

(not necessary if you have a work contract at the faculty)

Liability insurance

50 Euro/month

Transport:

monthly ticket for bus and tram

40 Euro/month

car (gas, insurance, taxes)

at least 170 Euro/month

price of used car, 10 years old

2 500 Euro

price of a new, small car

10 000 Euro

Communication:

phone connection

15,50 Euro basic charge/month + call charge

Mobile phone (card)

100 Euro (usually with 15 Euro credit)

Internet provider

10 Euro/month

Radio fee (GEZ)

5,32 Euro/month

Radio and television fee (GEZ)

16,15 Euro/month

Cloths:

20-50 Euro/person/month

Child care facilities:

250 Euro/month

Leisure time:

Cincema

10 Euro/person

Theatre

at least 15 Euro/person

Swimming pool

3-8 Euro/person

Membership in sport association

5 Euro/person/month

Museum

1-5 Euro/person

German course:

Language center of the university

55-270 Euro/160-220 hours of teaching

Volkshochschule

500 Euro/300 hours of teaching

Private teacher

4 Euro-25 Euro/45 minutes

 

 

8. Information on taxes, work contracts, child care facilities and schools in Magdeburg

Information is available on the research portal ERAMORE:

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