Information for

Living in Regensburg

Regensburg is a lively university city with over 30,000 students. As a result, the housing market is very tight. The search for a room is the students' own responsibility! It is recommended to start the search as early as possible, as many rooms are already assigned early!

Student dormitories

As an international student of OTH Regensburg you can apply for a room in a student dormitory through the Studentenwerk Niederbayern/Oberpfalz.

There are also dormitories you can directly apply to.

Prerequisite for a place in a student dormitory: valid certificate of enrolment.
Please apply for a room in a student dormitory as early as possible and observe the application deadlines of the individual dormitories!

Private housing market

An alternative is to search the private housing market. Use the offers in the daily newspapers, but also the notices on the "bulletin boards" of OTH Regensburg and the University of Regensburg.

In addition, search for available rooms via the internet and social media. If you cannot find a room directly in the city of Regensburg, you can also search a bit outside and commute to the OTH Regensburg with your student ID, which includes a valid ticket (only available in German) for the local public transport.

For a short-term stay, hostels, youth hostels, and hotels are available.

If you would like to change your study programme, please note: You must inform the Foreigners' Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) about a change of your study programme as early as possible! Otherwise your stay is illegal!

Registration at the place of residence

Within one week after moving into a room or an apartment, you have to register at the Bürgerzentrum (Abteilung für Ausländerangelegenheiten – Department for Foreigners' Affairs) with your new address! If you move out of your room and move abroad, you must also deregister your apartment. If you move to another apartment within your place of residence, you have to re-register.

Please observe the obligation to register!

EU Citizens: Residence Permit (Aufenthaltsanzeiger) / Certificate of Right of Residence (Bescheinigung des Aufenthaltsrechts)

EU citizens as well as citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway must register at the city's Bürgerzentrum if they plan to stay for more than three months. They must apply there for a Bescheinigung über ihr gemeinschaftsrechtliches Aufenthaltsrecht = Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung.

Required for this application are:

  • Aufenthaltsanzeiger for nationals of the member states of the European Union and the EEA states as well as their family members
  • valid passport/identity card

Do not enter the country as a tourist or visitor! Once you have entered Germany, a tourist visa cannot be converted into a student visa.

You can find further information on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Non-EU Citizens: Application for a Residence Title / Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel / Aufenthaltserlaubnis)

After their arrival in Regensburg, non-EU citizens must register at the Regensburg Bürgerzentrum within one week and apply for a residence permit. The residence permit for students will only be issued after enrolment.

The following documents are required to apply for a residence permit:

  • application form for a residence permit (can be found at Formularcenter des Bürgerzentrums Regensburg, website only available in German)
  • valid passport with entry visa
  • certificate of enrolment from the university
  • certificate of health insurance
  • biometric passport photo
  • proof of secure livelihood (proof of financing – information DAAD)
  • money for fees (about 110 €)

Contact for the city of Regensburg:

Bürgerzentrum der Stadt Regensburg – Abteilung Ausländerangelegenheiten
Maximilianstraße 26, 93047 Regensburg
Tel. 0941 / 507-2777
E-Mail:auslaenderangelegenheiten(at)regensburg.de

Please note the opening hours of the Foreigners' Registration Office!

For daily living during your stay in Regensburg you have to calculate at least 800 to 900 € per month.

You can find more information about education and living costs in Germany on the DAAD website.

For many students, a part-time job is necessary during their studies or during the semester breaks in order to secure their livelihood.

Students from EU countries are generally allowed to work in a part-time job like German students:

  • during the semester: 20 hours per week
  • during the semester break: Full-time

Students from non-EU countries normally do not receive a work permit and are only allowed to work a maximum of 120 full days or 240 half days per year without a work permit (see stamp in passport). If you want to work more than 120 full days or 240 half days in a job that is not a part-time student job, you must have it approved by the Foreigners' Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde)!

If you have legal questions about part-time jobs, please contact the Studentenwerk.

Where can I find part-time jobs?

Temporary employment agencies (Zeitarbeitsfirmen) also arrange student part-time jobs.

OTH Regensburg students can use the entire range of sports offered by the University of Regensburg.

Regensburg also has numerous sports clubs and many other associations (both websites are only available in German).

Sickness and Emergencies

  • Police: 110 (without area code, also from cell phone)
  • Fire department / rescue service / emergency doctor: 112 (without area code, also from a cell phone): only in acute, life-threatening emergencies such as fire, accident, illness, if you can no longer go to the doctor yourself
  • Medical on-call service (if you need medical help on weekends, holidays or at night)
    • Regensburg area 01805 / 19 12 12
    • Nationwide 116 117
  • Emergency room of the university hospital 0941 / 944-2310
    (for acute illnesses or injuries; open 24 hours a day; address: Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, bus: line 6, direction "Klinikum").
  • Medical emergency practice Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder: 0941 / 3690 (if medical condition occurs outside normal office hours, a general practitioner is available; address: Prüfeninger Str. 86, bus: line 1, direction "Prüfening")
  • Dental emergency service / university hospital: 0941 / 944-0 (if you need a dentist on weekends, holidays, or at night)
  • Women's emergency hotline: 0941 / 24171 (counselling centre for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence)
  • Telephone counselling: 0800 / 1 11 01 11 or 1 11 02 22

Ambulance Transport

As a rule, ambulance transport is only paid for by the health insurance company if it is prescribed by a doctor. It is intended for people who cannot take a taxi because of the severity of their medical condition. In the case of private health insurance, it is necessary to check whether this service is included in the policy. If this benefit is not included, the private health insurance will probably not cover the costs. An ambulance transport costs on average about 600 €!

What do I need at the doctor or hospital?

Students who have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) must present it at the doctor's office or hospital.

Students from non-European countries who have a private or statutory health insurance for Germany must present the respective insurance card.