Welcome Centre for Hosts

We recommend arranging accommodation as early as possible.

• The university has guest houses for international researchers. Requests for accommodation can be submitted to Beate Seidemann only via the chair or supervising institution: beate.seidemann@rub.de.
• AKAFÖ offers accommodation for students; Bachelor and master students, however, are prioritized.
• Alternatively, researchers must look for accommodation on the private housing market.

Depending on their nationality, third-country nationals may need a visa to enter Germany or, at the latest, must apply for a residence title in Germany.

• Please note that any employment is only permitted with a suitable work permit*! This also includes doing research without a working contract.

^{*Exceptions may apply to research stays of no more than 90 days within a period of twelve months for persons who can enter the country without a visa (cf. §30 BeschV (Ordinance on the Employment of Foreigners)). This must be confirmed in advance by the responsible embassy.}

• If the researcher enters Germany with a visa, it should already be issued for the appropriate purpose. A change of purpose when applying for a residence title in Germany is usually only considered if the situation changes.

Department 3 is the first contact during the recruitment process

• As for the recruitment of all academic employees, you will find the relevant documents in the service portal under point 11: "Preparing the application for recruitment and other documents". You will find either an English form or an English completion aid in the form cabinet for the relevant documents under "Related documents".
• In addition, there is a guideline for the employment of academic staff
• There are also guidelines for international (visiting) professors

(The service portal is only available to RUB employees within the campus network).

Tax Identification Number: After the first registration in Germany, researchers will receive the tax ID via postal mail (Please note: the name must be displayed on the mailbox).

As soon as the tax ID is available, it should be sent to the HR department and the LBV as soon as possible. Before the tax ID is available, researchers are sorted into tax class VI. As soon as the LBV receives the tax ID, the tax class will be adjusted. The excess tax withheld will be refunded automatically, provided there is no turn of the year in between. In case there is, the refund can only be applied for via the tax return.

Bank account: In most cases, a German bank account can only be opened after you have entered Germany, and often only after you have registered with the city. The bank details should then be submitted to the HR department as soon as possible so that the LBV can arrange the salary payment.

Health insurance: Employees are usually insured with statutory health insurance and are free to choose a provider. If they do not make use of their right to choose, they will be compulsorily insured via the LBV. We strongly recommend that employees register themselves in time, as registration by the LBV regularly leads to complications and delays. Please find more information on health insurance on our website.

For the purpose of enrollment, there is a distinction between regular PhD students (who receive their degree from RUB) and guest PhD students (who receive their degree from another university).

• Regular PhD students must enroll; the confirmation of admission is issued by the faculty.
• Guest PhD students can usually choose whether they wish to enroll; they receive their admission letter from the Welcome Center.

All PhD students are welcome to contact us for detailed information on enrollment: welcome-centre@uv.rub.de.

Depending on their status at RUB, researchers receive a RUB LoginID in different ways.

• Employees automatically receive a LoginID at the start of their employment.
• Enrolled students automatically receive a LoginID during the enrollment process.
• For all other researchers the LoginID must be requested from IT.Services via their host chair, if necessary. Information and the application form can be found here at “Weitere Gruppen”.

The RUB libraries no longer have a library card, borrowing books is instead possible via the RUB Bib App. To use the app, it is necessary to have an account.

• Employees automatically receive a library account with the LoginID.
• Enrolled students automatically receive a library account with the LoginID.
• Other researchers who register at a Registration Office in Germany can apply for access at the University Library themselves. If a LoginID has been requested via the chair, we recommend waiting for the LoginID, so the library account can be connected to it.
• Other researchers who do not register at a Registration Office in Germany can apply for access through the Welcome Center: welcome-centre@uv.rub.de.

We kindly ask you to inform the researcher you have invited about the following aspects prior to their arrival at RUB:

• In order to use the services of the Welcome Center, researchers must register in our database.
• We recommend attending one of our Welcome Sessions before or shortly after the start of the stay.
• Researchers should take care of their residence title and accommodation early on.
• Here is an overview of probable first steps after arrival.