Before you arrive

Important for students without a EU nationality

The entry requirements for the Federal Republic of Germany vary depending on the country of origin. Please inquire at the German diplomatic mission in your home country whether you need a visa. Information on this can also be found on the Federal Government's
Make it in Germany website.

The application process can take a long time, so please apply as soon as possible to ensure you make it to Mannheim on time.

The DAAD offers a good overview of the visa application process

Important for non-EU-students

In order to be issued a student visa, non-EU citizens must submit proof of financial resources to the German authorities. Applicants need to demonstrate that they can cover their minimum amount required for living expenses in Germany during their period of study.

You can submit either proof of personal or parental funding, and/or proof of scholarship funding.

You can find more details about the amount of financial resources you have to prove and the different ways to prove it on the website of the DAAD.

If you want to find out about the possible costs of living in Mannheim, please consult our information on living expenses in Mannheim.

As is often the case in university towns, low-budget but conveniently located accommodation is in high demand.

Whatever kind of accommodation you prefer, those who start searching early will have the greatest selection to choose from.

Please go to All about Housing for more information about the different options.

For enrollment at a German university, it is mandatory to present an insurance certificate from a German statutory health insurance company. Without this proof of health insurance, which can also be used for your visa (see below), you cannot be enrolled at Technische Hochschule Mannheim. A list of all statutory German health insurance companies can be found here.  

Incoming students from EU countries and Turkey 

In most cases, EU citizens have an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) and do not have to take out additional health insurance in Germany. You only have to present the EHIC to a German statutory health insurance company and an insurance certificate will be issued.

Students from Turkey should request a copy of the relevant document (this has other names) from their insurer and send it to a German statutory health insurance company. If you have sufficient provisions, you will be released and receive an insurance certificate. Alternatively, you can also insure yourself with a German statutory health insurance company.

Incoming students from non-EU countries 

If you do not have EU citizenship and     

• If you do not have health insurance, you must take out German statutory health insurance. You are free to choose the insurer and the services of all providers are the same. These services are regulated by law.  
• If you have valid health insurance in your home country for your stay abroad, you can be exempted from the obligation to take out additional insurance. A representative of a statutory health insurance company decides whether all the requirements for an exemption are met. For example, if you have travel or other health insurance with a cap or expiration date, it will not usually be accepted. Only insurance with no upper limit or end date can be accepted and the German health insurance company will advise you. However, we strongly advise exchange students from countries outside the European Union to take out additional statutory health insurance in Germany, even if your health insurance can be accepted from home. The advantages are:         
• You have insurance coverage that every doctor/hospital here understands and accepts,        
• You have very comprehensive coverage at no extra cost,        
• You don't have to pay in advance, and        
• You have insurance that the immigration authorities accept without reservation when you apply for your residence permit. 

A German statutory health insurance costs about 108 euros per month for students.

• Do not forget to purchase sufficient travel insurance for your journey to Germany.
• As an exchange student, you need to observe any additional insurance requirements that might appear in the respective agreement between your home institution and Technische Hochschule Mannheim.
• Degree-seeking students are highly encouraged to purchase third-party liability insurance as well as accident insurance (including repatriation in case of severe illness or death).

When you are planning your trip, please make sure that you arrive at the correct date — not too early and not too late (keep in mind the dates of the Intensive German language course, your move-in-date for your accomodation, and the date of our Welcome Breakfast).

Mannheim is well conntected by train (for example by Deutsche Bahn) and long-distance-buses. 

The closest international airport is Frankurt Airport (FRA), but you can also reach Mannheim from the airports in Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) and Stuttgart (STR). 

From Frankfurt Airport:

Follow the signs to the Frankfurt Airport train station for long-distance trains ("Fernbahnhof"). This will lead you out of the Airport Buidling and into the buiding “The Squaire”. At the end of a long walkway, you will find a Deutsche Bahn Travel Center ("Reisezentrum") as well as automatic ticket machines.

You can also make use of the Airport Information Desk. The information desk is located in the security controlled area next to the border control.

From Mannheim Central Station:

Technische Hochschule Mannheim has its own tram station that you can go to from Mannheim Central Station by taking tram No. 1 (direction “Rheinau”). Dismont when you reach the stop “Hochschule”. You can find the schedule of the tram on the website of Deutsche Bahn or the local tram service VRN.

Visit Campus Map and find out how to travel to Technische Hochschule Mannheim. 

If you have a buddy, ask them if they can arrange a pick-up at Mannheim Central Station.

Travelling by car:

You can reach us by car via the autobahn A6, Mannheim Mitte exit. At the planetarium, follow the sign to “Technische Hochschule Mannheim” on the left. At the Neckauer crossing, cross the yellow bridge and find the university directly on the right at the beginning of Neckauer Straße (you will see the high rise building H with a sign of the university on top).

Parking is available on Speyerer Straße and in the university parking lot at the intersection of John-Deere-Straße/Paul-Wittsack-Straße.  

When packing your clothes, please keep in mind that there are four seasons in Mannheim. 

• In spring (March - May), temperatures are usually between 10 and 20°C, so you might need a light jacket or a rain coat.
• In summer (June - August), temperatures might reach 40°C on some days, so pack your bathing clothes so you can jump into the lakes or swimming pools :-)
• In autumn (September - November), temperatures sink again and you will need a jacket or rain coat as well as warm jumpers and long trousers.
• In winter (December - February), there might be days where the temperature gets to below 0°C, so you will need a warm jacket, warm shoes and maybe mittens, a shawl or a hat.

Apart from organising all the practical aspects, you can also use the time before your departure in many ways.

• If you are about to start a bachelor's course, you can test your prior knowledge and/or register for a preparation course.
• If you have been admitted to a master's degree course, consult the corresponding module descriptions. Reading up on or refreshing your background knowledge could give you a boost at the start of your studies.
• Regardless of your level, it’s always possible to improve on your command of foreign languages. Brush up on your German, use the media for training purposes, inform yourself about our German courses and stay in touch with our coordinator.
• Learn more about the culture you are about to dive into. Check out our Tips for living in Germany.
• If you are using Instagram, check out the channel of the university, your department, your Fachschaft and the International Office.