The Summer Semester 2023 under Pandemic Conditions: Information for International Students

Application for the summer semester 2023 is only possible for undergraduate subjects without admission restrictions. Please click here for information on the range of courses offered and here for information on the application procedure.

Notifications of admission for the summer semester 2023 are sent out in Januar and February, for the courses of study Medicine and Dentistry/State Examination/1st semester most probably in February.

It is not possible to transfer an admission to a later semester. If you are unable to accept the place offered or if you withdraw your enrolment, you must reapply.

As of today, the application period for the winter semester 2023/24 begins on March 01, 2023 and is currently expected to end on April 30, 2023. Applications for higher semesters are possible from 01 June 2023 to 15 July 2023. Different application deadlines apply for Master's programmes, for which you can find information here.

Doctoral students who have received a letter of admission from their Academic Department can be enroled continuously. Please find the registration portal here

Semester fees are mostly solidarity contributions that help to finance infrastructure and services that are available to all students. A reduction for pandemic reasons (for example, if you are studying online from abroad) is not possible.

Different regulations may apply to courses of study financed by fees. If necessary, please contact the programme coordination at the Academic Department.

Enrolment at the University of Göttingen is a digital, location-independent process. Only in exceptional cases do original documents have to be submitted for enrolment. You will receive detailed information by e-mail during the enrolment process.

Withdrawal of enrolment with refund of semester fees paid is possible up to one month after the start of lectures.

The majority of newly enrolled students have the opportunity to log in at https://ecampus.uni-goettingen.de/account with the registration data received during the application process and to set a password for the regular student account. From this moment on, it can be used for all eCampus functions (registration for courses etc.).

The portal also allows a portrait photo to be taken, which is used for the chip card. The production of the chip card will also be initiated for internationals who cannot enter the country at first, since a SUB user account will only be created and activated when the card is produced. This also allows the use of digital library resources.

The chip card will be stored until you can come in to pick it up. Storage time is not limited.

For some newly enrolled students the portal is not available for technical reasons. If you receive an error message when attempting to log on to the portal, please contact campussupport@uni-goettingen.de, stating your full name, date of birth and matriculation number, and request that your account data be communicated. You will then receive this information in an encrypted pdf document.

Attach a suitable photo to your e-mail to also trigger the production of the chip card. You can then use digital library resources. The card will be stored until you can pick it up on site.

The summer semester 2023 starts as planned on 01 April 2023 and ends on 30 September 2023. The start of the lecture period is currently April 11, 2023. We expect the lecture period to end as planned on 14 July 2023.

Since the beginning of April 2022, level 0 has been in effect in Covid 19 level system of the University of Göttingen. This means: Back to presence. All courses take place in presence, online or hybrid courses are no longer possible. Lab practicals and excursions also take place in person. The 3G rule is no longer mandatory.

Libraries are open, you can use all workstations there, and the services are also available to you in full. University sports are permitted within the framework of legal requirements.

You can still test yourself with the Campus-Covid-Screen (CCS) for free.

Please find here informationen on vaccination at the University during the summer semester period 2023.

The situation at German embassies and consulates remains uneven and depends on the local pandemic situation. The procedures for applying for visas, for taking part in interviews and for collecting visas that have been granted vary greatly. Find out more about the current situation on the website of the respective mission abroad.

A certificate stating that physical presence at the university location is indispensable is no longer required for students.

For students, entry into the European Union and Germany is generally permitted.

Regulations on entry, compulsory testing and quarantine differ according to how the German Robert Koch Institute classifies the country you are entering from:

areas not classified as virus variant areas; areas where a virus variant of concern is likely to occur;

virus variant areas, countries or regions where critical mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have occured.

In the following, vaccinated persons are persons who have been fully immunized with a vaccine against the novel corona virus authorised in the European Union up to 14 days prior to entry. Licensed productions of vaccines approved in the European Union that are marketed under a different trade name are considered equivalent and are accepted.

Recovered persons are considered fully vaccinated if, in addition to the recovery certificate, they have received a dose of a vaccine authorised in the European Union.

Recovered persons are persons who can provide medical evidence of previous infection with the novel corona virus and a negative PCR test not older than 90 days and not younger than 28 days.

• ENTRY FROM AREAS NOT CLASSIFIED AS VIRUS VARIANT AREAS

As of now, no special regulations apply.

• ENTRY FROM AREAS WHERE A VIRUS VARIANT OF CONCERN IS LIKELY TO OCCUR

Entry requires a negative antigen or PCR test, which must not be older than 48 hours at the time of entry. The test is checked by the carrier, then again upon entry.

Proof of vaccination or convalescence will not be accepted. There is no obligation to self-isolate after entry.

• ENTRY FROM VIRUS VARIANT AREAS

Entry from virus variant areas is possible for students and researchers. Particularly strict rules apply:

If you are entering the country from a virus variant area, you must present a negative PCR test before departure. The test must not be older than 48 hours at the time of entry. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. This applies to entries by air, sea or land. Evidence of vaccination or recovery is not accepted.

After arrival, a mandatory self-isolation period of 14 days applies. There is no option to shorten the self-isolation by a second testing on site. This also applies to fully immunised or recovered persons.

• IF AN INFECTION IS DIAGNOSED

In the event an infection is diagnosed, you are obliged to keep a domestic quarantine for five days. It is strongly recommended to continue quarantine until symptomfree and usually two consecutive tests are negative.

In case medical treatment or admission to a hospital become necessary, all costs for treatment will be covered by your health insurance company.

During the quarantine, you can use delivery services to supply yourself with food. Students and University staff will also provide support in case of emergency (see below, Delivery Services).

For supply during self-isolation or quarantine, delivery services are available that deliver durable food and drugstore items to you by postal mail. Within limits, fresh food can also be obtained from delivery services.

Corresponding addresses and further resources can be found in a handout that we have compiled for you.

Volunteers will be available to assist you during quarantine or self-isolation. Corresponding information can be found here.

You do not have to have drinking water supplied: Tap water in Germany is generally of better quality than many products from the supermarket and can be drunk without hesitation.

Registration with the city of Göttingen is currently only possible by prior appointment via online form. The usual 14-day deadline for registration with the city is suspended, but you should try to make an appointment as soon as possible. To register, you will need your passport and a Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung, a confirmation of residence to be filled out by your landlord.

The Foreigners‘ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) Göttingen is only accessible to a limited extent. Before applying for a residence permit, contact the Foreigners‘ Registration Office by telephone or email.

The Robert Koch Institute provides up-to-date information on the situation in Germany. You will find here detailed information for individual districts, including the district of Göttingen.

Detailed information in English on protection against infections in everyday situations can be found here. Check out WHO’s ‘Mythbusters’ section, too. The most important basic rules remain:

• Keep a minimum distance of 1.5 metres to people in public and 2 metres for physical activity or outdoor sports.
• Observe general rules of hygiene: Always sneeze and cough into the crook of your arm, wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
• Wear a medical protective masks of classes FFP2/KN95 covering your nose and mouth in public places (including shops and markets) and on public transport.

These rules are explained and specified here. Please note that violations of infection control regulations can be punished with fines of up to €25,000.

The University of Göttingen has implemented its own hygiene strategy to prevent infection. It provides for a large number of individual measures, the scope and extent of which depend on the current infection situation. Click here for information on the currently valid regulations. The University‘s CampusCovidScreen offers free testing on campus.

Internationals with a German registration address are entitled to free vaccination against the novel coronavirus. This includes booster vaccinations. Vaccination can be done by general practitioners.

Please find here informationen on vaccination at the University during the summer semester period 2023. Furthermore, the city of Göttingen does provide an overview of the current vaccination centres in Göttingen and its surroundings.

Persons who have been vaccinated with a vaccine not licensed in the European Union are considered unvaccinated in Germany. They can receive another full series of vaccinations with a European Union-approved mRNA vaccine no earlier than 28 days after completing the first series of vaccinations to achieve ‚vaccinated‘ status. General practitioners offer detailed advice and vaccinations.

Vaccination and recovery certificates issued in the European Union can be filed in the CovPass app. Pharmacies provide the necessary QR codes. People who have been vaccinated in non-EU or EEA countries with vaccines approved in the EU can usually also obtain these QR codes if they can provide sufficient vaccination documentation. Pharmacies that routinely handle such vaccination certificates can be found on Waldweg or Humboldtbogen.

Info videos in 13 languages: Corona testing and vaccination

• Measures and recommendations for infection control in Germany
• Regulations of the State Government of Lower Saxony
• Information on rules of conduct to prevent infection in Göttingen