Taxes

If your stay in Germany is financed via a stipend or a fellowship, you may in certain circumstances be exempt from tax under German income tax law. The organisation awarding the fellowship should be able to advise you in this regard. You should also enquire whether your fellowship to be paid in Germany is subject to taxation in your own country. Details on tax exemption on fellowships paid in Germany can be found on the Researchers Mobility Portal (see "Further Links").

Income tax is deducted from your gross salary at source. How much tax you are charged, or whether you will be asked to pay taxes in your home country depends on whether Germany has a tax agreement with your home country. You should get in touch with your tax authorities at home to find out exact conditions and let your Faculty administrator know if you are required to pay a reduced amount [beschränkte Steuerpflicht] or no taxes at all. If possible, you should try to clarify these matters in advance to avoid paying unnecessary tax.

Once in Göttingen, you should get in touch with the person responsible for contracts at the Dean´s office or in the central administration for your faculty to clarify any questions. Please be aware that not everybody will speak enough English to be able to explain the details to you, so take somebody along to translate.

Most employees will pay both the so-called Solidaritätsbeitrag (Soli) and unemployment insurance contributions, neither of which can be reclaimed. If you have questions concerning your specific case, please contact the Service Team at the Finanzamt Göttingen (tax authority) at the address and numbers on the left.