Leben in Jena

Living in Jena

Information for international students on living in Jena
Leben in Jena
Image: Madeleine Födisch
This page has been machine translated.
  • Costs

    There are no tuition fees at the University of Jena. Only courses at the Language Centre and Sports Centre, which are not part of the curriculum, are subject to a small fee.

    All students have to pay a semester fee to the student self-administration and the student services organisation (around €240). This semester fee covers the use of public transport in Jena and Central Thuringia as well as local trains throughout Thuringia for the entire semester. Students also pay much less for food in the university (university) canteen and cafeteria on presentation of their student ID.

    Money is mainly needed for accommodation, food, health insurance, books, clothing and personal needs. Allow €700 - €750 per month for everything.

    • 0 € tuition fees
    • 40 € semester fee with semester ticket (monthly share)
    • 250 € rent (can be higher)
    • 200 € food
    • 50 € Clothes, shoes
    • 30 € Books, copies
    • 100 € Health insurance
    • 30 € Telephone, internet, radio licence fees
    • 50 € Leisure time (individual)

  • Visa & Immigration

    EU citizens, as well as affiliates of certain non-EU countries (e.g. Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Japan, Canada, Norway, and some others) can enter Germany without a visa.

    All other citizens must apply for an entry visa for German at the German embassy in their home country.

    • As soon as you have arrived in Germany, you must register at the residents' registration office.
    • Non-EU citizens must also register with the Immigration Office and apply for an "electronic residence permit for the purpose of studying". To do this, you must prove that you have sufficient funds to finance your entire studies in Germany. This proof|evidence can be, for example, a bank statement|account statement, a scholarship confirmation or a guarantee from your parents.

    As the topic of immigration is a very important and sensitive one, we recommend that you obtain detailed information before your stay. Further information can be found at the International Office(https://www.uni-jena.de/Jena+Leben+international de) as well as on the links to the German Embassy and the Immigration Office.

  • Living

    When you move to Jena, you can choose between private accommodation (shared flat or 1-room flat) and a room in a student services organisation hall of residence. A room in a hall of residence is particularly recommended for visiting students, as you can easily rent the room before you arrive in Jena.

    • In Germany, you will always have your own room, regardless of whether you live in a shared flat or in a hall of residence.
    • If you decide to rent private accommodation, NEVER transfer money before you have seen the flat and signed a tenancy agreement, especially if the tender seems very favourable. Scammers try to get money with fake accommodation offers and foreign students are easy victims.
    • You can find information on halls of residence here: https://www.stw-thueringen.de/deutsch/wohnen/wohnen.htmlExternal link
    • Helpful sites for finding private accommodation:

    https://www.wg-gesucht.de/External link

    https://www.immobilienscout24.de/External link

    https://www.immowelt.de/External link

    Further information on student housing in general can be found here: https://www.uni-jena.de/unijenamedia/internationales/dokumente/studiuminjena/hinweisewohnungssuche.pdfExternal link

  • insurance

    Before you can start your studies, you must provide proof|evidence of health insurance. EU citizens can simply bring their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). All other citizens should become members of the public health insurance|statutory health insurance scheme. This costs between €80 and €90 per month if you are under the age of 30 and covers all necessary healthcare expenses, such as

    • Doctor visits (GP and specialist),
    • hospitalisation,
    • psychotherapy,
    • physiotherapy,
    • necessary medication and
    • necessary dental treatment.

    If you are covered by public health insurance|statutory health insurance, your doctor will settle the treatment costs directly with your health insurance provider. You therefore do not have to make any advance payments. However, you will have to pay smaller co-payments, such as €5 per prescription, yourself. Please also note that FSU Jena does not accept private travel insurance as proof|evidence of health insurance, as this only covers insufficient benefits and requires you to pay in advance.

    Further information on public health insurance|statutory health insurance can be found here: https: //www.daad.de/de/studieren-und-forschen-in-deutschland/studium-planen/krankenversicherung/External link

    Information on the German healthcare system can be found here: https://www.uni-jena.de/unijenamedia/internationales/dokumente/studiuminjena/gesundheitscoaching.pdfExternal link

    Another important insurance is private liability insurance.

    • This only costs around €5 per month.
    • It covers you if you accidentally damage someone else's property.
    • Many landlords require proof|evidence of private liability insurance before they let you move in.
  • Activities
    • Sports:
      • The "University Sports" is a sports club of the FSU and offers numerous sports courses You can prove|to register for|to take courses in yoga, canoeing, dancing, meditation, football, tennis, basketball and many other sports for a small fee. You can find more information here: https://www.hochschulsport.uni- jena.de/sportprogramm
      • Jena is also a great place for outdoor Sports. There are hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails and even opportunities for paragliding. The Saale river is very popular for canoeing or kayaking. Of course, there are also several gyms and swimming pools that you can use.
    • Culture and History:

    Incredible European and German History is always within reach in Jena. There are numerous old castles and palaces around Jena, some of which date back to the 11th century. After a 3-hour train journey, you will reach Germany's capital Berlin with its huge tender of cultural experiences. Just 15 minutes on the train will also take you to Weimar, where you can explore the origins of classical literature.

    • Nightlife:

    With around 25000 students, there is always something going on in Jena. There are plenty of quaint pubs, modern bars and clubs where you can leave everyday life behind you. There are also several breweries and various wine producers in the region around Jena, so you can sample many local drinks.

    • University clubs:

    There are many clubs at FSU that you can join. There are political groups, theatre groups and also charitable groups. It should be easy for everyone to meet like-minded people here.

    You can find a list of all clubs on this homepage: https://www.uni-jena.de/freizeit de

  • Contact points

    Here are some places to go in case you need support. If you are unsure who to turn to, talk to someone you trust first. This could be a professor, your flatmate, your mentor or your GP. Even if these people can't help you themselves, they can certainly help you find the right place to go.