The first days in Fulda

Please let us know when you will be arriving in Fulda so that we can arrange an appointment and clarify all the formalities for your first week in Fulda.

Please note the customs regulations in Germany before you enter the country. You can find more information on customs regulations here

Fulda is located in the heart of Germany. The nearest airport is Frankfurt Airport. There is a high-speed train between Fulda and Frankfurt Airport with a journey time of only one hour.

For more information about train connections between Frankfurt Airport and Fulda, click here.

You can purchase online tickets on this website. You can also download the "DB Navigator" app to your mobile phone.

Alternatively, you can rent a car at Frankfurt Airport. You can find more information here

Rental cars received at Frankfurt Airport can be returned in Fulda. However, not all car rental companies have a location in Fulda. The following car rental companies have a location in Fulda and at Frankfurt Airport:

• Avis
• Budget
• Europcar
• Hertz
• Sixt

After your arrival in Fulda, you will receive a welcome package from us. This welcome package contains information about your tasks, contact persons at Fulda University of Applied Sciences as well as general information about Fulda and life in Germany.

The Welcome Centre will assist you with all formalities and introduce you to your colleagues at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and in your department. The Welcome Centre will also support you with your contract and other administrative matters.

There are different policies for short stays of visiting scholars and for visiting scholars with an employment contract.

If you are in Fulda for a short stay as a visiting scholar, you can only take out private insurance. After your arrival in Fulda, we will provide you with a list of insurance companies. We will also help you to apply for insurance.

If you have an employment contract, you are covered by compulsory health insurance.

However, we recommend that you take out additional insurance in Germany, e.g. private liability insurance. Private liability insurance is the most important insurance in Germany after compulsory health insurance. It covers all costs incurred as a result of an accident, e.g. personal injury and property damage.

If you have a chronic illness or impairment and need assistance, please indicate this in the registration form. This information is obligatory according to the insurance conditions in Germany and also helps the Welcome Centre to offer you appropriate support during your stay.

Parents are entitled to child benefit for all children up to the age of 18. Under certain conditions, parents from abroad are also entitled to child benefit. Child benefit is paid to parents who are resident in Germany. In order to receive child benefit, the children must live in Germany or in another EU member state.
The child benefit entitlement is currently around €255 per month, per child. To claim the entitlement, you must submit an application.

The Welcome Centre will also help you to register at the Bürgerbüro in Fulda. If you are staying in Fulda for longer than three months, you must register at the Bürgerbüro. You must give your new address within 14 days. You must take the following with you to the registration:

• A valid passport
• Accommodation provider certificate. If you are staying in one of our guest flats, we will issue you with this certificate.
• If you are accompanied by your family, you must present your marriage certificate and the birth certificates of your children in German or English translation.

After registration, you will receive the so-called confirmation of registration. In addition to this document, you will also receive your tax identification number. With your confirmation of registration, you can open a bank account and take out statutory health insurance.