Living in Fulda

The city of Fulda, in the heart of Germany, currently has a population of around 68,000, with around 100,000 people living in the Fulda region. The picturesque baroque quarter, one of the most beautiful in Germany, and the narrow medieval alleyways with cobblestones and half-timbered houses attract many visitors to the city every year. The many small shops, numerous cafés and bars and many restaurants with regional and international cuisine invite you to take a relaxed stroll and linger.

Fulda was founded in 744 and quickly rose to become the spiritual centre of what was then Germania. Originally a Benedictine abbey, over time Fulda became an imperial abbey in the Holy Roman Empire under the rule of the prince abbot. Many schools and libraries were also established during this time. In the first half of the 18th century, a university was founded, whose successor - the Fulda Faculty of Theology - still exists today.
From its beginnings to the present day, the history of the city of Fulda has been closely linked to the Christian church. This is also reflected in the cityscape, which is characterised by numerous churches and monasteries, e.g. St. Michael's Church, the oldest burial church in Germany built in 822, and of course Fulda Cathedral, the city's landmark and Hesse's oldest baroque church dating from 1704. Fulda is also one of the 27 dioceses of the Catholic Church in Germany and is also the seat of the German Protestant Church Congress.

There is plenty more to discover outside the city. Just seven kilometres to the south and surrounded by beautiful forests, visitors can view Hesse's most beautiful baroque palace, Schloss Fasanerie, and its extensive parks.
Fulda's natural jewel and local recreation area is the Rhön - the land of open spaces. Recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve in 1991, this region is one of the most extraordinary low mountain ranges in Europe. Here you will encounter a wealth of unique natural treasures, valuable biotopes, near-natural primeval forests, mysterious moors, basalt mountains, idyllic river valleys and species-rich mountain meadows. They invite visitors to go hiking, cycling, mountaineering, climbing or canoeing. Elevations such as the Milseburg or the Wasserkuppe, Hessen's highest mountain at 950 metres above sea level, can be easily reached by bike, car or regional train.

Visitors who would like to get a taste of the big city air can reach Frankfurt/Main, the international metropolis with one of the largest airports in Europe, in just one hour by car or train. The city is home to the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, making it the largest financial centre in continental Europe.
In addition, the city of Goethe and the Frankfurt School enjoys an excellent reputation both nationally and internationally for its diverse cultural programme. One of the highlights of Frankfurt's cultural scene is undoubtedly the Museumsufer, a series of 11 well-known museums along the banks of the Main, including the Schirn Kunsthalle and the Städel Museum. Other renowned institutions include the Frankfurt Opera, which has been repeatedly named Opera of the Year, the Alte Oper, which is globally renowned for its exceptional acoustics, and the Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, one of the most successful artists' houses and a place of innovation for new forms of theatre and innovative production methods.
Other major German cities such as Berlin, Munich, Cologne and Hamburg can be reached in less than three hours by train, for example, thanks to Fulda's ideal transport links. Even well-known European capitals such as Paris can be reached by train in 5 hours.

The official website of the city of Fulda is:

http://www.fulda.de

Childcare

If you have children, it is important to register them for day nursery (for children aged one to six) or school as soon as possible. Please note that in some cases there may be waiting times. The costs for the kindergarten place must be paid by you. Children are entitled to a childcare place in a day-care centre (Kita) or with a childminder from the age of one. If your child is older than six, they are required to attend school, as compulsory schooling passes in Germany. Further details on the school system can be found here: School system

You will receive child benefit for your children up to the age of 18. You can apply for this at the family benefits office in Hanau.

Daycare in Fulda

In Fulda there is an overview of all available daycare centres and daytime childcare offers. You can use the following link to view the various options and search specifically for childcare options. that meet your needs: Childcare Fulda

You can use the parents' portal to reserve your child for up to three day-care centres or day carers and receive updates on available places. Further information on the various childcare centres and offers can be found here: Parents' portal

Schools in Fulda

The city of Fulda is an important educational centre in East Hesse. The city of Fulda is responsible for 23 schools, which are attended by around 13,000 pupils.

The schools are organised as follows:

- 13 primary schools
- 2 primary and secondary modern schools
- 1 primary and secondary modern school
- 1 secondary modern school
- 2 grammar schools
- 2 special schools
- 2 vocational secondary schools

In addition, there are privately run schools in Fulda as well as facilities under the control of the district of Fulda. The tasks of the school authorities relate to all organisational matters outside the classroom, such as external school administration.

Further information is available at the following links:
https://www.fulda.de/unsere-stadt/kindertagesbetreuung-schulen/schulen
https://www.schulen-fulda.de/schulen-in-fulda

Fulda has a good infrastructure and a very good public transport network. There are mainly buses in Fulda. You can find the bus timetables here

You can also borrow a bicycle during your stay in Fulda, please contact us if you need assistance. You can find more information here

If you would like to travel by train to other cities or need information on the rail network in Germany, please click here

There are also car hire companies in Fulda. Some of the car hire companies can also be found at Frankfurt Airport. Please remember that you will also need to rent a parking space if you hire a car.

Guests with a scholarship

As a rule, visiting lecturers and visiting scientists with a scholarship are tax-exempt in Germany, provided the following conditions are met:

• The scholarship is paid from public funds or by a public facility or non-profit organisation (which is legally recognised in Germany).
• The purpose of the scholarship must be to further research, academic or artistic education or continuing education.
• The scholarship should not exceed the amount required to carry out the research project or to cover the costs of the program or living expenses. The scholarship will be approved in accordance with the guidelines of the supporting facilities.
• Scholarship holders do not have to provide anything in return for the scholarship.

^*Tax exemption also means that scholarship holders do not have to pay social security contributions.

Further information on tax classes and income tax returns can be found at: make-it-in-germany or Hessen- Welcomecenter-Steuer

Guests with an employment contract

If visiting lecturers or visiting scientists have an employment contract with the Fulda University of Applied Sciences, they must pay taxes in Germany and the income tax will be deducted from their monthly income.

Income tax card

Electronic income tax cards have been available in Germany since January 2013. All you have to do is provide the human resources department at Fulda University of Applied Sciences with your tax identification number. You will receive your tax identification number, which is valid for life, automatically by post after you have registered at the Citizens' Office. If you do not live in Fulda, another tax office may be in charge of you. You must inform the tax office of any changes to your income tax card.

Double taxation agreements

To ensure that foreigners do not have to pay taxes in Germany and in their home country, Germany has concluded a so-called double taxation agreement with many countries.
The double taxation agreement determines in which country taxes must be paid. If you stay in Germany for less than six months (183 days), your income will be taxed in your home country, provided you were employed by a foreign employer and the double taxation agreement admits taxation in your home country. If one of these conditions is not met in your case, your income will be taxed in Germany.

Germany has concluded an agreement with some countries which stipulates that professors and researchers who work at a state research institution in Germany for a maximum of two years may pay their taxes in their home country.

The exact details are set out in the double taxation agreements that pass for EU member states and some other countries.

Church tax

Together with income tax, the state also collects church tax (approx. 9% of income tax) for the major Christian religious communities. You must therefore state your religious affiliation when you register your place of residence at the Citizens' Registration Office. The tax applicable to you will be deducted directly from your income.

We can provide you with a list of tax advisors in Fulda should you need one. Please contact us for further information.

Advisory services and support

As tax issues for international visiting lecturers can be complex, it is advisable to seek the help of a tax advisor. Here are some useful links

• Make it in germany tax
• euraxess tax
• Hesse Welcome Centre Tax

Use these resources to better understand your tax obligations.

You can find the academic calendar here

If you are a guest lecturer and would like to award grades, please use the following grading system

On this website you will find all public holidays in Germany. Fulda is located in the state of Hesse. Please click here and choose Hessen.

Social insurance covers health, pension, unemployment, accident and nursing care insurance. Further information on the social insurance system in Germany can be found here