4 Preparing for Your Departure

Pre-Departure Documents

The study abroad office on your campus will provide the AYF forms that you will need to fill out before your departure. In addition to these forms, you must submit one or two digital passport-style photos with a high resolution to the AYF office in Freiburg. Using this photo, AYF will prepare actual German-size biometric passport photos. Please pay careful attention to the instructions for preparing these photos contained in your package of AYF registration forms. These photos are needed for various official registration procedures in Germany and for AYF records. It is not necessary to bring additional passport photos with you to Freiburg. If you find that you need more passport photos once you are in Freiburg, there are inexpensive photo printing options near the program center.

Immigration Documents

Passport

A passport is needed to travel to Germany and to obtain your student visa. Apply immediately for a passport if you do not already have one. Passport information and application forms can be found on the U.S. State Department website (www.state.gov). If you already have your passport, make sure it will be valid for at least 6 months beyond the length of your stay abroad.

Visa

For U.S. citizens, no visa is required to enter Germany for tourist or business stays up to 90 days. In accordance with German law, all foreigners who stay longer than 3 months must acquire a residence permit (Aufenthaltsgenehmigung) – in effect, a visa. During your first week in Freiburg, in an orientation session devoted entirely to registration matters, the AYF program staff will guide you through the paperwork required for university enrollment, for your Aufenthaltsgenehmigung, and for local address registration with Freiburg authorities.

Please note: If you are already spending the summer prior to AYF in Germany (on an internship, for example), you may be required to apply for an interim residence permit called a “Fiktionsbescheinigung”, depending on when exactly you entered the country. Please alert AYF staff to your early entry into the country well in advance of your arrival. Citizens of countries other than the U.S. or European Union should check with the nearest German consulate regarding possible visa requirements.

Handling Money Abroad

The U.S.-style checking account is unknown in Germany. Most bank business is conducted by bank transfers (Überweisungen) from one account to another. You will need to open a Girokonto – a bank transfer account. During your first week in Freiburg, AYF will help you open a Girokonto with online banking with the Volksbank, a national bank that has branch offices all around Freiburg and near the dorms. For this process to go smoothly, it is very important that you know your Social Security Number which the bank needs to comply with U.S. legal requirements (so-called FATCA laws). Please note, there is a monthly account fee (currently set at about €5/month for students).

For set payments made on a regular basis, you can authorize the Volksbank to make automatic transfers from your Girokonto on an ongoing basis (Dauerauftrag). Alternatively, you can authorize institutions to make one-time or repeated withdrawals from your account (Einzugser­mächtigung). Your dorm room rent will automatically be withdrawn from your account at or near the beginning of each month.

It is your responsibility to make sure you have sufficient funds in your account to cover all your debits and withdrawals, be they for rent payments or purchases paid with the debit card for your Freiburg account. If your account is overdrawn, you will be notified that the transfer has not gone through, and you will be subject to a fee of roughly €10 (or substantially more if vendors subcontract the collection of failed debit card purchases). Also, once you are notified that an automatic transfer has failed because of insufficient funds, it is not enough to go to the bank and deposit more money into your account, since the failed automatic withdrawal will usually not be repeated at a later date. Instead, you must make a one-time Überweisung at the bank to cover the missed transfer.

German banking hours are generally from 9 AM until noon, and again from 2–4 PM, Monday through Friday. Most banks stay open until 6 PM on Thursdays but are closed on Saturdays. The Volksbank on Bismarckallee (across from the northern end of the train station) is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday and 9:00 AM to 6 PM on Thursday. The self-service branch at Bertoldsbrunnen has even more extended hours, and the ATM is accessible around the clock.

Transferring Money

If you have your own bank account in the U.S., you can use your personal checks to deposit money into your Freiburg account. This may be useful for family members, too, who can deposit money directly into your U.S. account instead of mailing a check to Germany. A U.S. personal check drawn on a third-party account will take five to six weeks to be credited to your Freiburg account. Checks drawn on your own personal U.S. account will be credited to your Volksbank account after a few days, in most cases no later than after a week. Fees of ca. €50 are assessed for processing such a check which clearly impacts the attractiveness of this option. Do not have any checks sent directly to your bank in Freiburg. Instead, have them mailed to you, preferably c/o the AYF Program Center rather than to your dormitory address, for the sake of security, and bring a check book for your personal U.S. checking account with you.

The simplest way to handle cash transfers from the U.S. is to obtain an ATM debit card for your U.S. checking account. Credit cards are also very convenient. Be sure to arrange an internationally accepted ATM card and PIN with your U.S. bank before you depart for Freiburg. With the ATM card, you will be able to withdraw cash (in euros) from an ATM (Geldautomat) and have it debited (in U.S. dollars) to your U.S. account. ATM withdrawals use a fairly favorable exchange rate and do not entail the additional charges that could be imposed for processing checks, although your U.S. bank will probably impose a service fee for each international withdrawal (rates typically vary from 1 to 4%). Your U.S. bank establishes the upper limit on the amount that can be withdrawn at any one time and within any 24-hour period. You should inquire as to these figures and – if necessary – raise them at your bank prior to leaving for Germany. You may want to withdraw a large amount – up to the limit – at one time to minimize transaction fees (but make sure you don’t misplace all the cash you just withdrew!). In any case, it is prudent to verify the policies and fee structure of your U.S. bank (flat fee vs. percentage, etc.) prior to departure to aid in your planning.

Both VISA and MASTERCARD can be used to obtain cash advances at most banks and many ATMs. Again, you must request an international four-digit PIN number from your issuing bank or card company. Also, find out what your credit card company charges for a cash advance. Freiburg does not have a branch office of American Express, but you may find an American Express card useful on your travels elsewhere in Europe.

A wire transfer is an option that is especially appropriate for bringing larger sums of money to Germany. This may be useful to you if you choose to transfer your funds on a quarterly basis or only once or twice per semester. The AYF office staff will assist you with the procedures at the receiving bank. The Volksbank in Freiburg has a special routing sheet available for such transactions from the U.S. that is available from the AYF Program Center and on the AYF web page at http://www.ayf.uni-freiburg.de/ayf/guides. It would also be wise to speak to your U.S. bank prior to departure about its procedures and fees for wire transfers.

Students have also reported positive experiences with newer services such as Wise (formerly TransferWise). Fees for these services are generally cheaper than for traditional international transfers. But some services have hidden money exchange fees. One way to decide whether a service is reputable is to determine whether exchange fees are fixed and transparent.

Each of the ways to transfer money – personal check, ATM card, credit card, wire transfer, TransferWise or a similar financial service – has its advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore advisable that you arrange to have more than one of these options available to you when traveling to Europe. That way you can try them out and discover what works best for you in different situations. More importantly, you will have a backup in case a Geldautomat does not accept your ATM card or a personal check takes an unexpectedly long time to clear.

Monthly Living Expenses

Keep in mind that the currency exchange rate does fluctuate. Periodically, you should check the web for the latest value of the dollar (e.g., at www.xe.com/ucc). Students and family members must bear in mind that because of the fluctuation of exchange rates and variable rates of inflation, it is impossible to quote an absolutely firm dollar figure for monthly living expenses.

Living expenses in September will be higher than in the following months, both because of some initial one-time expenses and also because you will need some time to establish an economical lifestyle. In addition, some expenses that you might have expected to pay following your arrival will already be billed to you before your departure by your home university (i.e., health insurance, liability insurance, student services fee, residence permit fee). Details on this process will be provided to you well in advance of your departure.

Starting in October, you will need approximately €700-800 per month for rent, food, and other basic living expenses. The amount you will spend is, however, ultimately an individual matter and, as in the U.S., depends upon your own personal lifestyle and resources. The €700-800 figure does not cover extensive vacation travel or major purchases.

Toward the end of your stay in Freiburg, AYF staff will provide you with detailed information on the process of settling final bills, collecting your room deposit, closing your bank account, and collecting the balance or having the balance transferred back to you in the U.S. in due time.

Packing

Germany has a far more moderate climate than the American Midwest, but the weather can get nasty in the winter. Be prepared for rain, snow, chilly winds, and gray skies. Bring an umbrella or plan on buying one shortly after you arrive. Most things you want will be available once you arrive in Freiburg, so do not overpack. Do be aware, though, that some over-the-counter medications may only be available by prescription. Similar kinds of toiletries are available; but if you are partial to a particular brand, you may want to bring enough for several months. Shipping cost, which can add up, is another factor to consider when deciding what to bring, ship, or purchase on site.

Suggested items: 

• Hiking boots
• Hat/gloves
• raincoat/umbrella
• travel guide
• favorite recipes/American measuring cups
• towels/washcloths
• toiletries
• headache/cold medicine
• journal/diary
• shower sandals
• once nice outfit**
• passport pouch/money belt
• laptop

**We recommend bringing a button-down shirt and dress pants (plus a blazer, if you like) or a dress that could be worn to a reception or other similar event.

Also consult the section in this Handbook on customs issues below. You may decide to pack and ship specific items differently in light of customs regulations.