Information for Refugees

Initial advice for prospective students with refugee status

Refugees can obtain initial advice on general admission requirements for the University of Mannheim and have their application documents checked. Please send an e-mail to miriam.kucher@uni-mannheim.de.

Studying

German is the language of instruction in all bachelor's programs and most master's programs at the University of Mannheim. Therefore, proficiency in German (level C1) is essential. Eight master's programs at the University of Mannheim are completely taught in English.

To find out more about the different programs of study, admission requirements, application deadlines and application process, please visit the pages of the Admissions Office.

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) provides general information on studying in Germany:

https://www.study-in.de/information-for-refugees/

The Heinrich-Böll-Sitftung offers information on financing your studies and on scholarships:

https://www.boell.de/de/2019/01/31/informationen-fuer-gefluechtete

Doctorates

If you already have a university degree that qualifies you for a doctorate and are interested in doctoral studies at the University of Mannheim, you can find general information on this topic here:

http://www.uni-mannheim.de/studierende/promovieren/promovieren_in_mannheim/

You can also write to promovieren@uni-mannheim.de should you have any questions about pursuing a doctorate.

Intensive German language courses for prospective students with refugee status

In order to be admitted to a program of study with German as the language of instruction, refugees need to provide proof of sufficient proficiency in German. In cooperation with the International Office, the service center German as a Foreign Language (DaF) of the University of Mannheim offers intensive language courses covering the language proficiency levels A1,1 to C1 as well as preparation for the DSH test (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber).

To participate in the course, you need to have completed your general school education (equivalent of the German Abitur) and you need to have refugee status. All participants receive a scholarship that covers the entire costs of the course and the test. However, travel and living expenses cannot be covered by the scholarship.

• Duration (all course levels): 4 weeks
• Course times: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a. m. to 11:45 a. m. and on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon
• Additional mandatory attendance for field trips etc.
• Location: University of Mannheim (some levels might be offered digitally)
• Fee: The fee for the German course is covered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Please note that travel costs are not included and must be paid by the particpant.

If you have questions about the German course, please send an e-mail to refugee-program@uni-mannheim.de.

Application

Since there are no more free spots in the German course, an application is currently not possible.

Due to budget cuts by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), we had to reduce the number of German course places in the INTEGRA program. Since all available places for 2023 are already filled, registration for the waiting list is currently not possible. 

The intensive German language course is funded by the INTEGRA program of the DAAD, additional offers such as workshops and social events are sponsored through the DAAD’s WELCOME program. Both DAAD programs are financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The Bildungsberatung Garantiefonds Hochschule offers in their Ludwigshafen office individual consultation for refugees on preparing university studies in Germany. Refugees can apply there for fundings regarding e.g. language courses, “Studienkolleg” or preparatory courses for studying.

Since April 2022, people holding a residence permit according to § 24 are eligible for sponsorship in accordance with “Richtlinien Garantiefonds Hochschulbereich (RL-GF-H)”. This means that refugees from Ukraine who want to study in Germany can apply for language courses and other benefits via the “Garantiefonds”

In the framework of the Intensive German Language Courses for Refugees the International Office provides the accompanying tandem program ‚Social Interaction Leader‘ (SIL). Gathering regularly with a student of the University of Mannheim and visiting events together helps to deepen the knowledge of the German language.

Therefor, the International Office is always looking for students of the University of Mannheim from different fields of study who like to be in contact with other people, who are open towards other cultures and who are interested in a volunteer activity.

The student organization Nice to meet you supports the integration of refugees in the Rhine-Neckar region. It organizes communal events such as barbecues and soccer tournaments in order to break down cultural barriers and to promote the successful integration of refugees into German society. As a point of contact for refugees, the organization can introduce refugees to special groups and offers.

Among other services, the student association has launched project “Müttersprache” (“mothers’ tongue”) – German language courses held by women for female refugees with children. The aim is to provide refugee women with small children without childcare facilities with an initial, low-threshold starting point for learning the German language, but also for socializing with other women. This is accomplished by providing child care parallel to the language courses that take place twice a week in the afternoon. These are offered for two different course groups and levels. Women participating in these courses have the opportunity to obtain a B1 language certificate. As part of the project “Müttersprache”, during certain course times, the organization offers day care for children of refugee women participating in the university's intensive German language courses. The organization is constantly looking for students from the University of Mannheim who would like to engage in volunteer work.

The Philipp-Schwartz-Initiative of the Humboldt Foundation is funding researchers with refugee background at German universities. Interested persons with a matching research field should directly contact a professor of the respective department at the University of Mannheim.

The Psychological Counseling Service (PBS) of the Studierendenwerk Mannheim serves as the first place to go in case of study-related or personal problems for students enrolled in the Mannheim region. Participants of the Intensive German language courses for prospective students with refugee status are being offered the opportunity of 2–3 counseling sessions regarding

• problems relevant to studying for example difficulties regarding time management, exam anxiety, stress or difficulties deciding on a subject of study
• personal and interpersonal  issues, for instance in the shape of family conflict, loneliness or homesickness
• a crisis that might arise when facing ambiguous future study perspectives or with feelings of despair

During the conversations, joint solutions are being searched for or – if required and of interest – other suitable places to go to are recommended. Appointments can be made either via email (pbs stw-ma.de) or phone (0621 49072–555).