Refugees welcome at Kiel University!

Many refugees in Schleswig-Holstein and Kiel have already studied in their home countries and would like to complete their studies in Kiel. Others possess an eligible school-leaving-certificate that allows them to pick up their studies at an university.

Our university supports all refugees eligible for studying in preparing, starting or continuing their studies at Kiel University. We advise everyone interested in picking up her/his studies to get in touch with the International Center, Department Application & Admission of International Students, as early as possible!

four students in front of the university building

How to find the International Center

The International Center is located in Westring 400

Address:

  • International Center of Kiel University
    Referat Studierendenservice für ausländische Studierende
    Westring 400, Erdgeschoss
    24118 Kiel
     

Further information concerning the arrival

Office hours

 

Important notice:
Until further notice, there will be no personal consultation hours with staff members. However, you can still reach us:

 

Paulina Borzyszkowski
- Advisor to Refugee Students -


E-Mail: pborzyszkowski@uv.uni-kiel.de

phone: +49 431 880-4927
mobil:  +49 151 64191758

 

Artur Shageev
- Coordinator for Study Preparation & Support for Refugees and International Students  -

E-Mail:ashageev@uv.uni-kiel.de

 

Guest auditor offer for refugees at Kiel University

Many of the refugees coming to Kiel and Schleswig-Holstein have an excellent education and are therefore in principle qualified to study at Kiel University.

Nevertheless, the road to the regular course of study is long and difficult. There are not enough suitable language course offers for all refugees. Additionally, inflexible application deadlines and timewise uncoordinated language tests prevent a fast and soon start of studies. To tackle these problems Kiel University is currently working on a concept to offer refugees with suitable qualifications a perspective for future studies.

Every refugee with the qualification to study and with German or English knowledge (B1 or B2) can apply as guest auditor in an admission-free subject. You will be able to take examinations and to receive credits for the actual course of study.

Required Documents:

  • Application for guest auditors for refugees
  • Normal copies of the school leaving certificates (if possible all high school diplomas and University certificates that are available)
  • Proof of German or English knowledge (normal copies, also proofs from private language schools, transcripts, school certificates etc. will be accepted)
  • Formative Curriculum (Educational background in original language)
     

Process:

  1. Interested persons can contact Ms. Paulina Borzyszkowski by email pborzyszkowski@uv.uni-kiel.de or they can come to her consultation hours. These are regularly on  tuesdays from 1 - 3 p.m. and thursdays from 9 - 12 a.m.
  2. The International Center will check all your documents and only if they are sufficient, you will obtain the application form and ID for guest auditors from Ms. Borzyszkowski.
  3. Afterwards you have to go to the lecturers of the lectures/seminars (Univis) you are interested in and get their signatures on the application and the guest auditor ID
  4. Additionally, you have to talk to the course advisers to get their signature. This is obligatory.
  5. You can only choose seminars/lectures for the current semester!
  6. The complete documents (application and ID for guest auditors) with all the required signatures have to be submitted to the International Center and the fee of 20€ has to be paid there. The IC will stamp and sign the guest auditor ID.
  7. You can then visit the selected and confirmed lectures/seminars.
  8. After the successful participation and completion of the required examination you will have to go to the examination office and get a confirmation of the credits acquired so the credit points can be saved for future regular studies.

Instructions: How to find a seminar/lecture?

How to finance your studies

BAföG for Refugees

Approved refugees (refugees approved and entiteled to be granted asylum, refugees holding asylum status respectively subsidiary protection, BAföG § 8 Abs. 2 Nr. 1) will be able to apply for BAföG, irrespective of the time period they have been residing in Germany.

In the case of receiving BaföG, refugees are futhermore permitted to earn up to 4,800 € a year in addition. Starting 01.01.2016, same applies for people with exceptional leave to remain for humanitarian reasons, if already been residing in Germany for at least 15 months.

Asylum-seekers on whose application has not yet been decided, are not permitted to request BaföG. They are granted support in accordance with the Asylum Seekers’ Benefit Act (AsylbLG). After three months, refugees will be able to work under the condition that a priority check has occurred beforehand.

The AsylblG furthermore allows guest auditor status for refugees at Kiel University.

Support Program – Guarantee funds of Otto-Benecke-Trust

The support program appeals to younger migrants who are:

  1. interested in obtaining the general qualification for university entrance
  2. preparing for a course of study and are aiming at an academic career
  3. refugees, Jewish immigrants or late repatriates currently residing in Germany

Its purpose is fast social integration, especially focusing on continuing the education that was interrupted in the home country.

Böckler-campaign for education

The Hans-Böckler Trust (website only in German avaiable) set itself the goal to contribute more chance-equality in the German education-system by awarding scholarships. They want to support especially those people that do not see studying as a matter of course. They support young people that showed good performance by working in a trade union and/or that show commitment in social-political groups.

Deutschlandstipendium (Germany-Trust)

In the program of Deutschlandstipendium students in any phase of their studies and in any subject will be supported for over 1 year with 300 Euro per month. Most important condition – so says the German law - is that the career of the students let expect an outstanding performance in studies and work.

Solidarity fund of Friedrich-Ebert-Trust

The ground funding for foreigners (website only in German available) offers a financial help for an efficient study, a comprehensive seminar program that strengthens soft skills as well as professional skills and that gives interesting insights in the German social debates. PhD students get an all-round support, including financial security, professional mentors, networking with university-groups and working committees, plus a seminar comprehensive program and lasting international contacts.

Sponsorship for talented students in the academic area

The institute of sponsorship for talented students StipendiumPlus supports students who are participating in full time courses of study performed at public or publicly approved colleges (usually a university or advanced technical college). If respective requirements are fulfilled, it is possible to give support regarding international study or internship programs that are promoting the particular field of study.

Useful Information for refugees

Information about Studying in Germany from the DAAD (German Academic Exchnage Service)

You would like to study in Germany? Great! Here you find many useful information about studying and living in Germany...

Flüchlinge in Schleswig-Holstein - Refugees Welcome

The Flüchtlingsportal - gives informations in german, arabic, farsi, english, russian and tigrinya for asyl , Schleswig-Holstein, german-courses und contact persons.

Bildungsberatung

The site Bildungsberatung Garantiefonds Hochschule consults you to the topics language courses, estimation of your academic status, choice of subject for your studies and to the procedure of getting you in the german academic working market. The next office is in Hamburg, but you can also contact them via phone or email.

Science4Refugees matches talented refugees and asylum seekers who have a scientific background with positions in universities and research institutions that are 'refugee-welcoming organisations' and that have suitable positions available, including internships and part-time and full-time jobs.

The Hochschulkompass offers you a detailed summary  of the german universities and extensive searching possibilities. So you can narrow your search down by filters for type of college, funding body, federal state or location. To that you can find information about the leaders of the college, pressoffices, study consultants and other contact persons at the university.

Online-Kurse

The site ready4study grants you access to an online-course which prepares you detailed to study in germany. The course is for free and refers to topics, like constructing your timetable, important buildings and offices at a university und informations to finance your studies.

At  DUO - Deutsch-Uni-Online you will find online-courses with different difficulty levels and different price-classes. Some courses also prepare your vocabulary especially for a specific subject, like law, business and medicine. Also working-specific courses can be taken.

On the website of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung a list of diverse and pracitcal tips and links to online-lectures, radio-stations for refugees, the german constitution and many more can be found.

Lern-Apps