Studentenwerk Leipzig

A short consultation lasts 30 minutes and can be held in English, German or French.

Counselling can be done in the following ways: 

• by telephone
• by video counselling via Big Blue Button
• or in person on site (depending on the infection situation and on request)

You can book an appointment in our online booking calendar. 

The open telephone consultation hour at the HGB can be used without prior appointment. 

Social Counsellor Franziska Hülß
 

• Wächterstraße 11, 04107 Leipzig, Room 3.44a
• +49 1761 9659 667
• Counselling in English, French and German
• Thursday 10.00-12.00 noon

• Hardship fund loan without guarantee
  • Students suffering from an acute or temporary financial emergency through no fault of their own have, as a rule, the opportunity to apply for financial aid once during their studies. The financial support can be applied for as a interest-free loan without guarantee or as a grant.
• Mensa children's card and children's plate

  • Studentenwerk Leipzig support students with children by means of the Mensa children’s card. This card entitles children of students of Leipzig’s universities, starting from the 1st birthday until they reach the age of 10, to receive one free warm meal per day and per child at the student restaurants run by Studentenwerk Leipzig.

• Participation in cultural or sporting events

  • KulturLeben Leipzig & Region has been enabling people with particularly low incomes to participate in the cultural life in Leipzig and the surrounding area free of charge. The Social Counselling Service is social partner of the project and provides support for the application.

• "Freitisch" voucher
  • ​​​​​​​Students facing a financial hardship they are not responsible for can apply for a "Freitisch" voucher at the Social Counselling service. This voucher is added to the current student card or Mensa card. With the help of the voucher meals and beverages can be purchased in the Studentenwerk's Mensas and Cafeterias.​​​​

What? Come by to this International Meet Up, ask your questions, drink tea, get to know other students and have fun.

• How to settle down in Leipzig? Tips, tricks and information by two experienced social counsellors from Studentenwerk Leipzig.
• What’s going on in town? Events, news, offers for students in Leipzig and more.
• What´s on your mind right now? Bring your questions, thoughts and ideas. 

For whom? Students from all Leipzig universities who feel they belong to the group of international students

Location, dates and more information can be found here on this website. 

You don't want to miss any news and events of the Studentenwerk Leipzig for international students? Then you can subscribe to our e-mail distribution list. To do so, please send an e-mail to sozialberatung {{ätt}} studentenwerk-leipzig {{punkt}} de. You can unsubscribe at any time by sending a short e-mail to the same address.

Besides studying, there are other issues that are important in everyday life. For example, there are various ways for students to finance their studies, one of the most common being taking a job. Also, when a child comes into the family, this influences study planning or financing. Previous (financing) plans have to be rethought. Likewise, studying can bring further challenges if a chronic illness or impairment plays a role in daily life.

That is why we offer regular information events in German and English on these topics. You can find an overview of the contents and date details in the overview of our online offers.

In Germany, every resident has to pay the license fee. This is to finance the public service media.

• The license fee currently costs 18,36€/month.
• The fee must be paid from the 1st month you are registered in Germany.
• You must register yourself with the license fee service. If you do not do this, the license fee service will contact to you by post after a few months to demand the unpaid fees.
• Only students who receive BAföG can be exempted. International students must pay the contribution, regardless of how long they will live in Germany and how they finance themselves.
• Whether your room in the hall of residence counts as a single flat or whether you can register a shared flat with roommates varies from hall of residence to hall of residence.

You can find a lot of information about the license fee (explanatory videos, info in different languages, info for students) and registration on the website of the license fee service.

NON EU/EEA

• International students who are not from the EU or EEA are allowed to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. They do not need separate approval from the Employment Agency ("Agentur für Arbeit") for this. A half day is considered up to 4 hours of working time and anything over 4 hours is considered a full day. Half days and full days can be combined and holidays or sick days do not count as working days.
• However, international students who are not from the EU are not allowed to simply work on a self-employed or freelance basis. This must be discussed with the foreigners authority beforehand.
• Students with a part-time job must have proof of how many days a year they work.
• If you want to work more than 120 full days or 240 half days, you need the approval of the Foreigners' Registration Office ("Ausländerbehörde").
• An exception is work as an academic or student assistant: as long as your studies are not at risk, this can be done for an unlimited period of time. However, the Foreigners' Registration Office must still be informed if you want to work as a scientific or student assistant.

EU/EEA

• In principle, the following applies: Students from the European Union and the European Economic Area are practically equal to German students and have free access to the German labour market. You are considered a regular student and not an employee if your job does not involve more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period.
• Since May 2011, students from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia have also been able to work alongside their studies under the same conditions as German students.

STUDY PREPARATION

• During the preparation for studies (language course, preparatory course), employment is only permitted during the lecture-free period between semesters and approval from the Foreigners' Registration Office and the Employment Agency is required.

For job hunting, we recommend the job agency of Studentenwerk Leipzig.

You can find all the important information about this on the official page for the City of Leipzig.

According to German law, all students, including international students, studying at a university in Germany need statutory or private health insurance. In order to register at a university in Leipzig, you need your health insurance certificate and must present it for enrolment. Sufficient insurance cover is very important so that you do not have to bear the costs yourself in the event of, for example, a necessary operation, required psychotherapy or the birth of a baby in hospital. This can be very expensive. Therefore, inform yourself very well about what your chosen health insurance company will cover and do not immediately take out the cheapest health insurance.

The Psychosocial Counselling Service of the Studentenwerk Leipzig offers support. The offer is confidential, free of charge and is adapted to their individual needs.

People who come from an EU member state or from Iceland, Lichtenstein or Norway do not need a residence title if they have a right to freedom of movement under the Freedom of Movement Act/EU (FreizügG/EU).

All others must go to the Foreigners' Registration Office ("Ausländerbehörde") for an appointment. First, however, you must register your residence or your new address with the City of Leipzig and you will be issued with a registration certificate.  More information is available on the website of the City of Leipzig. 

Then you go to the Foreigners' Registration Office ("Ausländerbehörde") with your registration certificate and register your residence for the purpose of studying in Leipzig.

In general, it can be said that Psychosocial Counselling deals with issues around coping with stress and difficult situations in studies and everyday life, while Social Counselling deals with issues around financing options, studying with a residence permit, studying with a child, studying with a chronic disease, etc.

In principle, there are many concerns that are relevant to both Social Counselling and Psychosocial Counselling. For example, the question of whether a semester of leave due to illness or heavy stress makes sense includes not only the aspect of how to use the time to feel better and ready to study again ( Psychosocial Counselling), but often also the question of financing during this time ( Social Counselling). For this reason, Psychosocial Counselling and Social Counselling work closely together on many issues - provided the consent of the student concerned.

If you are unsure which of the two counselling services you should visit (first), you are welcome to send us an email to sozialberatung {{ätt}} studentenwerk-leipzig {{punkt}} de and ask for an assessment.

You can also have a look at our video below.