Your first week abroad — Via Glowbal Travels

Before choosing your flight

Confirm your university’s in-person deadlines, campus address and any permitted late-arrival procedure directly with the institution.

Read your visa’s entry date and conditions; an offer letter is not permission to travel.
Budget for baggage, ground transport, a temporary stay and unexpected delays.
Plan arrival while your accommodation can receive you. Keep a workable option for a delayed flight.

Separate a first stay from a home

A short stay can support your housing search, but it does not establish that a property is suitable for a tenancy or local registration.

Confirm the actual campus location before comparing neighbourhoods.
Read the room or tenancy terms and verify the party receiving payment.
Check deposit, cancellation, utilities and any registration-document requirements separately.
Ask the university’s international office about its housing advice and arrival instructions.

Keep your essentials accessible

Carry the documents your airline, border authority and university require. Keep copies securely available rather than placing every copy in checked baggage.

Keep your accommodation address, arrival contact and university contact at hand.
Check passport, visa, insurance and enrolment documents against official instructions.
Plan phone connectivity, access to funds and the route from your arrival airport.
Check any post-arrival immigration, enrolment and address-registration steps for your own circumstances.

Germany: your first practical steps

Before your course starts: enrol

An admission offer and enrolment are different. Submit the offer’s required documents and semester payment within its deadline, then activate your student account and course registration.

Offer-to-enrolment guide →

Arrange the insurer notification

The university normally needs an electronic insurance-status notification from a German statutory insurer. An uploaded policy PDF alone may not complete enrolment.

Insurance confirmation explained →

After moving in: register your address

The general German rule is registration within two weeks of moving into a dwelling, with exceptions for some temporary stays. The housing provider’s confirmation is a separate document from the lease.

Housing, registration and exceptions →

Arriving in Italy instead?

University enrolment, residence-permit requirements and regional scholarship conditions are separate parts of your arrival. Start with the Italy route that matches your residence and visa status.

Italy admission and residence routes →

Germany sources reviewed 26 September 2026; detailed guides retain the rule, source and exceptions.

Common questions

Should I book travel as soon as I receive an offer?

Check remaining admission conditions, visa progress and the university’s arrival instructions first. Understand cancellation costs before committing.

Will a hotel provide all documents for residence registration?

Do not assume so. Confirm the local authority’s requirements and what the specific property can provide before booking.

Go to the official source

References checked 26 September 2026. Rules, fees and availability can change. Confirm current instructions for your own circumstances before committing.

Report a changed link or requirement