Planning Your Stay

• A valid passport for the proposed duration of your stay. If you wish to extend your stay, your passport must be valid for at least three more months beyond your scheduled return.
• A formal letter of invitation from the university or institute or your employment contract indicating the proposed duration of your stay.
• Proof of sufficient financial resources for the duration of your stay (employment contract, grant, your own financial resources).
• If necessary, an international driving licence
• Your vaccination card
• Four to six biometric passport photos for each relative travelling with you
• Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Birth certificates of children travelling with you

Language is the key to understanding people and a country’s culture. Although many of your colleagues at Leibniz University Hannover speak English, German language skills will be useful in everyday life, as well as for recreational activities. We therefore advise you to acquire basic language skills in German before your arrival.

Leibniz University Hannover offers German language courses for visiting researchers twice a year. For the exact dates, please contact the Welcome Centre.

You can also find German language courses here:

• Berlitz 
• Bildungsverein Soziales Lernen und Kommunikation e.V.  
• deuko Sprachschule 
• inlingua 
• ISK Institut für Sprachen und Kommunikation
• Volkshochschule Hannover