Stage 4, First Week

First Week in Germany Toolkit

Day-by-day action guide for your first weeks in Germany. Tick off tasks as you go, progress saves in your browser.

Overall Progress0 / 45

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Day 1

Arrival

0/9

Clear customs: have passport, visa, and admission letter ready (all in carry-on!)

Get airport data, buy a starter SIM at the airport (o2, Telekom) OR activate roaming temporarily

💡 Airport SIMs are more expensive. Day 2 get a proper Aldi Talk or Congstar SIM for €10–15.

Withdraw €200–300 cash from airport ATM (Visa/Mastercard work; avoid currency exchange desks)

Download DB Navigator (called "DB: Reisen & Unterwegs" on Android) and Google Maps (save offline area for your city)

Travel to accommodation, use DB Navigator for trains, Google Maps for S/U-Bahn

Check in and collect your room key, ask reception about dorm internet (LAN registration or WiFi credentials via Studentenwerk portal)

Buy essentials at nearest supermarket (Rewe, Aldi, Lidl, Netto)

💡 Supermarkets close early on Sundays. Buy enough for 2 days on your first shop.

Book your Bürgeramt appointment for Anmeldung, do this TODAY, slots fill weeks ahead!

Find your city's booking link

Book your Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) appointment, check your visa validity and book today if you need a residence permit before it expires. Slots fill 4–6 weeks ahead in major cities.

💡 Not sure if you need an appointment? If your visa expires within 3 months of arrival, book immediately. National D-visas valid for 1+ year still require a follow-up appointment before they expire.

Day 2

Settle In

0/8

Explore your neighborhood: locate pharmacy, supermarket, nearest transport stops

Get a proper local SIM (Aldi Talk, Congstar, or Lidl Connect, €10–15 for starter pack with data)

Download your city's transport app (MVV, BVG, HVV, etc.) and plan your campus route

Set up your university email and Moodle / student portal

Set up university VPN (Cisco AnyConnect or equivalent): required for off-campus access to journals, library catalogue, and internal systems

💡 Download instructions are on your university IT portal or Rechenzentrum (computing center) website.

Contact your health insurance provider (TK, AOK, or Barmer) to start enrollment. You can apply before your IBAN arrives

💡 Submit your passport, enrollment letter, and visa. The Mitgliedsbescheinigung (membership certificate) typically arrives in 1–2 weeks and is needed for enrollment confirmation.

Compare TK, AOK, Barmer

Check your university orientation schedule and add dates to your calendar

Join any university WhatsApp or Telegram groups for your course

Days 3–4

Get Connected

0/8

Get biometric photos (Biometrisches Passbild) from a Fotoautomat at Aldi, dm, Rossmann, or Saturn, needed for Ausländerbehörde and student ID card

💡 Bring 2–3 copies. These machines are cheap (~€5) and produce compliant passport photos in minutes.

Open a German bank account, N26 or DKB (fully online via VideoIdent), or Commerzbank / Sparkasse in-person

💡 N26 ships the card to any European address, have it sent to your dorm or temporary accommodation. DKB uses online VideoIdent (no branch visit needed). Sparkasse has branches in virtually every city if you prefer in-person.

Set up health insurance SEPA direct debit once your German IBAN is active

Notify your blocked account provider (Expatrio/Fintiba) of your German address to unblock monthly releases

💡 You'll need your German IBAN to activate releases, check your provider's activation checklist as requirements vary (Expatrio typically also requires enrollment confirmation).

Get a library card at the university library

Locate the Studentenwerk office (housing, meals, counseling)

Find the Mensa (student cafeteria) and check the weekly menu

Check course enrollment deadlines, some modules close within the first week

Days 5–7

Anmeldung Sprint

0/7

Get Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord (mandatory for Anmeldung. They must provide it by law)

💡 If your landlord is slow, remind them it is required under § 19 BMG and they can be fined for delay.

Fill out the Anmeldungsformular (download from your city's portal in advance)

Attend your Bürgeramt appointment: bring: passport, visa, Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, completed Anmeldungsformular (rental contract helpful but not universally required)

Receive Anmeldebestätigung (registration certificate), keep multiple copies

Steueridentifikationsnummer (tax ID) will arrive by post within 2–4 weeks, watch your mailbox

Submit health insurance certificate to Immatrikulationsamt (enrollment office)

Submit semester fee payment proof if not already done

Week 2

University Setup

0/8

Attend orientation sessions (often mandatory, check schedule)

Collect your student ID card (Studierendenausweis) from the Studierendensekretariat

Set up your semester ticket (Deutschland-Semesterticket or local equivalent, check your university)

Find your departmental WhatsApp/Slack/Telegram group

Meet your academic advisor or program coordinator

Open a Mensa account if required (some universities use RFID card + top-up)

Check your Rückmeldung (re-enrollment) deadline for next semester. You must pay the semester fee again by the deadline to stay enrolled

💡 Deadlines are typically January (for summer semester) and July (for winter semester). Missing it can result in exmatriculation.

Ongoing

First Month

0/5

Watch for Steueridentifikationsnummer in your post (tax ID, needed for part-time jobs)

Set up a postal address check routine (German admin arrives by post!)

Apply for a Deutsche Bahn BahnCard 25 if you plan to travel (saves 25% on all DB tickets)

💡 ⚠️ BahnCard 25 auto-renews every year (€62.90). Set a calendar reminder to cancel at least 6 weeks before renewal if you don't plan to continue.

Explore student discounts: museums, theaters, and city transport often accept student ID

Build a budget spreadsheet, track EUR spend vs. your Sperrkonto monthly release

Bonus

Survival German Phrases

110

Police (Polizei)

112

Ambulance & Fire (Feuerwehr / Rettungsdienst)

116 117

Non-emergency medical (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst)

Ich brauche einen Arzt

I need a doctor

Bitte

Please

Danke

Thank you

Entschuldigung

Excuse me / Sorry

Tüte bitte

A bag, please (at supermarket checkout)

Wo sind die Toiletten?

Where are the toilets?

Zahlen bitte

The bill, please (at a restaurant)

Wo ist der Bahnhof?

Where is the train station?

Ich verstehe nicht

I don't understand

Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Do you speak English?

💡 Pronunciation: "sch" = sh · "ch" = kh · "ei" = eye · "ie" = ee · "ü" = ew · "ö" = er · "au" = ow

Useful Resources

Tools and links to help you settle in faster

DB Navigator / DB: Reisen & Unterwegs

Official German rail navigation, download before you fly

Ausländerbehörde, Book an Appointment

Each city has its own portal. Search "[your city] Ausländerbehörde Termin buchen", e.g. "Munich Ausländerbehörde Termin buchen"

Anmeldung City Guide

City-specific Bürgeramt booking links + required documents

Health Insurance Advisor

Compare TK, AOK, Barmer and DAK, get a personalised pick

Ask Ankit, WhatsApp

Questions about your first week? Ask directly on WhatsApp

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