As an incoming student at SAI in Heidelberg, you are entering a new phase of your life, which can bring many new challenges: starting your studies, moving to Heidelberg, maybe even to Germany. It is understandable that you have many questions at the beginning, which include not only your studies at SAI, but also questions about living in Heidelberg or official matters such as finding an apartment, registering with a health insurance company, buying a SIM card or the student ticket for the public transport, city registration, or visa matters.
We have put together some information and contact options on this page so that you can quickly find your way around and get settled in.
First-Year Students
First Semester BA Workshop
For our new bachelor students, we offer an introductory and familiarization event at SAI every winter semester one week before the start of the lecture period.
On the first day, we discuss the details, special requirements and the structure of your studies here in Heidelberg. Our language instructors will introduce the languages taught at SAI. If you do not know which language to choose before the start of your studies, you will have the chance to inform yourself extensively and to get to know the instructors. In the afternoon of the first day, lecturers and professors from each department at SAI will come and present the current research topics and planned courses. In addition to a language, you also choose a thematic focus in the Bachelor's program. You need to decide on this by the end of the second semester at the latest.
On the second day you will get to know the student council at a joint breakfast and in the afternoon you will have the opportunity to discuss your individual study plan for the first semester with the registrar.
The schedule for the Winter Semester 2023/24 - First Semester BA Workshop can be found
here.
First Year MA students
Master students at the South Asia Institute can start their studies in the winter as well as in the summer semester. Many of our master students also need a visa when they come to Germany. Many years of experience show that our new Master students often arrive at very different times at the beginning of their studies, sometimes only in the second week of the lecture period. Therefore, we are unfortunately not able to offer a joint semester start event. All new students are therefore asked to make a personal appointment with the registrar as soon as they arrive in Heidelberg. The registrar will then plan the first semester and all courses to be attended in detail together with you.
All new Master's students get to know each other in mandatory courses (General Institute Requirements: Acedemic Working Skills an the Gernder and Difference Workshop in the winter semester / Academic Writing in the summer semester) starting in the first week of classes.
Traditionally, a master event is held by the student council in the first month of the lecture period (beginning / mid of November in winter or May in summer). This gives our new master students the chance to get to know all master students at SAI.
Matriculation deadline
The matriculation deadline will be indicated in your admission letter. If you are unable to meet the deadline, contact us in a timely manner.Admitted students who need a visa to enter Germany should not matriculate until they have received their visa.
Where can I search for apartments and dorms?
Admission to Heidelberg does not include a place in a student dormitory: you must find accommodation on your own.The Studierendenwerk Heidelberg manages the student dormitories in Heidelberg and also has a database with private offerings: https://www.stw.uni-heidelberg.de/en/living
The application for a dormitory place at the Studierendenwerk should be completed by July 15 for the winter semester and by January 15 for the summer semester. You can apply for a dormitory even if you have not yet received an admission to one of our study programs. If you apply for a place in a dormitory after the specified dates, you will usually automatically end up on a waiting list and have less chance of getting a room for the desired semester.
You should therefore also use other providers to look for accommodation. E.g.:
If you are looking for a shared apartment in Germany: then select WG (=Wohngemeinschaft) as the search term.
Public Transport
Students can purchase the so-called Semesterticket in Heidelberg. This allows them to use all public transport (buses, streetcars and local trains) in Heidelberg, Mannheim and the surrounding smaller towns. The ticket is valid for one semester. Here you can find all information about the ticket, the purchase and the price of the ticket.The city of Heidelberg reimburses all first-semester students once for the price of the semester ticket. Here you can find the website with the application form (website is available in German only).