First-Year Students
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 Semester BA Workshop
This semester, our introductory and familiarization event for new bachelor students will take place during the first week of the lecture period. We'll meet for about two hours each day to help you get settled and excited about your studies. We will always meet in seminar room 4130.00.03 (room 3 on the ground floor) at the SAI.
On the first day (October 13, 2025), we'll dive into the specifics of your Bachelor of Arts in South Asian Studies. You'll learn about the structure of the program, special requirements, and what makes studying here in Heidelberg so unique. This is also a great chance to meet some current students who can share their experiences and answer your questions.
The rest of the week is dedicated to language orientation. Each day, you’ll get to meet our language instructors and learn about the different languages taught at SAI. This is a perfect opportunity to explore your options before making a decision. You'll learn about:
- Tuesday: Sanskrit and Pali
- Wednesday: Hindi and Urdu
- Thursday: Bengali and Nepali
- Friday: Tamil and Sinhala
You only need to decide which language you'd like to pursue after you've had a chance to attend these sessions and speak with the instructors.
We look forward to meeting you!
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.
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. If you are looking for a shared apartment in Germany: then select WG (=Wohngemeinschaft) as the search term.
Public Transport
Students under 27 can purchase the D-Ticket JugendBW, older students can purchase the Deutschland-Ticket at the normal price.
The city of Heidelberg reimburses all first semester students once for the cost of their public transport ticket.
Course Catalog
Take a look at the course catalog and find out about the current course offerings in your modules. You can then discuss the details and your schedule with the registrar before your first semester starts.
Important Links
Here are some links that may help you with your move as well.