Important Information

Contracts:

• Do not sign any agreement or contract that you have not thoroughly read and understood. Even German-speaking students must remember to read the fine print!
• No contract must be signed immediately. Legitimate contracting parties will often allow at least 24 hours for you to think things over. If you are pressured to sign a contract immediately, then you should be very suspicious.

Internet purchases:

• Never submit the secret PIN number to your credit card. If a website asks you for this number, then it is not a legitimate website.
• Be cautious when signing contracts with companies that advertise free incentives for signing (for example, a phone company that advertises worldwide free SMS texting). No company gives their product away for free, and these companies often make their money back by charging exorbitant fees over long periods of time (which are only mentioned in the fine print of the contract). Unfortunately, these contracts are still legally binding.

Bank accounts:

• Bank accounts must contain sufficient funds for all withdrawals. Insufficient funds result in monetary penalties which, if they remain unpaid, accumulate into debt.
• For example, after two months of insufficient funds, health insurance coverage is terminated, and if large amounts of debt are accrued, students may lose their student visas (permits to live in the country).
• Bills must be paid by their stated deadline and if the money has not been received by that deadline, you will receive an overdue notice or warning letter in the mail.
• If you receive an overdue notice, respond immediately! With every overdue notice, the amount of money owed only increases and: 1st overdue notice -> 2nd overdue notice -> action taken by a debt collector = enforcement under the law -> legal action in the form of a lawsuit = conviction of a crime -> the loss of your student visa (permit to live in the country)!

Health insurance:

• Health insurance is very important, as an unforeseen accident can generate tremendous costs. Without insurance, a ride in an ambulance costs upwards of 200€, a stay in the hospital costs 300€ a day, and a stay in the emergency room costs 1500€ a day.
• Students must ensure that their bank accounts contain sufficient funds for their health insurance even when they are away on vacation or at an internship. In worst case scenarios, terminated health insurance can also result in the loss of their student visas (permits to live in the country).

Mailbox:

• Check your mailbox at least twice a week.
• German authorities send letters, not e-mails, so if you receive a letter in German, make sure to have someone translate it for you.
• If you are on vacation or away for a longer period of time, give your mailbox key to a trusted friend, as well as any information necessary for them to sign for your letters and packages (for example your first name, last name, birth date, nationality, and address). If you are still in Germany, you can also have your mail forwarded to your new address.