Everything that is the same in every city

Before you go: GJU requirementsGJU

GJU only lets you start the German Year once these are done. The exact conditions, deadlines and fees are set by GJU and can differ by school and intake, so confirm each one with your Exchange Coordinator and the International Affairs Department.

• Check you meet the German Year eligibility conditionsGJU sets a minimum GPA and a minimum number of completed credit hours (German levels not counted) for your school. Your GPA must still meet the minimum when you leave.
  Check Official Website: GJU: eligibility to start the German Year
• Meet the German language requirementFinish the required German courses and level (B1 track or above) as set in the GJU language regulations. Ask early what happens if you have not passed the last level before departure.
  Check Official Website: GJU: German language regulations for the German Year
• Apply through your Exchange CoordinatorSubmit the German Year application through your school's Exchange Coordinator and the International Affairs Department so you are placed on the outgoing list and matched with a partner university.
  Check Official Website: GJU: terms to start the German Year
• Complete any training your study plan requires firstSome schools require field training in Jordan before the German Year. Check your study plan and finish it in time.
  Check Official Website: GJU: German Year manual (PDF)
• Pay the German Year fee before the GJU deadlineGJU charges an organisational fee for the German Year. Check the current amount, deadline and cancellation rules with GJU before you pay.
  Check Official Website: GJU: German Year manual (PDF)

Before you flyAmman

• Apply for a dorm room as soon as applications openApplications usually open several months before the semester starts, and rooms go first come, first served. You can often apply before your admission letter arrives; confirm via the link in the follow-up email.
  Check Official Website: Find your city's Studierendenwerk
• Open the blocked account (Sperrkonto)You deposit €11,904 for a 12-month stay (the 2026 amount), paid out to you at €992 a month. Providers such as Fintiba let you open it online in minutes, and it is accepted for the visa. Add a little extra for transfer fees, and check the amount again if you apply in a new year.
  Check Official Website: German Federal Foreign Office: visas Check Official Website: Fintiba blocked account
• Get the student visaBook your embassy appointment as early as you can. The visa fee is €75. The required documents and booking method are set by the embassy.
  Check Official Website: German Embassy Amman
• Choose health insuranceHealth insurance is required to enrol. Compare the public insurers, and get travel insurance for the first days until it starts.
  Compare TK and AOK
• Pack the document folderPassport, visa, biometric photos, admission letter, GJU documents, transcripts, insurance letter, rental contract, and paper copies of everything. Bring enough cash for the first days.
• Activate your semester ticketIf your university already sent it, activate it before you land so you can take the train from the airport.
  Check Official Website: Deutschlandticket (official site)

Week 1Your host city

• Pick up your keys and sign the rental contractAsk for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation). You need it to register your address.
• Register your address (Anmeldung)At your city's Bürgeramt within the legal deadline after moving in (usually about two weeks). Book online and keep your Meldebescheinigung safe.
  Check Official Website: Your city's Bürgeramt
• Enrol and collect your student cardYour host university sets the enrolment steps and documents. The card is usually your student ID, Mensa wallet and ticket proof.
  Your host university's portal
• Open a German bank accountAn online bank or a local branch. Your blocked-account money is paid out here.
  Compare banks
• Buy a SIM cardPrepaid is easiest. You need your passport to activate it.
  Compare plans
• Go to the International Office orientationMeet your buddy and the other new students, and ask about every local procedure.

First monthSettling in

• Apply for the residence permitAt your city's immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) before your visa expires. The fee is €100. The office itself sets the documents and appointments.
  Check Official Website: Your city's Ausländerbehörde
• Register the broadcast fee (Rundfunkbeitrag)€18.36 a month per flat, mandatory; in a shared flat one person pays and the others share it. Register on the official site.
  Check Official Website: Rundfunkbeitrag (official site)
• Sign the learning agreementConfirm your courses with your host coordinator and GJU so your credits transfer. GJU sets the recognition rules.
  Check Official Website: German Jordanian University (GJU)
• Start applying for your internshipThe internship is the second half of the German Year, and companies hire months ahead.
  Internship hub
• Keep your tax ID letterYour Steuer-ID arrives by post after the Anmeldung. Every employer will ask for it.
• Consider liability insurancePrivate liability insurance (Haftpflicht) is usually cheap and covers accidents such as a broken window or a flooded bathroom.