In order to become a PhD student at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) there are several possiblities.

More information about PhD or Postdoc applications can be found here.

Once you've got a PhD position at the AWI, please check what kind of visa you need in order to come and do your PhD in Germany.

The AWI Guest House (HavenHostel) is the best option in the beginning. Once you are in Bremerhaven you can more easily search for other types of accommodation.

For booking the guest house please contact Frau Davidis (Edith.Davidis@awi.de).

Alternatively, you can contact us directly (Dokteam(at)awi.de) and we can help you with finding accommodation.

There have been problems in the past with the newly established HavenHostel. The HavenHostel is easily overbooked during the summer months as many guest scientists stay there during this time, many internships take place, and many PhD students start their position. Although in theory the HavenHostel has 32 beds, only 16 are normally on offer. This is done so that every person has a room to herself/himself (each room has two beds).

There are several other accommodation options: the Seemannsheim (Schifferstr. 11) and the Bremerhavener Gaestehaus (Hafenstr. 127), which offer different rates, and are generally a good alternative to the HavenHostel. For further information and questions about accommodation, please get in touch with the DokTeam.

The AWI has a mentoring system which will try to get each new international PhD and Master student into contact with an experienced PhD student, who is helping him/her to find accommodation, set up a bank account, find their way around at the AWI, the university, in Bremerhaven, in Germany, etc. You can contact Vibe.Schourup-Kristensen(at)awi.de if you have further questions and/ or wish to participate in the mentoring programme.

1. Things you need to organize in advance

- please check if, and what kind of visa you need

- please bring a valid passport, which will not expire during your stay in Germany. If your passport is going to expire (EU citizens) then it is possible to get a new one at your country's embassy. You will probably have to travel to a major city, e.g. Berlin, to do so.

- notify e.g. the town hall/ citizen centre. (the place where you register) that you will move to Germany, same applies for your insurances.

- it could be useful to inform your bank that you will be in Germany to avoid them momentarily freezing you bank account once you use you credit card in Germany

- you are going to need a valid ID to do anything, from opening a bank account to buying a phone. Unless you have a valid EU ID card, you will need to use your passport.

- the AWI has a guest house, where you might want to stay the first couple of weeks until you find your own apartment/flat. However, rooms tend to fill up quickly especially during the summer months, so please make reservations early (see accommodation part above).

2. Important documents to bring along (next to visa and passport)

- to enroll at a German university you might need officially approved translations of you university diplomas (also include the score list, in some country when mentioned diploma certifications are not including score list.). Please bring them along with the originals.

- some money, i.e. euros, might come in handy as soon as you get to Germany, so changing some money beforehand is a good idea. Try to get smaller notes such as €10 or €20 as notes that are higher than €50 may not be accepted at shops. It is important to have some money available during the first weeks as the AWI does not pay you until the end of the month. If you start mid-way through a month you will not be paid until the end of the following month.

- driving licence: You will have to exchange your driving license for a European/German one within 6 months of arrival. Some licences can simply be exchanged without the need for lessons. If you are an EU citizen make sure you get an EU license before you arrive to avoid this problem.

- a copy of your dental records will help greatly when you go to a new dentist.

3. German Culture & Language

- many travel books about Germany also include valuable information about German habits and customs. This might be very valuable information!

- a small German dictionary is also useful

- check out ExPat forums, to find out what other people of your nationality had problems with when moving to Germany. For native English speakers we recommend www.toytowngermany.com

4. Others

- try and arrange for someone from your new department to meet you at the airport if possible. If you wish to take part in the mentoring programme this might be arranged with your mentor.

- please let your advisor or somebody else in you new working group know, who to contact in case of an emergency.

- if you use glasses get a copy of your prescription so it is easier to get replacement contact lenses etc.

- Germany has very strict laws regarding medicine and supplements (e.g. vitamins). If you are have medication which you are bringing into the country make sure you get a doctors letter stating the medicine is for you. They will accept this in German or English.