Getting started

Welcome to Tübingen!

At the Tübingen AI Center, we have a large international community of researchers and staff from all over the world. Moving to another country can be challenging, so we have compiled a list of to-dos, tips, and tricks to help make the process and your start in Germany smoother.

Before and upon arriving in Germany, there are a few things you should take care of, which we will discuss in detail on the following subpages of this wiki:

• Visa and Work Permit
• Healthcare & Insurances
• Taxation and Finances
• Housing and Cost of Living

We also provide helpful tips and information about daily life and culture in Germany:

• Transportation and Mobility
• Social Life
• (Mobile) Phone Providers

📊 To get insights from our community, we conducted an internal survey among colleagues at the AI Center on many of the topics covered in the wiki. You can find the survey results in the corresponding subsections.

On the following pages, we will often refer to “The Welcome Center”. The Welcome Center is an institution of the University of Tübingen that supports employees from abroad who have moved or are planning to move to Germany. They provide invaluable assistance with visa procedures, finding accommodation, enrolling in German classes, finding a doctor, obtaining a Certificate of Conduct, and more. We strongly encourage you to register with them and visit their website.

Likewise, the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems offers a welcoming service for incoming international employees as part of their International Office (details can be found on their website).

Another useful resource for international researchers is the Max Planck Society’s guide to living and working in Germany.

This wiki is provided to assist newcomers who are moving to Tübingen, based on insights from our community. While we aim to provide accurate and reliable information, the AI Center makes no guarantees regarding its accuracy, completeness or suitability for any purpose, and accepts no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from the use of the wiki. If you come across any inconsistencies, outdated information or if you have any further suggestions, we encourage you to reach out to us at wiki＠tuebingen․ai. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!