Before departure

Back to the homeland

Before you leave Bielefeld and Germany again, there are some points you should consider before you leave:

• Give notice (in writing!) at least 3 months before you move out.
• Arrange an appointment with your landlord or landlady to hand over your flat and keys.

1. Tip: Take a German-speaking colleague or friend with you to this appointment.
2. Tip: At this meeting, agree on when and how your deposit is to be transferred → Landlords can retain part of the deposit up to 12 months after the end of the year due to the service charge statement!

• Read your meters for water, electricity and gas and submit them to the providers together with your notice of termination. Inform the providers of your new residential address.
• Notify your statutory health insurance about your departure. If necessary, cancel your private health insurance and other insurances (e.g. liability, accident insurance). Inform us of your new home address.
• Please let us know the date you are leaving Bielefeld and Germany, as well as your new contact details, so that we can contact you in the future (if necessary).
• Cancel cable TV, your German telephone contracts, as well as any other subscriptions you may have completed during your stay in Bielefeld (e.g. magazines, memberships in sports clubs/fitness studios, etc.).

For employees:

• Make an appointment with the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bielefeld and inform them about your departure from Germany. They will inform you about your pension contributions and your options regarding pension contributions. You can find information here.
• Inform the VBL about your departure from Germany. Get information about your pension contributions and your options regarding the supplementary pension. https://www. vbl.de/

 

For doctoral students:

• Exmatriculate at the Student Office of Bielefeld University.

7 days before departure:

• Return borrowed books to the University library.
• Return your key to the research team, research unit, research group
• Have your remaining UniCard balance paid out (Studierendenwerk)
• Close your current account at the bank as soon as you no longer need it
• Deregister your address with the city of Bielefeld
• Deregister your broadcasting fee. To do this, upload the deregistration form from the city of Bielefeld using the following link
• Become an alumnus of the alumni network of Bielefeld University! alumni@uni-bielefeld.de
• Were you satisfied with your flat in Bielefeld? If so, please let us know briefly so that we can advise newly arriving Researchers on finding accommodation.