Step Three: Moving to Cologne

Fachhochschule Köln
Cologne University of Applied Sciences

Though you may be unclear on the different terms associated with your exchange, as I was at first, there is a major difference between acceptance and enrollment at a university. The city of Cologne demanded my matriculation paper which is a specific document from my host university that details my enrollment at their institution. In order to obtain this piece, I needed to seek out the international office which is a short walk through a park filled with large, aging trees that stretch upward toward the sky and outward to greet the small children running through their shaded gaze. The building itself is majestic in its age and stature with three sets of iron clad doors that both beckon and prohibit entry; her back faces the long and wide stretch of the river Rhine that wanders with a wink toward the cluster of students filing in and out of the doors. I made my way into the quiet gut of this stone-cold building and sought the directory which was helpful for all who spoke the native tongue of Deutschland. For me, however, it became a riddle of numbers, letters and hallways. After a bit of confused wandering, which had not gone unnoticed by an older gentleman behind a desk on the opposite side of the lobby who offered a corner of a smile to me, I made my way down a sunken hallway and sought out the esteemed coordinator from whom I had received so many cordial communications.

The architecture of Cologne has
 a character of its own

The process itself, after having finally found the lady who was much more vibrant than I had imagined, was fairly straightforward and proved to offer few speed bumps. I had arrived more than a month earlier than expected and was greeted with surprise but not with refusal. It seemed to be that I was on my own until September when the student benefits would start to kick in, though I had mentally prepared myself for such a case. My passport and insurance exemption form were requested with a smile and a well-prepared, well-accented English tongue. Just a few moments, simple questions and colorful, welcoming brochures later, I was on my way to picnic under the convivial trees with a sandwich and many forms through which to rifle. With another step completed, I paused to breathe in the delicious Cologne air before running off to find the registration office and the infamous “Laurenplatz” with just a notebook of address and a good head for maps.

The International Office of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences is located at Claudiusstrasse 1, room 56. They are open from 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. Be sure to ask about the ‘Karibu’ program for incoming international students. 

Step Two: Moving to Cologne

The second component in the moving to Cologne on exchange was that of insurance papers. I was required to take the insurance policy offered by the international office at my home university, so I applied for those papers in March of 2012. Because I was planning to be abroad for 15 months in total, my coordinator somehow ran across some speed bumps in the paperwork process. Despite my requests, continuous reminders and pleas for coverage, my insurance policy arrived not only more than 3 months after I requested it but after I had been abroad for one month already. Going abroad without insurance coverage is extremely risky and I would not advise it. Paranoia can grip you, trust me. Though it’s always important to be careful when traveling, the risk of being uncovered is not worth it and I advise you to take matters into your own, capable hands when it comes to this. Every coordinator has a supervisor. Don’t let one person’s apathy or refusals discourage you from pursuing your new adventure and dreams (in more cases than just this one).

Being in Cologne on business
yields interesting discoveries

Once you receive your policy from your home institution or if you have coverage from a parent’s policy that reaches the borders of your new home, you will need to file with the city of Cologne (or wherever you’re going in Germany) to receive an exemption form. This form is required to enroll in your host university. I tried to organize the last four components to be on one day trip to Cologne, in order of their required papers. I made my way to the office with the first train from Siegen at 5 am and arrived as soon as their doors opened 8 am. Be sure to check the address, opening hours, required documents and directions to the office you seek. Having all of this information with you will make your journey so much easier.

I emailed the office ahead of time to make sure that there would be someone who spoke English, to verify the hours and address, and to make sure that they could fulfill my needs accordingly. Check. The process itself was not so complicated. The secretary was very helpful and sought someone who understood my language better than he; the new girl input all of my information from my lease agreement as proof of address, my passport as proof of identity, and my policy papers as proof of insurance. They then printed two documents for me: one for my host university in order to enroll and the other for the city of Cologne in order to apply for my residence permit. Graciously, they offered me a free planner to help with my studies and reviewed all the information that I would need to know.

A stroll through Cologne from office to office

You can use a few different offices around the city to complete this task, but the one I used was the AOK Rheinland on Zulpicher Strasse 58. They are open from 8 am to 4 pm and you can visit their website at www.aok.de/rh

Next stop, running to my new university to enroll! I was wearing a nice, business casual outfit with a backpack full of papers, snacks and a train ticket. Don’t mess with this girl, she’s got an agenda. 

Step One: Moving to Cologne

Moving to a new city can be daunting, but I’ve done it several times now in three different countries, so I want to share the process for the future ease of those to follow me. I am the first student from the University of Northern Colorado to embark on an exchange to the Cologne University of Applied Sciences so I take my ambassadorship very seriously. I will document it, so take notes before you jump on the plane to follow me. My mistakes shall become your successes and my successes shall become your triumphs.

The riverbank of the Rhine river in
Cologne, Germany as I awaited my bus to the airport.

There are five major components (lease, insurance, enrollment, registration, and residence permit) that I have discovered must be solved in moving to Germany. I will cover each of these separately.


The first of these is finding somewhere to live because proof of housing is a requirement for each of the next steps. As an exchange student, it is very valuable to check with your university, fellow students and blogs for advice as to what types of housing are both available to you and would best fit your needs. In France, I lived with a host family and it was the perfect link for me to learn French as well as study the daily home life and culture of true French citizens. For others, living in a host home may equal loss of freedom or too similar an image of that which awaits them in their home country. Since I have already experienced a homestay, I decided to seek other options as I embarked on my newest adventure. I used a site called www.housinganywhere.com which is a network for both interns and exchange students to sublease housing. I first had to contact my host university in Cologne for the password to this site, and then I flipped through the ads based on their geographical location, price and duration of availability. After having sent several brief messages of introduction and inquiry, I received only one in return after replying to each offer twice. I offered to immediately come to Cologne to look at the place and discuss a contract. Housing is hard to find in a big city and, when it becomes available, it is generally very quickly snatched up. Being flexible and making consistent communication with your landlord or lease-holder is pertinent to obtaining a contract.

I was setting off for Cyprus via Cologne with Björn, my German boyfriend, on the afternoon of a Wednesday in July, so we took an earlier train to Cologne and met David, a German student who would be spending a year abroad on internship.  The apartment was beautiful, spacious and very cheap for only 280 euro a month, including water, electricity and internet. Most leases do not include the utilities, so make sure to check before signing anything. Rent in Cologne can be anywhere from 250-400 euro per month for a place close to the university so be sure to also know what you can afford and make a list of your expectations as you search for a place. I had asked David to prepare a contract before my arrival and we discussed all aspects of the exchange in English. The contract, however, was in German so I asked Björn to look over it before I signed.

With everything settled, I had a receipt of my down payment on the apartment (this can be anywhere between 400 and 900 euro depending on the length of the contract and request of the leaseholder), and a contract for 11 months; David and I each held copies of all pertinent documents. You will need copies of your lease or sublease contract to show during the next very important steps of your exchange, so hang on to it!

The famous Dom in Cologne, Germany.
Many people sit on her steps to wait for
trains at the HBF across the plaza.

After that was settled, I walked down the streets of my soon to be home with my first lease tucked safely in my bag and the firm hold of my handsome translator leading the way to a plane en route to paradise. Step one, nailed it. Move in date: August 21^st. The excitement was building in my gut; with each step I came closer to my new life. I knew that something big was in the air, just whispering at me to keep climbing the difficult steps to my future.  

For housing in Cologne, I searched with the following that may be helpful for you:
www.housinganywhere.com
http://germany.accommodationforstudents.com/Koln.asp
http://www.kstw.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315&Itemid=11&lang=en (This is the Student Housing site that operates for the universities in Cologne)