Leaving FAU
Before you leave Germany, there are a few things you need to do to ensure that you do not encounter any problems later and that you are able to continue your studies successfully at your home university. As the formalities vary for different types of students, we have organised the to-do lists according to target group.
Please remember to cancel your rental contract in time. You are usually required to give three months’ notice. There are also various other things you need to consider when you come to the end of your rental contract – from handing over your accommodation to having your deposit refunded.
You can find all the important information which you will need regarding moving out of your accommodation on our website.
You must de-register your German residence at least one week before leaving the country. You can de-register at the registration office in the area you live in. If you do not de-register properly, you will be considered as an illegal resident in Germany as the immigration authorities have not received confirmation that you have left the country. This can cause problems if you re-enter the country at a later date.
If you took out German health insurance, you will need to present confirmation that you have de-registered with the local authorities and end your contract. Make sure you also end your liability insurance contract.
Only close your German bank account when you have made all outstanding payments for rent, electricity, telephone, etc. for the entire duration of the contract. Before you leave, you can close your bank account in person and inform the bank on what date the account should be cancelled. This means that you can also withdraw your returned rent deposit from abroad if necessary.
Do not forget to cancel your television/radio licence, mobile phone and internet contracts, gym memberships or any other contracts which you have taken out in Germany in good time before you leave the country.
You do not need to go to the Student Records Office in person to de-register when you have finished studying at FAU. You are de-registered automatically once you have transferred the semester fee for the relevant semester.
You can obtain your Certificate of Attendance via the Mobility Online platform shortly before you leave FAU. Holiday periods will not be included on the certificate.
You can obtain your transcript of records via mein campus.
If you are an exchange student and are living in student accommodation provided by Student Services, your rental contract expires at the end of the semester. Even if you move out earlier, you will need to pay rent until the contract expires. You can either let Student Services continue to debit your German bank account (please make sure that there are sufficient funds left in the account) or you can pay the rest of the rent in a lump sum to the Student Services Payment Office (Kasse des Studentenwerks). You are not permitted to sublet a room provided by Student Services.
Make sure that you arrange a handover appointment with the accommodation manager in good time before you leave for a final room inspection and to return the key. Before the handover appointment:
Your deposit will only be returned if the room is in an acceptable state. Deposits may be returned to a German bank account or transferred to a foreign bank account.
If you have a direct contract with the utility providers for electricity or water, you will need to take a meter reading and notify the provider when you cancel your contract. Ensure that you pay any unpaid bills at this time.
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