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War in Ukraine: Support Offers

The team of the International Office is deeply saddened by the war in Ukraine. We will do everything in our power to support the affected students, doctoral candidates and scientists to the best of our abilities. Below we have compiled an overview with the most important information, which will be updated continuously. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us, we are here for you.

Counselling

The International Office offers counselling for students, doctoral candidates and scientists, e.g. for problems in organising studies, applications for extending residence permits, financial hardship, scientists at risk abroad. Here are your contact partners:

Students: Gritt Eisenkopf

Tel.: 0345 55 21535

Doctoral candidates: N.N.

Tel.: 0345 55 21745

Scientists: N.N.

Tel.: 0345 55 21538

The DAAD's National Academic Contact Point Ukraine also offers initial orientation:

We also receive offers from students and doctoral candidates who offer  their own help in the current situation, especially for translations, but also for other things such as donations in kind or medication. For  this we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you would like to  take advantage of this support or offer help yourself, please contact us  and we will arrange the contact.

Information for Prospective Students

Ukrainian students and pupils of the 11th grade, who are currently residing in Germany according to § 24 of the Residence Act, can take up or continue their planned or started studies at our university. Please note, however, that language skills - mostly in German, less so in English - are required for studying at our university. These must be proven by means of certain certificates. You can read more about this in German or English on the website of the Admissions Office: www.uni-halle.de/apply.

The Landesstudienkolleg Halle Department will be offering an additional B1 course for Ukrainian refugees starting in May; please register for this exclusively through the Studienkolleg. https://www.studienkolleg.uni-halle.de/foerderkurse/ School-leavers in the 11th grade should contact Dr. Krüger at the Landesstudienkolleg directly in spring 2022 (katrin.krueger@studienkolleg.uni-halle.de). However, an application to the Studienkolleg is still only possible and necessary via uni-assist.

Medical students unfortunately only have a chance to transfer to our university if they have a very advanced degree (with at least 4 years of study). For this purpose, they need a credit transfer notification; for information on this, please refer to the following link: https://www.uni-halle.de/ssc/bewerbungsinformationen/ba-ma-studium/#anchor3277850

With a proof of your current studies in Ukraine, you can also take advantage of the guest study program at our university for one or two semesters. According to the current legal situation, however, you will need German health insurance for this, which is associated with additional costs.

We will be happy to answer inquiries with specific details about your school-leaving qualification, previous studies and German language level via ssc@uni-halle.de.

Funding Opportunities for Students

Financial support according to the Federal Education Support Act (BAföG)

Since June 6, 2022, refugee students from  Ukraine have the opportunity to apply for financial support according  to the Federal Education Support Act (BAföG).

Prerequisites for this are:

• the possession of a residence permit according to § 24 para. 1 of  the Residence Act or a corresponding fictitious certificate of the  foreigners authority and
• enrolment for a course of study leading to a degree at an institution of higher education in Germany or attendance at a state-recognized preparatory college which prepares students for studies at the institution of higher education.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no entitlement to BAföG for refugees from Ukraine who are pursuing/continuing their studies at a Ukrainian higher education institution from Germany online or are enrolled as guest or exchange students (i.e. for studies without a degree, e.g. in an "ASQ Semester" or "Bridging Semester"). However, it is possible for these students to receive benefits under SGB II.

We recommend counseling by the Office for Educational Support ( book an appointment     ).

The association "Hilfe für ausländische Studierende e.V." (Help for Foreign Students) (HauS)

The association "Hilfe für ausländische Studierende e.V." (Help for Foreign Students) (HauS) supports foreign students in need  through no fault of their own. It is financed solely through membership  fees and donations. After careful consideration, financial assistance is  provided as quickly and unbureaucratically as possible, e.g. by paying rent, health insurance, and living allowances before intermediate and final examinations.

The Studentenwerk Halle

The Studentenwerk Halle     supports students from Ukraine and the Russian Federation who  live in the dormitories of the Studentenwerk Halle and have got into  financial difficulties. The contact person is the social counselling team of the Studentenwerk     . The assistance includes, for example, deferment of rent  payments. But also those students who do not live in a dormitory and  have got into financial difficulties can receive advice and support, e.g. in the form of free meals in the university canteen or financial aid.

The Student Council

With its social loan , the Student Council offers the opportunity to provide quick and  unproblematic financial support in emergency situations. Students at MLU can apply for an interest-free  loan of 1000 euros. Repayment is made in 25 euro instalments three  months after the last payment. Separate arrangements, deferments and  other problems can be addressed in a personal conversation with the  social spokespersons.

Funding Opportunities for Scientists

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft    (DFG, German Research Foundation) supports researchers who have fled their home countries by making it easier for them to participate in research projects and to apply for the Walter Benjamin Programme (option Walter Benjamin position, not scholarship). In the current situation, the DFG is also emphasising in this way its solidarity with scientists  from Ukraine and Russia who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the Russian attack. The short-term integration of these scientists into the German research system is intended to enable them to continue their scientific work. Refugee scientists can apply for their  own project to be carried out in Germany via the Walter Benjamin Programme   . The restriction of the target group to the early postdoc phase that  otherwise exists in this programme does not apply to refugees. Furthermore, all project leaders and also the higher education institutions can submit supplementary proposals to integrate qualified refugees - prospective or doctoral researchers - into DFG projects that  are already funded. The supplementary applications can be directed  towards all funds that enable the integration of refugees into the project. This includes, in particular, guest funds, staff positions or the Mercator module. The contact person at MLU is Dr. Claudia Hübner, Department 6.1 - Research Funding and Cooperation.

The Volkswagen Foundation    reacted quickly and straightforwardly to the precarious situation in Ukraine and offered researchers from the country a perspective in Germany. The deadline for applications was April 5, 2022. The contact person at MLU is Dr. Claudia Hübner, Department 6.1 - Research Funding and Cooperation.

Social and Psychosocial Counselling

The Studentenwerk Halle is the first point of contact for students and doctoral candidates in coping psychosocially with their current situation. If you have any questions, problems or need to talk, please contact the social counselling team at the Studentenwerk. You can find contact persons and contact details here   . There are free appointments. Don't be afraid to get in touch.

Entry from Ukraine

The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI) has listed the most important questions and answers on entry from Ukraine on its website, including questions such as whether Ukrainian citizens should apply for asylum or whether short-term stays can be extended for Ukrainian citizens. You can find the overview here.   

In addition, the BMI has compiled information on the first steps after arrival in Germany on another website, in Ukrainian   , Russian    and German   .

Please find below a leaflet from the Federal Ministry of the Interior on the rights and obligations of persons from Ukraine seeking protection in Ukrainian, German and English.

Leaflet Ukrainian
Leaflet Ukrainian.pdf (120.1 KB)  vom 24.03.2022

Leaflet German
Merkblatt Deutsch.pdf (211 KB)  vom 24.03.2022

Leaflet English
Leaflet English.pdf (74.7 KB)  vom 24.03.2022

The Handbook Germany    website recommended by the Federal Ministry of the Interior offers information on entering and staying in Germany in German, English, Ukrainian and Russian.

Furthermore, the European Commission has published a central source of information for refugees from Ukraine in 42 countries on the EURAXESS portal: EUResearch4Ukraine   .

Information from Halle (Saale) and Saxony-Anhalt for those affected by the war

Fact Sheet: Initial Information for Ukrainian Refugees in Halle (Saale) in Ukrainian
Infoblatt_Ukrainer_Ukrainisch.pdf (283.7 KB)  vom 07.03.2022

Fact Sheet: Initial Information for Ukrainian Refugees in Halle (Saale) in Russian
Infoblatt_Ukrainer_Russisch.pdf (292.7 KB)  vom 07.03.2022

Fact Sheet: Initial Information for Ukrainian Refugees in Halle (Saale) in German
Infoblatt_Ukrainer_Deutsch.pdf (161.7 KB)  vom 07.03.2022

The city of Halle (Saale) has compiled current information for refugees from Ukraine on its website    in German and Ukrainian. For questions about formalities for Ukrainian refugees, housing and problems in various life situations, a hotline is available:
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 0345 221-2580

The Saxony-Anhalt state network of migrant organizations e.V. (LAMSA) and the Auslandsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt e.V. have established a "Ukraine Coordination Office"    for Saxony-Anhalt. The coordination office is available to those affected, their relatives and civil society with initial information, personal counseling and multilingual information (Ukrainian, Russian, German). The coordination office can be reached by telephone on the hotline 0345 213 893 99 from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and by e-mail: koordinierungsstelle@lamsa.de.

The state of Saxony-Anhalt has also provided important information for Ukrainian citizens in Saxony-Anhalt. The information is available in Ukrainian   , Russian    and German   .

Overview with other organisations that support people affected by the war

• Support for Ukraine: Science and Education during the russian invasion    

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Overview of emergency information and aid for scholars and students at risk:
Overview of emergency information and aid for scholars and students at risk.pdf (574.6 KB)  vom 24.03.2022

Donations

Around 250 students from Ukraine and the Russian Federation are currently enrolled at MLU. Many of them are currently not only in fear and worry about their relatives in the war zone, but are also increasingly experiencing financial difficulties. In order to help the students in this emergency situation, we are asking for donations to the association Hilfe für ausländische Studierende e. V. (Help for Foreign Students) (HauS):

Payment Recipient: HauS e.V.
IBAN: DE05800200865100201323
BIC: HYVEDEMM440 (Hypo Vereinsbank Halle)

Reference: Krisenhilfe Ukraine

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