Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on travel and stays abroad

Last update: 29 April 2020

Until further notice, there is a general ban on both domestic and international work-related travel for all employees of the University. Taking part in further training and continuing education is also not allowed. Due to the travel warning issued by the Federal Foreign Office, students are strongly discouraged from going abroad.

Last update: 18 March 2020

Check if your travel can be canceled. Contact the Travel Management Team(reisemanagement"AT"verw.uni-hamburg.de) regarding a possible refund.

Last update: 25 May 2020

Students who are already abroad for a study-related stay are strongly advised to make use of all possibilities of returning to Hamburg. They should contact the academic office of their faculty to clear questions about registering for summer semester courses. Students should also contact their faculty regarding questions on continuing online courses from host institutions as well credit recognition in cases of shortened semesters abroad.

In general, we strongly recommend students abroad to register with the Federal Foreign Office (elefand program).

Additionally, students should remain abreast of information on any retrieval actions in place (info only available in German).

Students can find information on special arrangments in place for funding programs (for example, Erasmus+) on the DAAD’s website.

May excursions go ahead?

There is a general ban on excursions within Germany and abroad until further notice.

Last update: 29 April 2020

The general ruling on the containment of SARS-CoV-2 in Hamburg (Hamburgische SARS-CoV-2-Eindämmungsverordnung) stipulates that people returning from international trips are to self-quarantine in their homes for 14 days immediately upon their arrival even without a quarantine injunction. This regulation applies to everyone who have spent at least 48 hours outside of Germany. Due to the unusually high risk of contagion, supervisors are entitled to ask employees whether they have spent any period of 48 hours or more abroad and when. 

Affected employees are obliged to notify their local health department about their mandatory period of self-quarantine verbally or in writing (by telephone or email). You can use the locator tool on the Robert Koch Institute website to find your local health authority.

Likewise, employees and students returning from abroad are instructed not to enter any of the University’s facilities at any of its locations for 14 days after their return. The human resources department has further instructed that the same rules apply to everyone who lives in the same household as someone who spent time abroad in the last 14 days (e.g., their partner, child(ren), parent(s), housemates). Due to the unusually high risk of contagion, supervisors are entitled to ask employees whether they have spent any period of 48 hours or more abroad and when. Employees are obliged to answer truthfully.

Those who are self-quarantined at home must contact Human Resources immediately and work from home instead. If you are unable to work from home and cannot be assigned alternative tasks within your area, your supervisor will either assign other duties or release you from your duties for the 14-day period.

Last update: 20 March 2020

Visits by international guests or delegations must be canceled or postponed. Exchange students who have not yet arrived in Hamburg are asked to cancel or postpone their stay.

Exchange students who are already in Hamburg are advised that they must follow Universität Hamburg’s regulations regarding coronavirus. The University cannot guarantee that courses will be carried out as planned and students must remain flexible in their academic planning. Exchange students should contact their exchange coordinator in their host faculty or Department of International Affairs if they have questions.

Last update: 18 March 2020

Universität Hamburg staff members who are unable to return due to travel restrictions may work remotely (home office) from abroad.

Last update: 20 March 2020

According to information Universität Hamburg has been able to obtain, the travel restriction does not apply to students who are third country nationals (i.e., from non-EU countries) if they have a long-term residence permit (visa/residence permit for longer than 90 days). We cannot guarantee that any information we have on government policies or the policies themselves will remain valid and/or is valid for each individual situation. Policies might change at very short notice. We strongly recommend that students possibly affected by travel restrictions contact the German diplomatic mission in their home country or in the country where they are currently located for updated information BEFORE undertaking travel back to Germany.

Last update: 9 April 2020

Apply by email to extend your permit before it lapses! Contact your local registration office for foreigners.

Your permit remains valid until the registration office makes a decision on your application (fiction of law pursuant to Section 81 subsection 4 of the Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory (Residence Act)). N.B.: in the current situation, probationary certificates cannot be issued in paper form. You can apply to your local registration office for foreigners for an informal document to present to employers. If you leave the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, you cannot return without further ado.

Please check online for the latest information.

Contact the Campus Center if you have any questions. In very urgent cases, contact Mr Petermeier(immanuel.petermeier"AT"uni-hamburg.de) directly.