Focus Ukraine

The Saarland University Board is shocked and deeply saddened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine: 'We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our partner universities with whom we have collaborated closely over many years. We are appalled at such a blatant violation of the fundamental values of Europe, democracy and the rule of law. We want to try and provide help and assistance wherever possible.'

Read the statement in full: Solidarität mit der Ukraine (currently available in German only)

Call for donations

The Saarland University Board is working together with the Saarland University Society ("Universitätsgesellschaft des Saarlandes") and they have now published a call for donations for students and young academics from Ukraine. The donations are meant to support students and researchers in immediate need.

Information on the call for donations

Practical advice

The program of SR 1 called "DOMINO" presents news summariized specifically for children. And thanks to the help of two Ukrainian students of Saarland University, the news are now also available in Ukrainian.

To the website of the DOMINO program

Ukrainian war refugees can use the public transport in Saarland free of charge. To travel for free on Saarbrücken's bus and Saarbahn services (Saarbahn is Saarbrücken's local light rail system), refugees should show their Ukrainian identity document or the 'helpukraine ticket'. For more information, please refer to this local news article (available in German only).

The Social Welfare Office has opened a new branch at the "Messegelände", at the address "Am Schanzenberg in 66117" Saarbrücken.
Opening hours:
Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

To the website of the "Sozialamt"

In order to support the quick labour market integration of refugees from Ukraine, the application procedure for a Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualification is now also available in Ukrainian language.
In addition, the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) offers a plausibility check procedure for refugees from Ukraine in the case of missing documents. This means that applicants who cannot prove their higher education qualifications by means of certificates can also receive a certificate evaluation if plausibility can be established.

To the Ukrainian websites of ZAB

The Immigration and Integration Office (ZIB) has open an infopoint, which is an office where you can ask questions specifically for Ukrainian citizens. It is located at Katholisch-Kirch-Straße 5 in 66115 Saarbrücken.
Starting frm 07 April, the ZIB will also offer a special consultation hour on labour law issues, which will take place every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Infopoint office.

Information for students

In this section we have gathered together useful information about opportunities for refugee students at Saarland University:

Information for refugee students

Entry and visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals

Psychological counselling and advisory services

Further information and support for affected persons

Germany 4 Ukraine - Information portal provided by the Ministerior of the Interior, available in German, Englisch and Ukrainian
ERA4Ukraine - Portal des EURAXESS Netzwerks mit einer Übersicht der Hilfsangebote in allen Mitgliedstaaten, verfügbar in Englisch oder Ukrainisch
Refugee advisory centres in Saarland
Contact to the Saarland Reception Centre for Displaced Persons and Refugees in Lebach
Directory of immigration services in Saarland
'Erste Anlaufstellen' - Key services in Saarbrücken for refugees arriving from Ukraine (available in German or Ukrainian or Russian)
Refugee Law Clinic Saar
Online housing exchange unterkunft-ukraine.de
"Handbook Germany" (available in German or Russian or Ukrainian)

Funding opportunities for researchers at risk and for refugees scholars and scientists

Please contact the International Office at Saarland University:
Dr. Ekaterina Klüh, e.klueh@io.uni-saarland.de, Tel: +49 (0)681 302-71106

Funding programme for Ukrainian academics who have had to flee their home country.
This funding initiative is aimed at Ukrainian scholars and scientists who have fled Ukraine and are already in Germany or who will arrive in Germany in the coming weeks. The programme is open to:

doctoral students
postdocs
established academics, scientists and scholars from all disciplines

The programme provides an opportunity for them to continue their work in a research group at a university or research institute in Germany for a period of 6–12 months. Applications must be submitted jointly by the host scientists in Germany and the management of the host university.

Website of the Volkswagen Foundation

In response to the situation in Ukraine, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has extended the deadline for nominations in the current call for its Philipp Schwartz Initiative. Nominations of Ukrainian researchers may be submitted until 18 March 2022.

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative allows German universities and research institutions to host researchers who are significantly threatened by war or persecution in their country of origin to continue their work in Germany for a period of two years.

Website of the Philipp Schwartz Initiative

The programme aims to support students and doctoral researchers worldwide who are formally or de facto denied the right to education in their country of origin by enabling them to either begin or to continue studying in Germany with the goal of obtaining a degree or doctorate from a German university.

Target group: Students and doctoral research students worldwide who are demonstrably at risk of being denied the right to education in their country of origin – either formally or de facto – due to their ethnic, sexual, gender or religious identity or their political or civic activities.

Website of the Hilde-Domin-Programme

The Walter Benjamin Programme offers academics who have completed a doctoral degree and who wish to advance their academic career the opportunity to pursue an independent research project at a location of their choice. The project can be carried out at a research institution in Germany or abroad, with the host institution supporting the project.

Website of the Walter Benjamin-Programme

#ScienceForUkraine is a community group of volunteer students and research scientists from academic institutions in Europe and around the world. Their mission is to collect and disseminate information about support opportunities at the university, national, and international level for graduate students and researchers directly affiliated to an academic institution in Ukraine.

To the website of the project #ScienceForUkraine

The programme, which is set to launch this spring, has two main aims:

provide immediate assistance to scholars in the continuation of their research in a safe environment by providing funds to academic host institutions across Europe for up to one year.
to facilitate support to Ukrainian institutions to continue their operations, rebuild their research networks, and foster the return of scientists to Ukraine after the war.

To the website of the fund

The loan offered by the Hildegardis Association is meant to support women who have fled Ukraine and are now starting or continuing their studies in Germany or who are continuing their studies online in Ukraine from Germany. The Hildegardis Association supports women across all subjects and regardless of their nationality. A prerequisite for a loan is that the female students belong to a Christian denomination.

Website of the Hildegardis Association (German only)

This page provides a regularly updated summary of funding opportunities for students and academics fleeing the war in Ukraine.

DAAD website