Advice on Socio-Legal and Financial Matters

The Bremen Student Services Organisation’s Social Counselling Office can, for example, provide advice if you are studying and can no longer receive financial support from your family due to the war. Together, solutions can be found with regard to funding your degree. Sonja Vieten can also provide advice on socio-legal matters, such as residency in Germany. Consultations are free for students. Appointments should be made via the front office +49 421 2201-11310 or email sozialberatung@stw-bremen.de. Alternatively, you can make use of the open phone hours and call +49 421 2201-11340 between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Tuesdays, 2 and 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, or 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Fridays.

The XENOS support association of the universities in Bremen State also offer financial support to students who have had to seek refuge. An application can be submitted on the XENOS website.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has also put together a list of support offers.

Psychological Counselling

If you are very upset by the war situation and you or your family are even affected by it personally, you can contact the acute consultation hours of Bremen Student Services Organisation’s Psychological Counselling Centre (PBS). The counselors can support you by phone, video, or face-to-face and recommend further counseling services. The PBS can be reached by phone at +49 421 2201-11310 or by email at pbs@stw-bremen.de. You can find further offers on the PBS website.

In addition to the PBS, there are other services offered by independent agencies, such as telephone hotlines, which you can reach around the clock at + 49 800 11 101 11. Calls are always free of charge and anonymous.

For refugee Students who Want to Study in Bremen

At the Academy for Higher Education Access Development – HERE AHEAD in short – students with recognized refugee status can apply for the :here studies preparation program to continue their studies in Bremen State. :here studies offers language courses up to the C1 level (CEFR) and (inter)disciplinary preparation up to the possibly necessary entrance examination. HERE AHEAD can also help you if, due to your refugee status, you are unable to provide proof of your academic achievements. Apply for the :here studies program by May 31, 2022, at https://www.aheadbremen.de/en/form/. The courses are expected to start at the end of July 2022. All information about the program can be found on the HERE AHEAD website.

How You Can Help

Provide Accommodation

People who would like to provide Ukrainians who are seeking refuge with a place to stay, can contact the “Zukunft Wohnen” project from AWO, for example.

Donations

The Research Centre for East European Studies (FSO) at the University of Bremen would like to help refugee researchers from Ukraine, as well as colleagues in Russia who are in danger, to come to Bremen. To this end, they are awarding Hans Koschnick Scholarships at short notice and without bureaucracy.

If you would like to help, please send your donation with the keywords “geflüchtete WissenschaftlerInnen” to:

IBAN: DE12 8306 5408 0004 8513 82

BIC: GENODEF1SLR

Deutsche Skatbank

Donation receipts can be issued. Please send a short email with your name and address to: fsov@uni-bremen.de if required.

Further Information:

The International Office has created a page on the University of Bremen website where all support offers are listed. The page also includes special services for academic staff. Inquiries can also be directed to the International Office via email at internationalhelp@uni-bremen.de.