FAQ: Information on COVID-19 in Rostock and at the University of Rostock (English)

At the moment all buildings of the University of Rostock are closed and personal meeting are not possible.
However, you can contact us by phone or e-mail and we offer online consultation hours, too.

You can join our online consultation by zoom on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. If you are in the waiting room, please wait there until you are selected to join the consultation. You have to stay there until the previous consultation is finished.

Degree Students: For questions about your application or enrolment, please contact:
On Tuesdays Ms Gritta Wendt: https://uni-rostock-de.zoom.us/j/61164016047
On Thursdays Ms Claudia Manfraß-Köpke: https://uni-rostock-de.zoom.us/j/61164016047

If you have questions about Rostock, living arrangements or anything else, please contact:
Mr Martin Semjank: https://uni-rostock-de.zoom.us/j/63416111080

While plans for winter term 2021/22 are currently still being debated, the University of Rostock aims to provide as much physical presence as possible at the university’s facilities.

This is, however, potentially subject to change, depending on factors such as local and federal numbers of infections, and governmental restrictions, and may change unexpectedly.

For specific information on how courses will be held in your area of study and modules in the upcoming term, please contact the respective professor or teacher directly.

General, and up-to-date information on teaching at the University of Rostock can be found on the University’s homepage, and on the ‘Studierendenportal’.

No. According to a resolution by the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, a presence letter, which states that physical presence is mandatory at the university, is not required. Previously, it was a necessary document for entering Germany, but now that universities are opting for both physical and online formats, this requirement was dropped.

Due to the pandemic situation, certain regulations apply when entering Germany – especially, checks at airports require a few more aspects that you need to be aware of:

Required Documents:
Document-wise, please have your

• student visa
• the University of Rostock’s letter of acceptance
• Studienbescheinigung (Confirmation of Enrollment)
• if possible: rental contract

ready at the passport control (of course, along with your self-identification documents).

General Up-to-Date Information:
Please read the information on entry restrictions, testing, and quarantine regulations in Germany carefully, as they contain valuable, and verified information for your entry into Germany: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268

Mandatory Registration and Testing
Depending on the country you’re coming from, you have to follow different rules. Germany’s health authorities have classified three different kinds of countries:

• risk country
• high incidence country
• area of variants of concern

In order to find out which category your home country belongs to, check out the website of the Robert-Koch-Institute. You can find the most recent information in English in a PDF file to the very top of the page.

Furthermore, you can find information about the requirements of a COVID-19 test here. Please note that you have to bear the costs of the tests for entering the country yourself!

An exception can be made, if you are fully vaccinated or have fully recovered from a COVID-19 infection upon your arrival in Germany.
Fully vaccinated in this context means, that you have received either two jabs of AstraZeneca/Biontech/Moderna or one jab of Johnson and Johnson/Janssen (or equivalent) for at least 14 days. Similarly, if you have fully recovered from a COVID-19 infection for a minimum of least 28 days, or 6 months at maximum, the same following rules apply:

Testing is not a requirement, unless you are entering Germany from an area of variants of concern. In this case, you will need to get tested anyways and quarantine for 14 days.

For any changes to this regulation, please regularly visit the following website:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268

You will need to register online before entering Germany from your home country.
Please register on this website:
https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de/

You can find an English FAQ on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health here. The quarantine regulations of the state can be found here, however, only in German.

At the moment, enrolment takes place by post. Please keep yourself updated, as changes may occur, since the winter term is planned as a presence semester.

Please send your application documents to:
Universität Rostock
Zentrale Universitätsverwaltung
Servicezentrum Studierende
18051 Rostock

Necessary documents for the enrolment:

1. completed and signed enrolment document​​​​​​​
2. copy of valid passport or personal identification document
3. proof of health insurance: students in the standard public health insurance companies will need a 3-fold form for students enrolled at a university. Those who are privately insured need a letter from their individual company stating they are exempt from the public health insurance system. (Please check the FAQ for the health insurance)
   A COPY OF YOUR CHIP CARD WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
4. copy of exmatriculation (only if you have been enrolled in Germany beforehand)
5. authenticated copy of satisfactory German knowledge (DSH or adequate examination) or if required English knowledge
6. authenticated copy of university degree (only if requested)

Yes, since the winter term 2021/22 is planned in presence. Therefore, you need to be in Rostock and you need to have sufficient health insurance.

You might have frequently seen signs and boards, which feature so-called ‘A-H-A’ (German for: Abstand – Hygiene – Alltag mit Maske) guidelines. Those guidelines are vital in the fight against the pandemic. You should adhere to them at any given time, as best as the situation allows.

Those guidelines can be translated into English as:

1. Social Distancing
   That means: keeping at least 1.5 metres to people around you (also when outside). If keeping the distance is not possible (e.g. due to too little space), wear amask.

2. Hygiene Measures
   That means: regularly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap or sanitising your hands regularly if no bathrooms are available.

3. Wearing a Mask
   That means: wearing a mask, especially in public places, such as shopping centres and supermarkets. Mask-wearing regulations are always subject to change and depend on the current number of infections in the area.
   
   Please be aware that in most places in Germany (e.g. places for shopping and public transport), only medical masks or FFP2- / KN95-certified masks are allowed. You can find them for an affordable price at most retailers in numerous variants. Therefore, homemade masks and masks that are made out of fabric are not allowed anymore.
   
   Up-to-date information and FAQs can be found in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s very own online-portal on COVID-19 – German only:
   https://www.mv-corona.de

1)  Regulations for Retail

Since May 25, 2021, all sectors of retail are open for business again. However, there are some rules you have to obey:

• Retail of basic supply (like grocery stores, book shops etc.) are open without restrictions
• Retail except basic supply is only open to vaccinated and recovered people and you have to show proof prior to entrance
• Maintain social distancing (at least 1.5 metres).
• Wear a medical or FFP2- / KN95-certified mask.
• Respect local guidelines on customer management (e.g. having to take a shopping basket at the supermarket). Such measures are taken for crowd management, as only a certain number of people are allowed per store.

Many retailers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are offering you the possibility to check-in for easy contact-tracing via a QR-code. This is often realised through the so-called luca app and the federal government’s very own Corona-Warn app, which are both free to download through both the App Store and Google Play.

Which app is being used, is different from store to store and from service to service, however, there is a clear tendency for using luca.

Please note, that for some select services, such a registration is mandatory (more on that below). If you don’t have the technical possibilities of using those apps, you will be asked to provide your personal information in paper-form, which you then need to fill out directly at your destination.

Important:
You are lawfully required to provide valid and correct information, when checking in with your personal information.

Corona-Warn:

• Google Play
• AppStore

luca:

• Google Play
• AppStore

2)  Regulations for Services

As of the end of December 15th, 2021, you have to be vaccinated or recovered and you have to get tested daily for a visit to your desired service (e.g. podiatry, tattoo-studios, and other services which require close personal contact). If you want to visit a hairdresser you need be vaccinated, recovered or have a daily test (3G rule). Furthermore you need to check in (either through luca app or paper form).

Important:

You are lawfully required to provide valid and correct information, when checking in with your personal information.

luca:

• Google Play
• AppStore

3)  Regulations for Restaurants

Restaurants are officially open again since May 23, 2021.
You have to be vaccinated or recovered and you need a daily test, if you want to eat indoors, as per December 15, 2021.
However, some rules still apply:

• There can be no more than 10 people per table (inside and outside).
• Per group or household, one person is required to provide contact information, for contact tracing (either through luca app or paper form).
• You have to wear a mask (medical or FFP2- / KN95-certified), whenever you are leaving the table.
• Dancing and similar activities are not allowed.
• Performances by bands, and singing are not allowed.
• Please also respect additional guidelines, that are set out by the restaurant owners.

Special case: For separate, private meetings in restaurants are forbidden.

Important:
You are lawfully required to provide valid and correct information, when checking in with your personal information.

4)  Regulations for Fitness Studios
Fitness studios are open for business again. You have to be vaccinated or recovered  and you have to get tested before visiting a fitness studio.

• There is a total number of 15 people allowed when working out indoors.
• You are required to provide contact information, for contact tracing (either through luca app or paper form).
• Please also respect additional guidelines, that are set out by the studio’s owners, as reservations may be necessary.

Important:
You are lawfully required to provide valid and correct information, when checking in with your personal information.

You are missing information on a specific area we haven’t covered?
Up-to-date information and FAQs can be found in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s very own online-portal on COVID-19 – German only: https://www.mv-corona.de
If you are struggling with translation, you can also reach out to us at any time at incoming.rihuni-rostockde

We strongly recommend that you are getting tested regularly, irrespective of whether you are meeting people for a socially-distanced walk, or mainly staying at home.

You are allowed to get tested for free once a week in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The test will be conducted as a rapid test, and the result will be valid for 24 hours. You will receive a certificate with your results, which can then be used to show that you have tested negative, when visiting a specific location. You can find all the facilities that are testing for free on this map:
https://www.mv-corona.de/testeinrichtungen

Please note, that it may be necessary to book an appointment online beforehand at some locations.

It is also possible to obtain self-rapid test kits from retail stores, and testing yourself this way. They are relatively inexpensive, and provide you with a very flexible way to test yourself.

If you want to visit a specific location that requires testing:
Please do check beforehand if you are allowed to provide a self-rapid test result, or if they require a proper certificate from a certified testing location.

If your rapid-test result is positive, you are required to self-isolate immediately, and go into quarantine.
Quarantine means, that you are neither allowed to meet any people, nor go outside, not even for a walk.
Furthermore, as soon as possible, you are required to have this result confirmed by a PCR-test, which is either conducted in a specific testing facility, or by a general practitioner. Until you are getting your PCR-test, you will have to self-isolate and go into quarantine at home.

1. If your PCR-test is positive, you need to quarantine and self-isolate for at least 14 days.
2. If your PCR-test is negative, your quarantine ends with immediate effect.

If you are experiencing symptoms, that are described as typical for COVID-19 (e.g. dry cough, fever, difficulty breathing, sore throat, headaches and others), it’s important to act upon them.
Please: do not go to work/university (if you are not working from home), do not meet friends or other people, and get tested right away. You will need to contact a general practitioner or PCR-testing facility for a PCR-test.

IMPORTANT: Please do not book an appointment with a rapid test facility, if you are already experiencing symptoms of COVID-19! Get PCR-tested right away.

Next to adhering to the set rules of maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask, and practising constant hygiene, vaccinations against COVID-19, are the most effective measures to fight the pandemic.

We have composed a helpful and comprehensive guide on how to book online an appointment for a vaccination especially for students, which you can find here:
Guide for getting a vaccination appointment

There are still other ways to get a vaccination.

1. Appointment for a vaccination via a phone call
2. Get an appointment with a doctor

Up-to-date information and FAQs can be found in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s very own online-portal on COVID-19 – German only:
https://www.mv-corona.de

Indoor meetings of vaccinated or recovered people are allowed for up to 30 persons. For not vaccinated or recovered people a meeting is limited to your own household and two people of a different household. Continue to adhere to the ‘A-H-A’ guidelines (social distancing, hygiene measures, wearing a mask) as best as possible.

Furthermore, if you do meet people, we strongly recommend using the opportunities of free rapid testing, or self-rapid testing beforehand, and keeping a log of people you meet. You can easily do this digitally within the Corona-Warn app, which is free to download.

Partying groups, unless part of an administratively pre-approved event, are still not allowed at public places.

Corona-Warn:
Google Play
AppStore