Wichtiger Hinweis
Erlangen helps - Ukraine
We are #offenaustradition.
All refugees are welcome in Erlangen: For us, all cultures are equal, as are all genders, sexual identities and people with severe disabilities. What's more, we are convinced that diversity enriches us. That is why we are happy when our city is as diverse as possible.
Information for refugees
If you have found private accommodation in the city of Erlangen, for example with friends, acquaintances or relatives, or if you have been allocated an apartment by the Housing Department of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen, the first step is to register your move into the apartment in the service area of the Citizens' Registration Office on the first floor of the City Hall (= Registration Office).
The following documents are required for registration at the Residents' Registration Office:
- Passports of all family members
- a confirmation from the landlord (filled out by the landlord or the letter from the housing department of the social welfare office)
- if available: Marriage certificates and birth certificates
A sample of the landlord's confirmation of residence can be obtained at the information desk of the Citizens' Office on the first floor or downloaded from the Forms section here.
Registration is required so that refugees can submit applications to the City of Erlangen (e.g. for a residence permit and/or social benefits). Registration establishes the responsibility of the City of Erlangen.
Please note: If you have found accommodation outside the city of Erlangen, you must contact the local authorities and advice centers of the cities and district offices. This applies to registering with the registration office, applying for social benefits and clarifying other questions.
The German government's aid portal " Germany4Ukraine" offers a central and trustworthy digital point of contact for refugees from Ukraine. "Germany4Ukraine" provides multilingual information on various topics, such as residence, healthcare, accommodation and social support.
There is also a lot of useful information for refugees from Ukraine on the website of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Integration.
Information specifically on the topic of health can also be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health.
The refugee and integration advice service provides initial advice, particularly on questions regarding accommodation options and cash benefits. In addition to German and English, advice is also provided in Ukrainian and Russian. You can come to the town hall during the opening hours of the social welfare office. Outside of opening hours, appointments can be made in advance.
The opening hours of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen are
Monday 14:00 to 16:00
Tuesday 9:00 to 12:00
Thursday 9:00 to 12:00
Friday 9:00 to 12:00
Due to the large number of consultations, there are currently longer waiting times. We ask for your understanding!
The Refugee and Integration Advice Center is located on the 3rd floor of Erlangen City Hall. Further information on refugee and integration counseling can be found here.
The Refugee and Integration Advisory Service can be reached by telephone on the following numbers: 09131 86 2081, 09131 86 1890, 09131 86 1989
In view of the large number of inquiries, telephone advice is only possible to a limited extent. It is therefore preferable to contact us by e-mail at integrationsberatung@stadt.erlangen.de
Were you born in 1956 or later?
You can find all the important information on benefits under SGB II on the Jobcenter website.
Were you born earlier than 1956 or are you entitled to a German, Ukrainian or other old-age pension?
You can find all the important information on benefits under SGB XII on the pages of the Social Assistance Department.
Yes, if you live in Erlangen and receive benefits from the job center or social welfare office, you are entitled to apply for an ErlangenPass. The ErlangenPass entitles you to numerous benefits. The ErlangenPass is also a billing card for education and participation benefits.
You can apply for the ErlangenPass at the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen. Further information about the ErlangenPass and education and participation benefits as well as the necessary application documents can be found here:
It is currently possible to enter and stay for 90 days without a visa. Refugee Ukrainian nationals and third-country nationals who have a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and have lived in Ukraine until 24.02.2022 have the opportunity to apply for a residence permit in accordance with §24 AufenthG. No asylum application needs to be submitted for this. The residence permit is usually issued for a period of 1 year and also applies to family members. Gainful employment is also regularly permitted.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Refugee and Integration Advisory Service or the Foreigners' Registration Office directly (information desk on the 2nd floor of the Town Hall). For further information, please call 09131 86 1993
Before you can apply for a residence permit, you must register your current residential address with the registration office on the first floor of the town hall. The application for a residence permit in accordance with § 24 Para. 1 AufenthG (hum. protection for war refugees) can be submitted easily via an online procedure.
When applying, existing identity documents must be uploaded.
The Foreigners' Registration Office processes the application for a residence permit and contacts the refugees.
Further information can be found at the corresponding online service (residence permit):
If you do not have accommodation in the city of Erlangen, you must contact the Anker-Zentrum in Zirndorf. The Free State of Bavaria will decide on further accommodation and allocate you accommodation within Bavaria.
The address of the Anchor Center in Zirndorf is:
Anker-Zentrum
Rothenburger Straße 29
90513 Zirndorf
This procedure applies to both Ukrainian nationals and third-country nationals who have a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and have lived in Ukraine until 24.02.2022.
Further information on entry from Ukraine and residence in Germany can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Integration (StMI) and on the German government's "Germany4Ukraine" help portal - also in Ukrainian.
Many women and children are exposed to an increased risk of violence and abuse when they flee or are accommodated in Germany.
The Frauenennotruf Erlangen offers advice and support for women and girls who have experienced violence - also for people who do not speak German. Further information and contact details for the Frauenennotruf Erlangen can be found here.
Important telephone numbers:
- Violence against women helpline: 08000 116 016
- Sexual abuse helpline: 0800 22 55 530
- Helpline for pregnant women in need: 0800 40 40 020
- Police in an emergency: 110
Refugee children and young people are required to attend school after three months of residence. If refugee children and young people have a permanent place to stay (e.g. private home, organized accommodation) where they have obviously been living for longer, they can be registered to attend school.
Registration for primary school children aged 6 to 9 or 10 takes place directly at the respective elementary school in the place of residence or nearby (= school district). Parents/guardians must present a confirmation of registration, e.g. a residence permit in accordance with § 24 AufenthG.
Parents/guardians must also present a confirmation of registration when registering at schools from the fifth grade onwards. The school at which the children and young people are taught depends on their knowledge of German.
Refugee children and young people with a good command of German can be registered by their parents at a school near their place of residence (= school district). There, the children and young people have the opportunity to be taught in regular classes of the respective school type. The school management decides on admission.
Refugee children and young people with little or no knowledge of German must be registered online using a form. They are then assigned to a school in the city of Erlangen. The respective school decides whether the children and young people are taught in welcome groups or in regular classes with additional support courses in German.
Classes start after registration on the following Monday or after consultation with the respective school.
Please note: Refugee children and young people also require measles protection. Initially, children and young people are allowed to attend school without proof of measles protection. A measles vaccination is required for school attendance and must be given promptly. Children and young people can get measles vaccinations from their pediatrician or general practitioner.
Further information on the subject of schooling for refugee children and young people from Ukraine can be found on the website of the Erlangen State Education Authority.
Filling out applications, looking for work, getting to know new people: learning German is an important step towards living in Germany.
You can apply for admission to an integration course. This requires
- a residence permit (§ 24 AufenthG) or a so-called fictitious certificate
- an application for authorization
If you have received a residence permit or a fictitious certificate from the Foreigners' Registration Office, you can apply for authorization to attend an integration course. Participation in the integration course is free of charge for refugees from Ukraine.
The application for authorization or admission to an integration course can be downloaded from the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
You should then send the completed form together with a copy of your residence permit or fictitious certificate by post to
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Regional Coordination for Erlangen
Rothenburger Str. 29
90513 Zirndorf
You will receive the authorization or admission to an integration course by post to your specified home address.
Before you can start an integration course, you will need to take a placement test. This will determine your individual language level. To take part in a placement test, send an e-mail to vhs.integration@stadt.erlangen.de with a request for an appointment for the placement test and a photo of your eligibility or commitment to the integration course.
You will receive an e-mail with the date and time. Please come to the appointment on time and bring the following with you: Original authorization (BAMF), ID card.
After the test, you will receive your placement documents, a course overview for Erlangen and a recommendation as to which course provider offers the next possible suitable course. Go there with your documents and register for the integration course.
The Erlangen Employment Agency is responsible for finding work. Together with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Crafts, it supports refugees in their job search, training and professional qualifications.
The employment agency's hotline on 0911 178 7915 will answer any questions you may have on the subject of employment
The staff at the employment agency speak Ukrainian and Russian. The Employment Agency hotline is available from Monday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
Further information can be found here.
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU ) offers study and further education programs for refugee students with Ukrainian citizenship.
In order to be able to make a suitable study offer, prior individual counseling is required.
To do this, please send an e-mail with a brief summary of your previous study progress to students-welcome@fau.de
The request will then be forwarded to the appropriate FAU advising center. They will then contact you.
Note: FAU's study and further education programs are currently designed for students at Ukrainian universities with Ukrainian citizenship.
Further information on FAU's offers for refugee students can be found here.
Students from Ukrainian universities with other citizenship are welcome to apply for the regular study program. Further information can be found on the homepage for international applicants.
Erlangen offers numerous educational and leisure activities. You can find an overview here:
Offers of the district centers
Offers from the Erlangen City Library
Offers from the family support centers
Offers from the center for single parents
Information for those willing to help - How can I provide support?
How to register your private living space
The people of Erlangen are very willing to help. Many offer private accommodation. Use our web form to register free living space:
We are looking for these offers
We are looking for self-contained apartments to be rented to refugees. The integration advice service together with the integration guide of the city of Erlangen will then put you in touch with refugees who are looking for accommodation.
Please note the following
If you would like to offer self-contained accommodation to refugees from Ukraine, you must conclude the rental agreement with the refugees themselves.
A rental agreement with the Housing Department of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen is NO longer possible.
Reimbursement of costs
Refugees from Ukraine can apply for benefits from the job center or social welfare office if they are registered and have a residence permit according to § 24 AufenthG or the so-called Fiktionsbescheinigung.
If refugees are in need of assistance and cannot finance the rent privately, the rent can be covered by the Jobcenter or Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen, Department of Social Assistance, within the applicable rent ceilings. If the amount of the rental costs is based on the upper rent limits, the Jobcenter / Social Welfare Office may cover the costs for the gross rent (basic rent + ancillary costs) as well as the costs for heating. As soon as refugees are no longer dependent on benefits from the job center or social welfare office, the rent must be financed from their own income.
Please note: the appropriateness of the rental costs must be checked before signing and concluding a rental agreement and the tenants must obtain the consent of the Jobcenter / Social Welfare Office. This requires a tenancy agreement that contains all relevant information about the apartment:
- Name and address of the landlord
- Address of the rented property
- Living space in m² and number of rooms
- Amount of rental costs broken down by net cold rent, amount of operating costs, amount of heating costs
- Amount of the deposit
Upper rent limits (maximum rent in Erlangen)
In Erlangen, the following rent ceilings were adopted by the city council on 01.08.2021.
Important: The maximum rent amounts are made up of the basic rent plus ancillary costs, but excluding heating costs. Costs for parking spaces and garages cannot be covered.
Depending on the number of people in the household, the following maximum rent amounts apply:
Household size (persons) | Adequate living space | Maximum rent |
1 | 50 m² | 452,00 € |
2 | 65 m² | 539,00 € |
3 | 75 m² | 605,00 € |
4 | 90 m² | 713,00 € |
5 | 105 m² | 835,00 € |
6 | 120 m² | 954,00 € |
each additional person | 15 m² | 119,00 € |
For energy-renovated apartments with full thermal insulation, the upper limits are increased by approx. 10 percent. Whether an apartment is an energy-renovated apartment can be seen from the building's energy performance certificate. The landlord (e.g. GeWoBau) can provide information on this.
Irrespective of these fixed limits, the circumstances of the individual case must always be taken into account when assessing the question of appropriateness. In justified individual cases, higher rent amounts may also be recognized.
Are you interested in taking in refugee children or young people? Would you like to offer them a safe home as a foster family?
Children or young people who have fled their home are placed in foster care. This is supported by the full-time foster care service. The specialists will prepare you for a possible placement and provide you with advice. A prerequisite for the admission of children or young people is an assessment by the specialist service for full-time care.
The specialist full-time care service of the municipal youth welfare office offers advice and information by calling 09131 86 2516 or sending an e-mail to sozialdienst.stadtjugendamt@stadt.erlangen.de
If you would like to volunteer and support refugees from Ukraine in Erlangen, please send an email to engagiert.integriert@stadt.erlangen.de.
Note: Please note that there are currently far more offers of help than there is need for support. The integration guide at the Social Welfare Office bundles the offers of help and will contact you when and where specific help is needed. We therefore ask for your patience.
Newsletter for those willing to help
Would you like to stay up to date? Then sign up for the "Engagiert.Integriert" newsletter. The integration guide provides regular information on the topics of integration, migration, flight and commitment. The newsletter contains the latest news and various opportunities for volunteers. Interested?
Donations in kind
Due to the many different offers of help from social organizations, we do not have our own collection point for donations in kind. Please note that we do not accept donations in kind. We therefore ask you to refrain from sending us requests and offers for donations of clothing and goods.
Instead, we call on you to support the Erlangen food bank:
Support for the Erlangen food bank
The Erlangen food bank is urgently asking for food donations to support Ukrainian families who have fled.
Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, butter and perishables such as pasta, rice and canned food are particularly needed. However, drugstore and hygiene products such as diapers are also needed.
Donations can be accepted on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at the Tafel in Schillerstr. 52 A in Erlangen.
Cash donations
In order to support the refugees, the city of Erlangen has set up a donation account. The donation account is: DE77 7607 0012 0776 1000 00 at Deutsche Bank. Anyone wishing to make a donation is asked to state "Donation Ukraine" as the purpose of the transfer. A donation receipt will be issued if, in addition to "Donation Ukraine", the name and postal address are also stated as the purpose of the transfer.
The donations go to associations, organizations, charities and initiatives that are committed to helping refugees and people in need in Ukraine. They enable unbureaucratic assistance without long application channels or processing times. They are used for emergencies that arise from acute situations and cannot be covered by the available social benefits, such as the replacement of defective glasses or special medication.
There is also the donation account of the city of Erlangen: IBAN DE46 7635 0000 0060 1284 03 (Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Erlangen Höchstadt Herzogenaurach). Purpose: Brovary
Donations for Nuremberg's twin city Kharkiv
The City of Erlangen is joining the City of Nuremberg's appeal for donations for humanitarian aid for Nuremberg's partner municipality Kharkiv in the Ukraine. The donations received will be used to provide people in air raid shelters with food, distribute baby food and diapers as well as urgently needed medicines.
The donation account has been set up with the Kharkiv-Nuremberg Partnership Association. Account no: DE12 7605 0101 0001 3500 58, Stadtsparkasse Nürnberg, purpose: "Aid projects in Kharkiv".
Current information is available on the website of the City of Nuremberg
Further information
Brovary (Ukraine)
Solidarity partnership since 2022
Browary - History and stories
The search for a solidarity partnership in times of war has led the cities of Erlangen and Jena to Browary near Kiev.
Committed. Integrated.
Full-time integration guides are the central points of contact at the city administration for voluntary work in the areas of migration, asylum and integration.
Volunteering
An overview of all offers, events and opportunities to volunteer in Erlangen.
Brovary (Ukraine)
Solidarity partnership since 2022
Browary - History and stories
The search for a solidarity partnership in times of war has led the cities of Erlangen and Jena to Browary near Kiev.
Committed. Integrated.
Full-time integration guides are the central points of contact at the city administration for voluntary work in the areas of migration, asylum and integration.
Volunteering
An overview of all offers, events and opportunities to volunteer in Erlangen.
Latest news
Appeal for donations for Brovary
Help to secure the water supply in the Ukrainian solidarity partner city.
Appeal for Browary: A book from heart to heart
Recipients are schools and children's centers where German is taught.
Appeal for donations for Brovary
Help to secure the water supply in the Ukrainian solidarity partner city.
Appeal for Browary: A book from heart to heart
Recipients are schools and children's centers where German is taught.