Welcome to Jena

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena! We hope that you will be able to settle in to your new surroundings quickly. To help you feel at ease, our International Office offers a free support service for all long-term employees and guests to help you organize your stay in Jena. We support you with the following matters:

Questions about entry and stay (visa issues/check, citizens' service, immigration office, application for unemployment money, pension, taxes, health insurance, etc.)
Orientation in the city and at the institute (search for and contact the right contact person
Information about family live, e.g. finding childcare, kindergarten, school, leisure activities
Issues and problems of everyday life (accommodation matters, bank accounts, insurances, visits to the doctor, pets, registration for radio & TV fee, mobility, language courses, culture and sports, etc.)

The Welcome Center is happy to assist you with all non-academic matters, make appointments for you and interact between you and authorities, providers and relevant actors. Please note, you must make all decisions on the basis of this assistance independently and you bear the sole responsibility for them. We cannot accept any liability for the information provided and the consequences resulting from it.

Further Information

If you plan a research stay at our institute you may have many questions. Which documents do I need? Is health insurance mandatory? How can I find an accommodation? What types of childcare is available? The following links and brochures can give you a first insight.

Living and working in Germany - A guide for international Researchers [PDF]
Working at the MPG – Website of the Max Planck Society, including the answers to 60 frequently asked questions

Additionally, at the Welcome Center we have several information packages available. Please feel free to contact us for any questions.

The City of Jena

With about 109,000 residents Jena offers you all advantages of a metropolis with the appeal of small town living. Here you have a beautiful blend of nature, science and teaching, entrepreneurial spirit, history and high technology. Discover a young, diverse city and enjoy the great views of and from the surrounding mountains. Enjoy "Paradies Park" along the Saale River – a green oasis in the heart of the city with footpaths, cafés and restaurants, a skate park, playground and picnic areas, all in short distances. Jena offers art, culture and sports for every taste and perspectives for the whole family (a large number of kindergartens, day care staff and a school landscape with different pedagogical approaches; also manifold cultural and sportive activities). Furthermore, being an East German student town, there is a great price to quality ratio for snacks and meals. If you would like to get to know the city, find things to do and places to go you can find all offers, including tourism, leisure, culture and international life at:

www.visit-jena.de
www.uni-jena.de/Wissenschaftleraustausch
https://www.work-in-jena.de/