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Frequently Asked Questions

Regarding the Application

All those affiliated with one of the following universities can apply for a fellowship:

  • Freie Universitaet Berlin
  • Harvard University
  • The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris
  • The Johns Hopkins University

The PCD network specifically promotes mobility at all career levels, including M.A. students, PhD students, PostDocs, and senior scholars, in order to further the sustainability of the various forms of research collaboration across the humanities. Please click here for further information on the different programs organized by the network.

The application process begins with the Call for Applications.

The Call for Applications for members of Freie Universitaet Berlin is published on the website of the PCD network. All researchers working on questions related to the network’s topic are invited to apply for a fellowship at one of our partner universities to begin in the following year.

Should you be interested in applying, the following documents must be submitted for consideration:

  1. CV
  2. Personal statement (2-3 pages), describing your research project and its link to the network’s theme of cultural dynamics
  3. Dates of your intended stay abroad
  4. A copy of your latest degree
  5. Proof of contact in the form of emails with a mentor or a fellow researcher at your host university with whom you would work.

Complete applications will be presented to the advisory board of the PCD-network for selection.

Our partner universities publish the Call for Application for a fellowship at Freie Universitaet Berlin according to their specific standards. Each institution organizes the selection process individually and independently. For further information, please contact your home institution.

The Calls for Applications are published in autumn for a fellowship in the following year. Scholars of Freie Universitaet Berlin should check the PCD website for further details. Scholars of partner universities, please contact your home institution for further details.

Freie Universitaet Berlin - Germany

As soon as you arrive in Berlin you should arrange a meeting with the project managers of the PCD network.

Professors and PostDocs will then receive a confirmation of their status as a visiting scholar at Freie Universitaet Berlin. You need this document in order to apply for a library card and Internet access. Additionally, should you wish to open a bank account without a certificate of registration, you will receive a confirmation of your address.

M.A. and PhD students will also receive a confirmation of their address, and the rest of the registration procedure will then be explained to you.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Program, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at Freie Universitaet Berlin. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the FUB whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of those teaching in the humanities at Freie Universitaet Berlin can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at Freie Universitaet Berlin (e.g., with an extract from an email).

A semester always contains a lecture period (“Vorlesungszeit”), in which tutorials, seminars and lectures take place, as well as a lecture-free period (“vorlesungsfreie Zeit”). For example, whilst the Summer Semester 2016 runs in total from April 1 to September 30, courses only take place between April 18 and July 23. Some teaching does also take place in the lecture-free period, albeit significantly less. Intensive language courses, such as “Deutsch als Fremdsprache”, often run during this period.

The opening hours of certain libraries, canteens and other institutions differ during the lecture-free period. It is also usual for professors to offer only individual appointments for consultation hours.

Further information and dates can be found here.

During your stay at Freie Universitaet Berlin you have the opportunity to take part in a series of interdisciplinary events such as lectures, workshops and conferences. Some sites offering up-to-date information are:

M.A. and PhD students staying at the FUB during the lecture period can potentially take part in taught courses. The present lecture list can be found here. If you wish to attend a course, please contact the instructor in advance.

The language centre (Sprachenzentrum) of Freie Universitaet Berlin offers free German courses during the lecture period at A2 level and above. It is also possible to attend a beginners’ German course during the lecture-free period ("vorlesungsfreie Zeit") for which there is a fee. For all courses at the language centre – even those assuming little prior knowledge – it is necessary to register and take a placement test.

Other fee-paying institutions that offer German courses are the Goethe-Institut, the Neue Schule and the Berliner Volkshochschulen.

All institutions offer German courses of every level.

For M.A. and PhD students, the student ID you will receive also works as your library card.

To receive a library card as a PostDoc or Professor, take your confirmation of your status as a visiting scholar at Freie Universitaet Berlin to the counter of the Philological Library in the Rost- und Silberlaube. They will give you an application form. It usually takes 1-2 hours to process your application. You can then collect your library card, which entitles you to borrow books from all libraries of Freie Universitaet Berlin.

  • Address: Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin
  • Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am– 10 pm

                             Saturday - Sunday 10 am - 8 pm

M.A. and PhD students will automatically be provided with a personal login for the WLAN of Freie Universitaet Berlin and the computers in the PC Pool as part of their enrollment.

Professors and PostDocs will require the following documents in order to access the WLAN of Freie Universitaet Berlin:

  • Application for a project account. This should be signed and stamped by the project managers of the PCD network.
  • your confirmation of your status as a visiting scholar at Freie Universitaet Berlin
  • Personal ID or passport
  • Take all of these documents to the ZEDAT user service in room JK 27/133 (opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am - 4 pm). A project account will be set up for you immediately. You will receive an email address and a password that you can change yourself. With these login details you can access all the public computers and the FUB WLAN.

Instructions for logging into the WLAN with your own computer can be found here (only in German).

It is possible to print in the ZEDAT PC Pool. You can top up your print credits with the Mensa Card and access the ZEDAT printers. The computers for topping up your account are located in the ZEDAT PC Pool in front of the IT Info Service office (corridor JK 27). A pricelist is available here.

Workstations with A4 colour scanners are available in the ZEDAT PC Pool. At these workstations, scanning has priority over all other tasks: if necessary, they must be vacated for users who wish to scan something. This does not mean that you can immediately claim another workstation. Instructions for use are provided on the cover of each scanner. For text recognition you can use the program “Adobe Acrobat.” You may find further information here (only in German).

Copying can be done at the copiers in the Philological Library. The Mensa Card is also required here.

The canteens (Mensa, pl. Mensen) of Freie Universitaet Berlin do not accept cash payments. Rather, you must pay with the Mensa Card. You can obtain one at the Mensa checkouts. On receiving a card you must leave a € 1.55 deposit, which will be returned to you when you give back your card. When you request your Mensa Card, make sure you bring your confirmation of your status as a visiting scholar at Freie Universitaet Berlin, since your status will be saved on the card. Students pay less than FUB staff, who in turn pay less than guests.

The Mensa Card can be topped up with cash (coins or € 5, € 10, € 20 and € 50 notes) at the machines located next to the main entrances of the canteens.

The largest Mensa of Freie Universitaet is in the Rost- und Silberlaube and offers a vegan dish and a vegetarian dish every day, alongside several meat dishes. In addition there are four soups, sandwiches, a salad bar and various desserts. Warm dishes are available from 11 am to 2:30 pm.

There are a large number of websites that will help you find a room in a flatshare (a “WG-Zimmer”) or a whole flat for yourself. The most popular are:

Many Berliners travelling for an extended period sublet their rooms or flats. These sublets, called “Untermiete” or “Zwischenmiete,” generally offer the advantage of already being furnished. Insist in all cases on a subletting contract (“Untermietvertrag”) – do not take over as the principle leaseholder!

“WG” is an abbreviation for “Wohngemeinschaft.” Normally, one flatmate is the main leaseholder of a flat containing multiple rooms. The kitchen and bathroom are shared between all flatmates. In some WGs there is also a communal room. Usually, each flatmate has their own room and pays rent according to its size.

WGs are extremely popular amongst students since they make it possible to live relatively cheaply in trendy, central areas (eg. Neukölln, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg). Furthermore, it is easy to meet other people through one’s flatmates.

In some adverts you will find the expression “Zweck-WG.” This means that the flatmates primarily live in the WG for economic reasons and are not necessarily interested in a social life together.

After your arrival in Berlin you have 14 days to register at one of the Berlin citizens’ offices (a “Bürgeramt”). There are offices located in different districts of the city and they can all be visited independently of where you live. In order to receive a certificate of registration you must first book an appointment online. Since appointments are generally fully booked long in advance, it is advisable to search for an available slot before you depart.
You will need the following documents:

  • Passport or ID    
  • Registration form    
  • Confirmation from your landlord that you have moved in

As soon as you arrive in Berlin, you should open a current account (“Girokonto”) at a bank. With this kind of account you can carry out transfers and receive payments. It is advisable to choose a bank with many branches so as to avoid charges when withdrawing cash. The most frequently used banks are:

  • Deutsche Bank
  • Sparkasse
  • Commerzbank
  • Postbank
  • Berliner Bank
  • Berliner Volksbank

To open an account you need a valid personal ID or passport as well as a confirmation of registration in Berlin ("Meldebestätigung") that should not be older than six weeks.

The Berliner Bank (Schloßstr. 114, 12163 Berlin–Steglitz) allows you to open an account without immediately providing a confirmation of registration. It is sufficient to supply a confirmation of your address via Freie Universitaet Berlin (for which you should contact the project managers of the PCD network).
Master’s and PhD students should bring their student ID, since students are frequently exempt from account management fees. These otherwise depend on the bank and the payments you receive, and can be € 5-10 per month.
After your application at a bank it usually takes about a week for your EC card to be dispatched.

German health insurance is obligatory for M.A. students coming to Berlin. All German health insurance firms charge students matriculated at a university the same rate: € 61.01 for health insurance (“Krankenversicherung”) and € 15.52 for nursing care insurance (“Pflegeversicherung”). In addition, there is a small fee of € 1-6, which differs between companies. In total, health insurance costs around € 80 per month.

Further information can be found here (only in German).

Popular German health insurance companies are:

  • Techniker Krankenkasse
  • AOK
  • Barmer Krankenkasse
  • BKK
  • IKK

Zoltan Juhasz of Freie Universitaet's Welcome Service will happily support you in selecting and applying for health insurance.

German health insurance is not obligatory for Incoming Scholars who are not M.A. students.

All means of public transport in Berlin (S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus) can be used with tickets from the BVG (Berliner Verkehrsbetrieb).
The BVG provide different tickets for different zones:

  • Zone AB: Berlin city centre
  • Zone ABC: Berlin city centre + suburbs
  • A “Kurzstrecke” (short distance) costs € 1.70 and is valid for three stations (including changes) with the U- and S-Bahn, or six stations with the Tram (changes not allowed).
  • An “einfache Fahrt” (single trip) costs € 2.80 (AB) or € 3.40 (ABC).
  • A “4-Fahrten-Karte” (4-trip ticket) costs €5.60 (Kurzstrecke) or € 9.00 (Einfache Fahrt, AB) and entitles you to four trips on any day you choose.
  • “Einzelfahrscheine” (individual tickets) entitle you to a trip in one direction. After purchase and validation they are valid for 120 minutes. Within this time you can change as often as you like or interrupt your journey. You may not, however, change your direction of travel, or go in a circle.
  • A “Tageskarte” (day ticket) costs € 7.00 (AB) or € 7.70 (ABC). With a Tageskarte you can travel as often as you like during the day printed on the ticket when you validate it and up to 3am on the following day.

All tickets must be validated before beginning your trip and are only valid after this point.
If you intend to use public transport frequently, it is advisable to buy a period ticket (Abonnement). These are called “VBB-Umweltkarten” and are available in two varieties:

      • (1) as a monthly card (“Monatskarte”) valid for a particular calendar month:
        These are valid from midnight on the final day of the previous month to midnight on the final day of the month in question.
      • (2) as a monthly card valid from a particular day (sliding):
        These are valid from midnight on the first day of validity to midnight on the last day of validity (both printed on the ticket).

During the week, the U- and S-Bahn operate until around 1:30 am, depending on the station. After 1:30 am they are replaced by night busses (a “Nachtbus”). On Friday and Saturday, as well as on official public holidays, the train service runs all night. Trams always run all night.

  • Whilst citizens of Israel and the USA only require a visa if staying in Germany longer than 90 days, those from Hong Kong require one to enter the country.
  • Student visas issued by the German embassy in Hong Kong are personal and valid for at least 90 days.

A student visa can be extended at the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) at Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24 on presentation of proof of your status as student and proof of a blocked account containing a budget of € 670 per month.

Harvard University, USA

If you are staying for up to 90 days: You may enter through the “Visa Waiver” Program. To do so, you must obtain an entry permit via ESTA:

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

  • Since 12th January 2009, all travellers entering the USA via the “Visa Waiver” Programme (VWP) must obtain an electronic entry permit before they travel (Electronic System for Travel Authorization” – ESTA).
    It is possible to apply for one via a third party (e.g. a travel agency). Once you receive your entry permit, it is valid for any number of trips within a period of two years. The US authorities recommend that, if possible, you make your ESTA application at least 72 hours before you travel.
  • Since 8th September 2010, there is a fee of $ 14 for the ESTA application. It can be paid online by debit/credit card (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover). Alternatively, the payment can be made by a third party (e.g. a travel agency).
  • The website with the electronic application form is available in German and 20 other languages. Usually the applicant receives a response quickly. You are advised to print out your entry permit and take it with you as you travel. If you are refused by ESTA you cannot undertake your journey immediately. In this case, you must apply to the US authorities for a visa.

If you are staying for longer than 90 days:

As a participant in a DAAD exchange programme you will need a J1 visa. This can be obtained from the US embassy.

Prerequisites for a J1 visa

  • A permanent address outside the USA, as well as commitments that will oblige you to return after your visit.
  • Proof from a specific, reliable source of sufficient financial means to cover your expenses during the entirety of your visit to the USA. This proof could also be in the form of a guarantee, or an overdraft facility available for the period in question. For Harvard, you must show that you have $ 2500 per month available.
  • Proof of knowledge of English (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate).
  • Form DS-2019 (Harvard University will supply you with this).

Documents necessary for the visa application

(Please confirm in consultation with Harvard University that your details have been entered into the SEVIS system correctly. In addition to the visa application fee you must pay a separate SEVIS fee. For non-immigrant students with form DS-2019 the SEVIS fee is $ 180.)
(Source: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/de_de/de-niv-visafeeinfo.asp)

 It is easiest to find offers for rooms and flats in Cambridge online. Besides the website Airbnb, where private rooms are available from €520 per month, the following sites can help you find accommodation in Cambridge:

You should first of all find out if your own health insurance can offer you a package covering your stay in the USA. You must remain insured in Germany so that you are covered whenever you return home.
Nearly all insurance companies offer foreign health insurance, rates for which you can find on their websites.
Since the USA belongs to the NAFTA bloc, premiums are somewhat higher than in other countries.
Here are some examples of insurance companies offering long-term health insurance (longer than 56 days) for the USA:

The company Mawista specialises in foreign health insurance for those studying abroad.

During your stay at Harvard University within the context of the PCD network's Mobility Programme you will receive support in the form of lump sum grants:

  • A subsidy of your accommodation costs
  • A subsidy of your travel costs
  • Exemption from student fees at Harvard University
  • Free access to all the university’s libraries

Simultaneous receipt of a scholarship

  • Other DAAD scholarships (e.g. PROMOS, individual DAAD scholarships, etc.) must be suspended during your stay. Likewise, a PCD fellowship cannot be combined with an ERASMUS scholarship, a Deutschlandstipendium, a Fulbright scholarship, or a scholarship from the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule.
  • Other public or private scholarships may be accepted in full, in addition to that from the PCD network.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Programme, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at Harvard University. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the host university whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of the departments and institutes in the humanities at Harvard can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at Harvard University (e.g., with an extract from an email).

Employees of Freie Universitaet Berlin taking part in the PCD network’s Mobility Program should, for legal and actuarial reasons, apply to have their exchange recognized as an official business trip (“Dienstreise”). Under specific conditions, you might continue to receive your salary whilst undertaking your trip.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Israel

German citizens do not require a visa for a stay lasting up to three months. For longer periods it is recommended to apply for a student visa at the Israeli embassy before you leave. The processing time is usually around two weeks. To apply for a visa you need the following documents:

  • Your passport, which should be valid for at least six months after the end of your stay in Israel.    
  • A German residence permit valid for at least six months (for non-German citizens).
  • Application form (Antragsformular A), completed in full and signed
  • A current passport-sized photo (5 x 5 cm!) – write your name and surname on the back
  • A photograph of your invitation to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • A doctor’s assessment of your health (form for doctors)
  • Proof of travel medical insurance
  • Written proof of how you will finance yourself during your stay in Israel (scholarship documents, bank statements, guarantees, etc.)
  • € 43 application fee. Transfer the money to the account listed below and attach to your passport a receipt showing the transfer. Do not send cash or cheques.
  • A self-addressed envelope franked for € 4, or
  • In the case of a personal application made at the consulate, please pay in person with an EC-Card

Payments for consulate services are to be made to the following account:

Account holder: Botschaft des Staates Israel, Bank: Deutsche Bank

IBAN: DE 47 1007 0000 0067 6114 00, BIC: DEUTDEBBXXX

Payment description (“Verwendungszweck”): Visa, Name, Passport number

It is easiest to find offers for rooms and flats in Jerusalem online. Besides the website Airbnb, where private rooms are available from €450 per month, the following sites can help you find accommodation in Jerusalem:

In case you sign a rent contract, you can find more information here.

The most important means of public transport in Jerusalem are busses. The bus network is extensive and every area of the city can be reached quickly. In addition there is the tram service, Jerusalem Light Rail. The trams pass about every ten minutes.

For longer journeys out of Jerusalem it is possible to take the train (e.g. Jerusalem – Tel Aviv takes around 140 minutes).

The Jerusalem public transport website is to be found here.

To get around the New City from Sunday to Friday there is a good bus service with two main hubs: the Central Bus Station in north Jerusalem and the railway station in south Jerusalem. On Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath) Israeli buses do not run. However, if you are in the Old City, there are Arab Palestinian bus lines that serve nearby Arab villages.

Taxis can be hailed in the streets or booked by phone. For tourists there is a round tour bus (number 99) that allows you to hop on and off as it goes around the city. 

(Source: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293983-s303/Jerusalem:Israel:Public.Transportation.html)

You should first of all find out if your own health insurance can offer you a package covering your stay in Israel. You must remain insured in Germany so that you are covered whenever you return home.

Nearly all insurance companies offer foreign health insurance, rates for which you can find on their websites. Here are some examples:

The company Mawista specialises in foreign health insurance for those studying abroad.

Be careful! For regions in which the Foreign Office has issued a travel warning, insurance is not valid!

During your stay at the HUJI within the context of the PCD network's Mobility Program you will receive support in the form of lump sum grants:

  • A subsidy of your accommodation costs
  • A subsidy of your travel costs
  • Exemption from student fees at the HUJI
  • Free access to all the university’s libraries

Simultaneous receipt of a scholarship

Other DAAD scholarships (e.g. PROMOS, individual DAAD scholarships, etc.) must be suspended during your stay. Likewise, a PCD fellowship cannot be combined with an ERASMUS scholarship, a Deutschlandstipendium, a Fulbright scholarship, or a scholarship from the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule.

Other public or private scholarships may be accepted in full, in addition to that from the PCD network.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Program, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the host university whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of the departments and programs in the humanities at the HUJI can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at the HUJI (e.g., with an extract from an email).

Employees of Freie Universitaet Berlin taking part in the PCD network’s Mobility Programme should, for legal and actuarial reasons, apply to have their exchange recognized as an official business trip (“Dienstreise”). Under specific conditions, you might continue to receive your salary whilst undertaking your trip.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore – USA

If you are staying for up to 90 days: You may enter through the “Visa Waiver” Program. To do so, you must obtain an entry permit via ESTA:

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

  • Since 12th January 2009, all travellers entering the USA via the “Visa Waiver” Programme (VWP) must obtain an electronic entry permit before they travel (Electronic System for Travel Authorization” – ESTA).
    It is possible to apply for one via a third party (e.g. a travel agency). Once you receive your entry permit, it is valid for any number of trips within a period of two years. The US authorities recommend that, if possible, you make your ESTA application at least 72 hours before you travel.
  • Since 8th September 2010, there is a fee of $ 14 for the ESTA application. It can be paid online by debit/credit card (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover). Alternatively, the payment can be made by a third party (e.g. a travel agency).
  • The website with the electronic application form is available in German and 20 other languages. Usually the applicant receives a response quickly. You are advised to print out your entry permit and take it with you as you travel. If you are refused by ESTA you cannot undertake your journey immediately. In this case, you must apply to the US authorities for a visa.

If you are staying for longer than 90 days:

As a participant in a DAAD exchange programme you will need a J1 visa. This can be obtained from the US embassy.

Prerequisites for a J1 visa

  • A permanent address outside the USA, as well as commitments that will oblige you to return after your visit.
  • Proof from a specific, reliable source of sufficient financial means to cover your expenses during the entirety of your visit to the USA. This proof could also be in the form of a guarantee, or an overdraft facility available for the period in question. For Harvard, you must show that you have $ 2500 per month available.
  • Proof of knowledge of English (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate).
  • Form DS-2019 (Harvard University will supply you with this).

Documents necessary for the visa application

(Please confirm in consultation with Harvard University that your details have been entered into the SEVIS system correctly. In addition to the visa application fee you must pay a separate SEVIS fee. For non-immigrant students with form DS-2019 the SEVIS fee is $ 180.)
(Source: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/de_de/de-niv-visafeeinfo.asp)

It is easiest to find offers for rooms and flats in Baltimore online. Besides the website Airbnb, where private rooms are available from € 500 per month, the following sites can help you find accommodation in Baltimore:

Johns Hopkins University offers a number of accommodation sites suitable for various budgets here.

In Baltimore, there are four major options: bus, MARC train, Light Rail, and the Metro subway. A one-way bus or subway fare is $ 1.60, a day pass offering unlimited daily use of the bus and the subway is $ 3.50, a weekly pass is $ 16.50 and a monthly pass is $ 64. The buses run throughout the city and into Baltimore County.

A route planner for Baltimore public transport services can be found here.

You should first of all find out if your own health insurance can offer you a package covering your stay in the USA. You must remain insured in Germany so that you are covered whenever you return home.
Nearly all insurance companies offer foreign health insurance, rates for which you can find on their websites.
Since the USA belongs to the NAFTA bloc, premiums are somewhat higher than in other countries.
Here are some examples of insurance companies offering long-term health insurance (longer than 56 days) for the USA:

The company Mawista specialises in foreign health insurance for those studying abroad.

During your stay at Johns Hopkins University within the context of the PCD network's Mobility Programme you will receive support in the form of lump sum grants:

  • A subsidy of your accommodation costs
  • A subsidy of your travel costs
  • Exemption from student fees at JHU
  • Free access to all the university’s libraries

Simultaneous receipt of a scholarship

Other DAAD scholarships (e.g. PROMOS, individual DAAD scholarships, etc.) must be suspended during your stay. Likewise, a PCD fellowship cannot be combined with an ERASMUS scholarship, a Deutschlandstipendium, a Fulbright scholarship, or a scholarship from the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule.

Other public or private scholarships may be accepted in full, in addition to that from the PCD network.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Programme, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at Johns Hopkins University. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the host university whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of those teaching in the humanities at the JHU can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at JHU (e.g., with an extract from an email).

Employees of Freie Universitaet Berlin taking part in the PCD network’s Mobility Program should, for legal and actuarial reasons, apply to have their exchange recognized as an official business trip (“Dienstreise”). Under specific conditions, you might continue to receive your salary whilst undertaking your trip.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Hong Kong

German citizens can travel to Hong Kong for a period of up to 90 days without a visa. After leaving (e.g. to Macau, or to the Republic of China with a visa you have already obtained in Germany), you may immediately be permitted an additional 90-day stay in Hong Kong without a visa. In this case, it is a prerequisite that the first time you enter Hong Kong your passport be valid for at least six more months.
(Source: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/00-SiHi/HongkongSicherheit.html)

It is easiest to find offers for rooms and flats in Hong Kong online. Besides the website Airbnb, where private rooms are available from € 650 per month, you can find accommodation in Hong Kong here (registration necessary).

There are plenty of ways to get around Hong Kong, whether by taxi, ferry, train, bus or tram. The city claims one of the world’s safest and most efficient public transport systems and a convenient payment method in the form of the Octopus card.

You can find the route planner of the Hong Kong Transport Department here.

To use public transport without cash, you will need an Octopus card. There are various types of Octopus cards available while Sold Tourist Octopus may be the best choice for tourists as it provides great convenience to you for both transportation and retail purchases during your stay in Hong Kong. This Octopus has some Hong Kong iconic landmarks featured on the card face, and you can easily get it from the major convenience stores within the airport or city.

(Source: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294217-s303/Hong-Kong:China:Public.Transportation.html)

You should first of all find out if your own health insurance can offer you a package covering your stay in Hong Kong. You must remain insured in Germany so that you are covered whenever you return home.

Nearly all insurance companies offer foreign health insurance, rates for which you can find on their websites. Here are some examples:

The company Mawista specialises in foreign health insurance for those studying abroad.

During your stay at the CUHK within the context of the PCD network's Mobility Program you will receive support in the form of lump sum grants:

  • A subsidy of your accommodation costs
  • A subsidy of your travel costs
  • Exemption from student fees at the CUHK
  • Free access to all the university’s libraries

Simultaneous receipt of a scholarship

Other DAAD scholarships (e.g. PROMOS, individual DAAD scholarships, etc.) must be suspended during your stay. Likewise, a PCD fellowship cannot be combined with an ERASMUS scholarship, a Deutschlandstipendium, a Fulbright scholarship, or a scholarship from the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule.

Other public or private scholarships may be accepted in full, in addition to that from the PCD network.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Program, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at the University of Hong Kong. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the host university whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of those teaching in the humanities at the CUHK can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at the CUHK (e.g., with an extract from an email).

Employees of Freie Universitaet Berlin taking part in the PCD network’s Mobility Program should, for legal and actuarial reasons, apply to have their exchange recognized as an official business trip (“Dienstreise”). Under specific conditions, you might continue to receive your salary whilst undertaking your trip.

École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris - France

Rents in Paris are very high. Usually it is cheapest to rent a room in a shared flat.
Airbnb offers an initial overview of the housing market and monthly rates.
A room costs on average € 1,000, but it’s possible to find one from € 500.
The following sites are good options for finding a room in a shared flat:

It is, of course, also possible to rent your own flat. Landlords usually place their advertisements here. If you want to look at a flat you must always arrive an hour before the time indicated in the advert.

It’s also possible to find rooms in Paris on wg-gesucht.

Paris provides a very well developed public transport network. For frequent travellers remaining in Paris less than a year it is advisable to buy a weekly ticket for € 19.85, which allows an unlimited number of journeys. An overview of all RAPT (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) tariffs can be found here.

 

Since France is a member of the EU, you will not need additional health insurance. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on the reverse of your German health insurance card will give you access to all the necessary medical services in France.

During your stay at the EHESS within the context of the PCD network's Mobility Program you will receive support in the form of lump sum grants:

  • A subsidy of your accommodation costs
  • A subsidy of your travel costs
  • Exemption from student fees at the EHESS
  • Free access to all the university’s libraries

Simultaneous receipt of a scholarship

  • Other DAAD scholarships (e.g. PROMOS, individual DAAD scholarships, etc.) must be suspended during your stay. Likewise, a PCD fellowship cannot be combined with an ERASMUS scholarship, a Deutschlandstipendium, a Fulbright scholarship, or a scholarship from the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule.
  • Other public or private scholarships may be accepted in full, in addition to that from the PCD network.

To take part in the PCD network's Mobility Program, M.A. and PhD students require an informal letter from a mentor offering to supervise their research during their stay at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. A mentor should be a humanities professor at the host university whom you choose and contact on your own before your stay. An overview of those teaching in the humanities at the EHESS can be found here.

A mentor must not necessarily be a professor working in your own field. Nonetheless, you will be affiliated with the institute of your mentor during your stay.

PostDocs are asked to show that they have already established contact with researchers at the EHESS (e.g., with an extract from an email).

Employees of Freie Universitaet Berlin taking part in the PCD network’s Mobility Program should, for legal and actuarial reasons, apply to have their exchange recognized as an official business trip (“Dienstreise”). Under specific conditions, you might continue to receive your salary whilst undertaking your trip.