4800 international students are currently enrolled at the various universities in Leipzig. Many of them come from poorer nations, countries in crisis, at war, or recovering from war-related damages or financial crisis, and finance their higher education through scholarships or the financial assistance of their families and friends. In most cases, the money they have at their disposal is hardly enough to cover the daily living expenses and related study costs in Germany. At the same time the job opportunities for international students are very limited so that additional income is rarely possible to generate. Therefore, most international students find themselves faced with economic hardship, which is bound to become more severe in the future. Unexpected changes in financial circumstances can be caused by the following:
- Funds from personal or family sources are no longer paid due to war and severe crises in their home countries
- Due to exams or illnesses the students cannot work
- other compelling reasons such as higher study costs, health costs, or costs of family support.
Such financial emergency problems could arise easily and impact on an international student’s academic progress, jeopardizing academic performance and a successful graduation. In such cases, the association HILFE FÜR AUSLÄNDISCHE STUDIERENDE IN LEIPZIG e.V. is a reliable and discreet service to be consulted by those affected. During its 20 years of existence it has become an irreplaceable part of university life. For further information please email us: hausle(at)uni-leipzig.de