Things to take care before coming to Germany

Health Related

• It is better to do a master health checkup before you come here, if you have any minor health issues this will help you to get it sorted.
• If you have any pre-existing health condition , please carry your recent medical reports related to the condition. 
• If you have any dental or eye or any specific issues please get it sorted , In Germany waiting times are longer. 
• If you wear specs get extra pairs, it’s very expensive in Germany.
• Medicines:
  • If you are having any health condition and under medication get the medicines for 6 months or the duration required as per your doctor’s suggestion.
  • If needed, get medicines for general health conditions.
  • Get all the above medicines with a Doctor prescription in his letter pad and his seal. During Immigration or security check they might ask (though it is rare and random)
  • Keep the medicines well packed in Check-In bag
  • Any emergency medicines of limited quantity can be kept in cabin bag (i.e. you take with you in the flight)

Cooking stuff

• Learn the basics of cooking from mom or YouTube or from other sources before you come here.
• Buy Cooking utensils (check Things to buy )
• Pack Homemade Spices and Masalas  (if buying in shop, buy the ones which has latest expiry date, i.e. it should last at least for 6 months), majority you will get here indian stores (online or in Magdeburg) but if you feel costly and have some space in luggage you can get this.
• Please check online store links to get some idea on things you get here and rates
  • https://www.get-grocery.com/en/ ,
    
  • https://www.jamoona.com/ ,
    
  • https://spicelands.de/ ,
    
  • https://indianstorestuttgart.com/  
• Home made masalas double pack it and label it.
• Get some ready to make food or pastes for initial days, maybe for a week.
• No need to bring rice or lentils.
• DO NOT BRING poppy seeds (normally in south India it is used in biryani) it is treated as a drug especially if you are transiting via the Middle East.

Clothing

• Some clothes are very cheap in India , I have listed a few below Mostly all this things would have been covered in  Things to buy but just adding it here​.
  • Thermals (Jockey you might get for 500 or 600 rupees)
  • ​Socks (winter socks , as well as normal ones)
  • Slippers for home
  • Jeans (it is very costly in Germany compared to India)
  • Winter Jacket (If you are coming for October Intake buy some cheaper ones for initial days as most of the costlier jackets in India also might not withstand peak winters), Initial days you can manage with Multi layered clothing and a jacket , then you can buy a good one in Germany for 60 to 100 euros which can last for years.
  • If you are coming during summer personally I say you can manage with multi layered clothing and sweaters (which we wear when we go to hill stations ), but if you feel you need one buy it.
  • ​T-Shirts (T Shirts are cheaper here but personally from my experience felt in India you get better quality  for the same price)
  • Towels
  • Traditional dress​

Initial Expenses

Get 1200 to 1500 Euros in cash or cash/Forex. It may take 4 to 6 weeks to unblock your blocked account. When you come here you need to pay

• University fee (~approx 130 €)
• First month rent and rent deposit (mostly one or 1.5 months rent will be your deposit) 500 to 600 euros.
• If it takes more than four weeks to unblock you may need to pay 2nd month rent from your hand
• Initial expenses like buying some furniture, bed, mattress etc. - 200 € to 300 € if you buy new ones in IKEA or similar shops
• Your food expenses - 150€ (assuming you cook most of the time)
• Miscellaneous- 100€
• Keep cash in multiple locations I.e. in different pockets and in cabin bag

General

• Get 3 or 4 Europe travel adapter (universal travel adapters might be loose for German sockets and as your going to use it for a long time I feel it is better to get specific ones)
• Get a couple of universal travel Adapters.
• Buy one surge protection universal plug  extension box (Belkin is good)​
• Get Non programmable scientific calculator
•  Link to check Non Programmable models from Casio https://edu.casio.com/products/scientific/ 
• Get Pen,Pencils, Rubber and notebooks.
• Get 15 or 20 copies of Biometrik Passport size photos (German Standard,  same as the one you submitted for visa)
• One Power bank 
• Carry a few 1 euro or 2 euro coins to use at the airport for getting baggage trolleys.
• Get hair cut done :P Here it costs 8 euros (post student discount) for a haircut (Of course for men :P).
• Use your gadgets less and spend a good amount of time with parents, siblings, relatives and friends you will miss them much after coming here and vice-versa. 

Baggage Packing

• Know your baggage allowance( check your ticket and if not clear call customer care and confirm it. It varies based on the offer , route etc so never go by friends word or by hearing from someone in the group)
• Check your luggage dimensions whether it adheres to the dimensions specified by the airline.
• Check the restricted goods from the airline website and make sure you do not carry any.
• As you know your baggage allowance and the split , create a checklist of items based on it.
• In check in bag 
  • If you have fragile or breakable things do not keep in the corner, bubble wrap or wrap it with clothes and keep in the center
  • Try buying vacuum bags and put clothes in it, it will save lots of space
    
  • If you have spices and masala items, double pack it and wrap it with another cover so it does not spill all over if there is any leakage.
    
  • Have a weighing scale and check the baggage weight, DO NOT exceed the weight limit (Normally whatever you weigh at home it will be at least 500 gms higher when weighed at the airport). Chances are very high that they might ask you to pay extra for every extra KG. If you are not willing to pay in the last minute you have to take something out (you don’t know which one is not important :P to be taken out) and it is unnecessary tension. Some may say that for students an extra two or three kgs they will allow but do not go by that it all depends upon the person who issues the boarding pass, if he is strict you have to pay for every extra kg, the call is yours :P
• In cabin bag (which you take with you)
  • Keep emergency medicines in small quantities , for example 2 or 3 tablets each.
  • Total volume of  liquids (All liquids together) SHOULD NOT EXCEED 100 ml (i.e. hair oil, face wash etc), keep in small quantities 
  • Keep your laptops (if there is no separate laptop bag allowance), power bank in it.
  • Keep all important documents (passport, educational certificates, admission letter, medical prescriptions and other documents if any)
  • DO NOT KEEP dangerous items like knives etc, it is not permitted
  • KEEP EXTRA pair of clothes, this will be helpful in below scenarios
    • If your check in  baggage is delayed (sometimes it will be missed during transit and it will take 3 or 4 days for them to send it to your city)
    • If You feel colder after landing in Germany, you can take out and wear extra layers of clothes to feel warm