Visiting Scholars
Visiting scholars are qualified academics who usually provide temporary, usually teaching services, on a semester basis at a university, thereby regularly supplementing teaching.
A professorship with a VGP number is not a prerequisite for visiting professors, as they are usually financed with material resources including external funding. There is no obligation to advertise; however, a brief statement explaining the advertisement waiver must be submitted. There must be a reason for limiting employment pursuant to Section 14 subsection 1 of the German part-time and fixed-term contract act (Gesetz über Teilzeitarbeit und befristete Arbeitsverträge, TzBfG).
This position confers employee status. Any previous appointment as a civil servant or employment relationship at a different higher education institution can be upheld during a leave of absence without continued payment of the salary. The visiting professor must clarify options for a leave of absence in advance.
The monthly gross is currently €5,517.71.
The hiring process begins with an application to fill the position. This requires selecting, under the heading “Beschäftigten- und Statusgruppe,” the category “Wissenschaftliches Personal, Tarifbeschäftigte” and, under the heading “Personalkategorie” the category “Gastwissenschaftler.”
Note
This form of employment includes visiting scholars with an employment contract. Visiting academics with visiting rights refer to the faculties as their point of contact.
Which documents does the employing institute/department/faculty need?
- hiring request (SharePoint)
- designated visiting scholar’s current CV
- description of the visiting scholar’s activities
What next?
After the hiring application and the current CV have been submitted via SharePoint to Team 631, the Academic Staff Council (WIPR) must consent to hiring the candidate. Upon obtaining consent, Team 631 sends an invitation to the visiting scholar requesting the relevant documents.
Once the most important supporting documents have been submitted in full, HR Services (Team 631) will draft a contract. Monthly payment of the fixed-sum remuneration is effected on the last working day of the month.
Which documents must the designated visiting scholar submit?
- completed personal information sheet
- if possible, postal address in Germany
- German bank account details (IBAN, credit institute, account holder);
- transfers to an account in a foreign European country possible only under exceptional circumstances
- if available, German social insurance and pension insurance numbers
- German tax ID number or, if the employee is not German application form for employees with unlimited or limited income tax eligibility requesting written confirmation for tax exemption for the remuneration on the basis of a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation. Employees can obtain the application form from HR.
- documentation of membership in a health insurance company in Germany pursuant to Section 175 of Book V of the German Social Security Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB V);or, for EU or EEA and Swiss citizens: jA1 certificate/E101 form (posting certificate; issued by the foreign employer or the foreign health insurance company)— travel health insurance or a European insurance card is not sufficient.
- Civil servants who are on a leave of absence are also required to make social security contributions (including health and longterm care insurance) due to their employee status. Possible exceptions (for example, due to exceeding the annual income threshold in the previous 3 years) are subject to separate review. If the employer issuing the civil service contract extends the pension entitlements (Gewährleistungsentscheid) to the employment relationship as a visiting professor, then the visiting professor is released from the obligation to make pension insurance contributions.
- nonEU/EEA citizens: registration certificate issued by a German registration authority
- nonEU/EEA citizens: visas or resident permits for commencing employment
Special considerations for international visiting scholars
See the form Hinweise für ausländische Staatsangehörige for special considerations and information for foreign nationals (visa requirements, residence and work permits, etc.).