Munich Summer Program Housing, Travel & Location
Housing
Students in the program are responsible for finding their own accommodations. Students are encouraged to make arrangements as far in advance as possible. This year the US dollar is relatively strong versus the euro; for currency conversion see, for example, the Universal Currency Converter. There are several short-term rental agencies that have English-language websites with information and registration forms including the following:
- Airbnb (Munich Airbnb)
- VRBO
- Extended-stay hotels can be found at DERAG Living Hotels
Since you are probably unfamiliar with Munich geography, an online map service that pinpoints hotel and apartment addresses on a map can be of great help. The Mr. Lodge website provides a very helpful guide to Munich neighborhoods.
Please note that details on housing are provided for students' information only; students are responsible for verifying all information before committing to any housing situation and for ensuring that any selected housing meets their particular needs.
Travel
Students are advised to make travel arrangements as far in advance as possible to secure reasonable rates. Websites that may offer discounted fares include Student Universe; Air Gorilla; Orbitz; Expedia; Travelocity; and Kayak.
All students traveling to Germany are required to hold a valid passport. If you are unsure whether you will need a visa in addition to a passport, please contact the German Consulate/Embassy in your home country well in advance of your intended travel date. Citizens of many countries do not need visas to enter Germany for a period of up to three months. Students are advised to review the U.S. State Department Consular Information sheet on Germany before traveling.
GW requires that you register in the GW Passport Study Abroad database. This registration includes the necessary documents for you to complete in order to maintain compliance with GW’s Travel Approval Policy.
Direct any questions about this to:
Office of International Programs
[email protected]
Information for Individuals with Disabilities
Advice on traveling to Munich for individuals with disabilities is available on these websites:
The Munich Intellectual Property Law Center and the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law are generally wheelchair-accessible. Students who will require special classroom accommodations because of a disability are advised to contact us at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Location
The City of Munich
With a population of over 1.6 million, Munich is the third-largest city in Germany and an important cultural and economic center. It has been ranked by Germans as the most livable city in Germany, and with a population of over 80,000 university students, it has plenty of attractions for students. Munich is known as Europe's "Intellectual Property Capital" because it is the location of the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court, a large number of intellectual property attorneys, and a large number of companies in industries heavily dependent upon intellectual property, including Siemens, BMW, and many media and biotech companies. Munich's cultural and recreational attractions include:
- 45 museums, including the Deutsches Museum -- possibly the best technology museum in the world -- and a cluster of world-famous art museums that include the Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek, and the Pinakothek der Moderne
- 2 opera houses
- 58 (non-cinema) theaters, and 84 cinemas
- the Bavarian Film Studios, where such films as The Never-Ending Story, Cabaret, and Das Boot were shot (Munich is the film and media capital of Germany)
- the English Garden, one of the largest urban parks in the world (larger than New York's Central Park), which offers an astounding variety of attractions, including surfing (on a well-frequented standing wave in a branch of the Isar River) and nude sunbathing
- the largest concentration of beer gardens in the world (see the English-language Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich)
- and within an hour by car or train, the German Alps, and a number of beautiful Alpine lakes.
You may find other useful information on the following sites: New in the City; Frommer's; Europe for Visitors; Toytown Munich. (Being lawyers, we can't help but add that we do not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained on any particular website).
Although the program will be conducted entirely in English, to take full advantage of your stay in Munich you should consider learning some basic German (or brushing up on the German you've already learned). For a quick, inexpensive course in both language and culture, you might try the book-and-cassette combination "German Survival Guide" by Elizabeth Bingham.
The Month of May
In May, given its latitude is farther north (equivalent to that of Canada), Munich’s temperatures are cooler than those in Washington, DC, averaging in the 60s F during the day and 40s F at night. But there are longer days, with sunrise occurring around 5:30 am and sunset at 8:30 pm. It can also rain in Munich, so pack a jacket and rain gear or umbrella.
The Munich Intellectual Property Law Center
All classes in the program will be held on the premises of the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC) and the neighboring Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law. Students in the program will be able to use a number of study rooms and two libraries, including the library of the Max Planck Institute, which is the most complete intellectual property library in the world.
The MIPLC is right in the center of Munich (See Map) -- one-half block from the Four Seasons hotel and the most exclusive shopping street in Munich; one block from the opera house; two blocks from the English Garden, two blocks from the Hofbräuhaus, the most famous beer hall in Germany, and four blocks from the Marienplatz, the historic central plaza underneath which most of the subway train lines meet.