Germany Student Visa – Checklist, Requirements, Application, Fees & Processing Time

The numbers of foreign people choosing Germany for their abroad studies are increasingly growing each year. Most international students will likely need to get a German student visa at a German consulate in their country before they can come to Germany to study.

Depending on the country you come from, you might be exempt from needing a visa to study in Germany, but you are still required to obtain a residence permit for studies lasting more than 90 days, once you arrive in Germany.

Do You Need a Visa To Study In Germany?

  • For studies that last up to 3 months, you need a Schengen visa.
  • For studies that last more than 3 months, you need a German national visa

If you enter Germany with a national visa you have to extend your stay by getting a German residence permit for studies at the Foreigner’s Office. You should do this while your entry visa is still valid.

The first thing you’ve got to do is to find out if you need a visa to study in Germany as an international student, and if you do, what type of visa you need to apply for considering the length and nature of your planned studies.

Types of Germany Study Visas

You may be issued a German visa for studies for a range of study levels and degrees. This includes undergraduate, exchange, graduate, or postgraduate studies. This also covers participation in a pre-academic measure or in a non-academic German language course.

There are three types of German student visas you can apply for:

  • German Student Visa. This is the standard student visa for international students who have been admitted to a German university and are ready to start their studies at a full-time university program.
  • German Student Applicant Visa. You need this visa if you need to be in Germany to apply for university admission in person. This visa doesn’t allow you to study in Germany, it’s only valid for the university application process.
  • German Language Course Visa. You need this type of visa to study for a German language course in Germany.

German Student Visa Requirements

The most important requirements during your Germany student visa process are:

  • Visa Application Documents.
    • Duly filled out and signed national visa application form.
    • Your valid national passport.
    • Two photocopies of your passport.
    • Your certificate of birth.
    • Your marriage certificate. (If applicable).
    • Your child’s certificate of birth. (If applicable).
    • Your recent passport-style photographs. (Up to 3).
    • Photocopies of previous German residence titles. (If applicable).
  • Proof of Financial Resources “Finanzierungsnachweis”.  (One of the following)
    • €10,332 deposit confirmation at a German blocked bank account.
    • Letter of commitment and evidence of your parent’s income records and financial assets.
    • Letter of commitment by a German resident “Verpflichtungserklärung”. This letter is taken at the Alien’s Registration Office, by the German resident whose going to cover your costs during your studies.
    • Scholarship awarding certificate. It must show the amount of costs it covers.
    • Bank guarantee. Issued to you by a recognized German bank.
  • Proof of University Admission.
    • Confirmation of admission in studies “Zulassungsbescheid”. Issued by a recognized higher education provider in Germany, showing when you’re starting your studies and the language of teaching.
    • Proof of conditional admission “Bedingter Zulassungsbescheid” and a confirmed intensive course “Intensiv-Sprachkurs”. The letter must show you’re conditioned and confirmed to participate in an intensive language course before getting the final university admission. The course must last more than 6 months, with not less than 18 hours of lessons in a week.
      • Proof of conditional university admission.
        • Letter from “uni-assist”.
        • Confirmation of admission as an applicant.
        • Communication with the university, regarding conditions for final admission.
      • Proof of having paid for the language course. Accompanied by a confirmed place in the course. The payment must cover at least 3 first months.
    • Confirmation of admission in a university preparatory course “Studienkolleg”.
      • Proof of conditional university admission.
        • Letter from “uni-assist”.
        • Confirmation of admission as an applicant.
        • Communication with the university, regarding conditions for final admission.
      • Proof of having been confirmed as a participant in the course.
  • Evidence of your earlier education.
    • Original school-leaving certificate.
    • Degree certificate. (If you’re entering Master or PhD studies).
  • Student Health Insurance.
  • University entrance qualification.
  • Certificate of German or English Language Proficiency.

How to Apply For A German Student Visa?

The German student visa application process can be a confusing process for many international students. The procedures are different from country to country, but you can have a general overview of the main steps you need to go through below.

Here are the steps to apply for a German Student Visa:

  1. Locate The Closest German Embassy or Consulate. You can use Google to search for an embassy or a consulate near you, in your country (or another country close to you) to get more information about the requirements and setting up a visa appointment. All official German missions in other countries have an official website online, along with their physical address and contact information.
  2. Review The Requirements and Procedures. Once you find the German embassy website, you go to the student visa sections to review all the specific requirements for your country and the procedures to set up a visa appointment. Make sure you carefully review all the information provided (especially the documents you need to have) before you set up a visa appointment.
  3. Set Up A Visa Appointment. When you’re ready, you should set up a visa appointment by following the steps described on the official website of the German embassy in your country. In some countries, you should apply for your visa appointment a few weeks ahead of time as that particular embassy could have many visa applications and they could take a longer time to get to you. Timing is very important, sometimes all student visa interview slots can be taken, so make sure you act fast.
  4. Have All Of The Visa Application Documents Ready. Once you have you your visa appointment date confirmed, you should double-check all of your documents to make sure you have everything together. You can do this yourself and you don’t need to pay any outside consultants or agencies to apply for you.
  5. Prepare For Your Visa Interview. You should pay the visa application fee (€60.00 – €75.00) and have the payment confirmation with you at the time of your visa interview. This fee is non-refundable if your visa is rejected. You need to verify the exchange rate of your country’s currency and pay the exact amount. You should prepare yourself in advance for your interview. Here are some of the most common student visa interview questions and answers. After the interview is done, you will get the official answer whether your visa has been approved or rejected.

When To Apply For a German Student Visa

The best time to apply for a German student visa is immediately after receiving the university letter of admission and securing the necessary funds to live and study in Germany.

This is one of the most important requirements and if you haven’t been awarded an official scholarship, you need to provide proof of financial resources through other means such as having the funds deposited in a German blocked account.

How much bank balance is required for a German study visa?

As of 2021, the amount you need in your blocked bank account before applying for a German student visa is €10,332.

Germany Student Visa Processing Time

On average, it takes up to 25 days for your German student visa application to be processed. The processing time varies depending on the country and the German embassy you apply to.

All other German visa applications for studies are normally processed within 3 months.

German Student Applicant Visa

A German student applicant visa is the visa to apply for if you are planning to go to Germany to apply for university admission in person.

This visa is initially issued for three months but can be extended for another six months upon your arrival in Germany if necessary.

If in six months you receive the awaited letter of admission in a full-time university study program or a university preparatory measure you’ll be able to switch to a German student visa or a residence permit for studying.

How To Get Your Student Residence Permit in Germany

1. Find your permanent house. In the first week of your arrival in Germany with a visa for studies, you’ve to find permanent accommodation.

2. Register at the Resident’s Office. Immediately after this, you’ve to register such a living address at the local Resident’s Office. Upon registration, you’ll be receiving the confirmation on registration “Meldebescheinigung”.

Required documents to register in Germany as an international student are:

  • Your valid national passport or national ID card. It must show you have a valid visa if you’re a visa-regime citizen.
  • Rental contract.
  • Letter confirming your living address. Issued by your landlord of the place you’ve rented.

3. Enroll in studies. You have to officially enrol at the university to be able to participate in studies and get access to university resources. This has to be done within the enrollment period, within the deadline announced to you in the letter of admission.

This process known as matriculation is completed by submitting a list of documents at the student’s affairs office “Studentensekretariat” of the university where you’ll be studying. Additionally, you’ll have to pay a semester fee before getting the ID and password and lastly the ID card as a student.

Required documents to enrol in university studies in Germany as an international student are:

  • National Passport/national ID Card. It must show you have a valid entry visa for studies if you’re a citizen who qualifies for a visa to enter.
  • Confirmation of admission in studies.
  • German University Entrance Qualification. Or, equally recognized qualification, permitting you to start university studies in Germany.
  • Recent passport-sized photographs.
  • Student Health Insurance.

Note: The international office “Akademisches Auslandsamt” of your university is the key address where you may get a range of information about your studies and residence requirements

4. Apply for a residence permit for studies. As you’ve been registered in studies you’ve to get your visa extension by applying for a residence permit for studies as the local Foreigner’s Authority “Einwohnermeldeamt”.

Required documents to apply for a residence permit for studies in Germany:

  • Duly completed application form for a residence permit. The original name ‘Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels’.
  • Your national passport/national ID card. It has to show you have a valid entry visa if you’ve entered with a visa.
  • Documents showing your permanent address in Germany.
  • Confirmation of registration.
  • Rental contract.
  • Letter from landlord confirming your permanent address.
  • Recent passport-type photographs.
  • Proof of financial subsistence. (Send the same evidence you’ve provided when applied for the visa).
  • Proof of being admitted in studies. (e.g. certificate of enrollment, confirmation of admission, or evidence of conditional admission in studies.)
  • Money to pay the application fee. The cost of applying is 56-100 euros for first-time applications, 49-96 euros for an extension of the residence permit. For Turkish students, it’s 28.8 euros.

German Student Visa FAQ

What activities can I get a German student visa for?

  • Non-academic language course studies. A course lasting 3 – 12 months, with at least 18 hours of lessons in a week. The course must not be aimed to prepare you for further academic studies.
  • Pre-academic measures. A course lasting more than 3 months, aimed to prepare you for full-time academic studies.
  • Pre-academic German language courses. Participation in a preparatory course before sitting any of these recognized tests before studies must be a university prerequisite before your final admission in studies.
  • Preparatory foundation course ‘Studienkolleg’ studies. The course has to prepare you for the qualification test ‘Feststellungsprüfung’. Bypassing this test you must expect to obtain a recognized university entrance qualification ‘Hochschulzugangsberechtigung’. (This applies if your foreign high-school leaving certificate is not recognized in Germany).
  • Propaedeutic course studies. These courses must offer language and academic skills and specific knowledge regarding Germany’s education system and methodology. They must be held by the education provider you’ll be studying at.
  • Partaking in a mandatory preliminary internship. Participation in an internship must be a precondition for admission in the study program, i.e. at the University of Applied Sciences.
  • University degree awarding studies. You must have received the confirmation for admission in studies from a recognized higher education provider here. This is relevant for studies leading to a recognized higher education degree, such as Bachelor (BA, BSc, BSEng), Master (MA, MSc, MEng), or PhD.

What’s a university admission confirmation letter?

A university admission confirmation letter is a written confirmation that verifies that you’ve been accepted as a student. The confirmation letter usually contains the following information:

  • Details of the education provider. The one you’ve been admitted to study.
  • Acceptance reply card. You’ll be required to confirm you accept the offered place for studying. This is done by replying to the university admission office with a signed card.
  • Enrollment deadline. Dates within you should register as a student.
  • Exam dates. When the German language test or university preparatory entrance examination will be held. (If conditionally admitted).
  • Details about the orientation day. A day when new students are informed about the university’s premises and activities.

What’s the university conditional admission confirmation letter?

It’s a decision taken by the university admission office after you apply, but that conditions you to complete a few more requirements before you become a student of that university officially.

This may usually include participation in preparatory measures and/or passing specific pre-academic tests.

What’s the University Entrance Qualification (HZB)?

Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (HZB) is one of the key documents you need to apply for admission at a German higher education provider. It confirms the equivalence of your foreign education certificate with the German Abitur.

If your earlier education doesn’t qualify as equal to a HZB, you’ll have to undertake a test for recognition. This is relevant only if you also meet other university admission requirements.

Which language proficiency certificates are valid for studying in Germany?

The recognized German language certificates for studying at a German university are any of the following:

  • TestDaF level IV. For having passed the TestDaF, Test of German as a Foreign Language for Foreign Students in all sections.
  • DSH Certificate II or III. For having passed the DSH test, the German Language Test for Admission of Foreign Student Applicants.
  • Assessment test at the end of institutional preparatory classes.
  • DSD Certificate of level II. Language diploma of the permanent conference of ministers for education and culture affairs, level II.
  • Goethe Certificate C2. For having passed the Goethe Test of level C2.
  • Telc Deutch C1 or B2 Hochschule Certificate. For having passed the Telc C1 or B2 Hochschule tests.

To prove the proficiency of the English language, send any of the following certifications below:

  • Official Score Report of TOEFL Test. The required scores: IbT-88, Pbt-66.
  • Official Score Report of IELTS Test. Sent directly or to you by the British Council. The required group score in the IELTS Academic must be 6.5+.
  • Cambridge Advanced English Certificate A, B, or C. Together with Cambridge Proficiency English Certificate A, B, or C.
  • Alternative forms are exceptionally accepted.

Keep in mind that certain universities can have their own language proficiency requirements and not all language test and scores are accepted.

What are the transcripts of grades from earlier studies?

It’s the official document that your university/other HEI where you’ve previously studied at issues, showing all grades received during studies. It has to be signed and sealed.

What’s an accreditation certificate?

It’s a document issued by the relevant national ministry of education or similar national authority for recognition of an education provider or/and study program. By having this document you can confirm that your qualification is received by a state-approved provider.

What’s the notarization of documents?

Notarization (also known as authentication) means that photocopies of your original documents must hold the official seal and authentic signature of the relevant authority.

The rule is irrelevant for signatures, certifications, and verifications provided in digital form.

What does the equivalence to a bachelor/master degree in Germany mean?

If you want to start master studies in Germany after previously studying completing i.e. Bachelor degree studies outside the Bologna process, you must confirm the equivalence of these studies with Bachelor studies in Germany. You must get this document from the provider of such an earlier academic degree.

What’s a curriculum for studying in Germany?

The curriculum for studying in Germany is a document with all understanding and skills obtained in your previous studies are listed. However, such potentials must have relation to the requirements for the specific university program you’re applying to.

The curriculum must be accompanied by a catalogue of relevant study modules, where a detailed description of a degree program, department, division and university is offered.

What’s the information to include in the curriculum vitae?

When a CV is required you must include information about your earlier formal and informal education, internships, employment activity, national services in chronological order.

It must also cover information about your skills and other special talents. The formal education must include information about schools and universities where you’ve studied, study subject and graduation dates.