Requirements For Study Visa In Germany
As Germans desire the expertise these international college students can bring to their nation, the variety of university student visas handed out every year has increased by greater than 50%. Lately, Germany is among Europe’s main countries as far as foreign college students are involved. The country has grown to become a preferred selection for scholars, who have an interest in receiving a high first-class education and getting skilled at one of many world’s major businesses. However, figuring out how you can secure a student visa from Germany may be a problem for some.
A person can apply for a student visa if he/she wishes to study in Germany. Student visa is a temporary residence permit for the purpose of studying. An applicant can stay in Germany with a valid student visa for visiting relatives or friends, school exchange or research. For getting the student visa in Germany, one should meet some prior requirements.
Students can apply for a visa if they fulfill all the general visa requirements and specific requirements for the German Student Visa. General visa requirements of Germany include applicant’s age, nationality, intention to return home after studies/training and proof of sufficient funds while traveling to Germany.
Requirements For Study Visa In Germany
You may get a German student visa if you’re a foreigner and have received a letter of complete admission for studying at a German university, equally recognized institution, university of applied sciences, college of arts and music or other equally recognized higher education institution. The studies you can do with a German student visa are either full-time university studies or preparatory measures before such studies, i.e. Foundation course.
Which Are the Study Types You Can Follow With a German Student Visa?
A German student visa can be granted to you if you’re expecting to attend any of the following study types:
- Full-time academic studies.
- German language courses for studies.
- State preparatory college ‘Studienkolleg’. A course you’ll have to undertake as a foreigner whose school-leaving certificate isn’t recognized in Germany. Once completing the course, you’ll be sitting the test “Feststellungsprüfung”. If you succeed in passing the test, you will get a certificate known as a university entrance qualification. With that on your hand, you’ll be able to apply for university admission in Germany.
- Propaedeutic course
- Mandatory preliminary internship.
Requirements to Apply For a German Student Visa
Apply for a German student visa at the German embassy or consulate or other intermediating application agencies in your country. The decision about your application is based on the information and the supporting documents you provide. Therefore, these documents have to be sent as originals, accompanied by two photocopies of each.
Here is a checklist of the required documents to apply for a German student visa:
- Two duly completed national visa application forms.
- Valid national passport. (Read passport requirements)
- Two recently taken biometric portrait photographs. (Strict requirements, read our photo requirements page).
- Proof of admission at a German education institution. (Send any of the following).
- University admission letter “Zulassungsbescheinigung”.
- Letter of admission in a foundation course. Issued by a Studienkolleg.
- Letter of admission in the propaedeutic course.
- Letter of admission in a preparatory German language course.
- Proof of German language proficiency. (For German-only and mixed-language study programs).
- German Language University Entrance Examination for International Applicants (DSH).
- Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF).
- Goethe Institute German Language Diploma (GDS).
- German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Level II (DSD).
- Proof of English language proficiency. (For English and mixed-language study programs).
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Accepted results are PbT (paper-based test) 550 Points, CbT (computer-based test) 213 Points and IbT (internet-based test) 79-80 Points.
- The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Accepted scores by German universities are 5 – 6.5.
- Authenticated certificates of earlier education.
- German university entrance qualification “Abitur”. If you’ve studied in a German education provider abroad. (If not, send the following documents).
- Recognized foreign academic qualification. It must show you have a qualification equally recognized as the German Abitur.
- Academic records or transcript.
- Curriculum vitae. It has to be accompanied with evidence of previous and current internship and work experiences if any.
- Means of subsistence “Finanzieruungsnachweis”. The evidence you provide must show you have enough money to cover living, accommodation and study costs. (Send any of the following).
- Blocked bank account. One of the easiest and fastest ways to open a German Blocked Account is through Expatrio. The blocked account provided by Expatrio is accepted by German embassies/consulates all around the world. Learn how to open an Expatrio blocked account.
- Letter of commitment by a resident “Verpflichtungserklärung“. A person living in Germany, showing they’ll be covering your accommodation and/or other living costs while you’ll be here.
- Letter of a declaration by a parent. It has to show their commitment to support you financially during your stay here. It must be supplemented by their bank statements of the latest 6 months.
- Scholarship awarding certificate. It must show you as a receiver and the amount of financial coverage granted to you by this scholarship.
- Student health insurance. It must have at least 30,000 EUR coverage, and it must be valid for at least 3 months. The tariff EDUCARE24 by DR-WALTER meets all the requirements and is accepted by all German consulates worldwide.
- Motivational letter. You’ll have to express the reason for choosing the specific university, study program. Mention also your study and plans and how these studies will be improving your career and life.
- Marriage certificate. (Send this if you’re married). Support that with a birth certificate of any child (If related).
- Proof of having paid the German student visa application fee.
How Much Bank Balance Is Required for Germany Student Visa?
As of 2021, the amount required by the German Embassy/Consulate to be deposited into the blocked bank account when applying for a student visa to Germany is €10,332.
Is It Possible to Get a German Student Visa Without a Blocked Account?
It is possible to apply and get a German study visa without a blocked bank account by fulfilling one of the following requirements:
- Submitting your parent’s documents certifying their income and financial assets.
- A friend or a relative with a permanent residence in Germany can guarantee to cover your living expenses (Verpflichtungserklärung).
- Presenting a scholarship award notification from a recognised institution (e.g., DAAD, Max Planck).
If you cannot fulfil any of the requirements above, then the blocked account becomes a mandatory prerequisite for the visa to study in Germany.
One of the easiest and fastest ways to open a blocked account to apply for a German study visa is through Expatrio. Click here to learn more on Expatrio Official Website.
Germany Study Visa Fees
International students applying for a German student visa are charged certain fees, as shown in the table below:
| Category | Visa Fee (Euro) |
| Applicants under 18 years old | 37.50 |
| Applicants over 18 years old | 75 |
What You Can and Cannot Do While Having a Valid German Student Visa?
As a holder of a German student visa, you can:
- Apply for an extension of the student residence permit. This is possible if you haven’t yet completed your planned studies within the visa period, and you’ll be completing them in a reasonable time.
- Get a part-time job. You may work for up to 120 working days/year, even if you’re already working part-time in an academic institution where you are studying. However, your work must not interfere with your study progress.
- Apply for a residence permit for job-seeking after graduation. You’ll be eligible to apply for a residence permit of this type only if you’ve completed your studies in Germany. With such a residence permit, for up to 6 months after graduation, you’ll be able to search for a job or to get self-employed. You may get a temporary job while searching for a permanent job that directly matches your received academic qualification.
As a holder of a German student visa, you cannot:
- Get a full-time job. You cannot get a job that requires you to engage 240 working days per year. Despite this, you don’t qualify to apply for a work permit while being a student.
- Abandon study lessons. Failing to participate in study lessons may lead to the cancellation of your eligibility to remain in Germany.
For How Long You Can Stay in Germany With a Student Visa?
With a German student visa, you’ll be able to remain in Germany for the initial 3 months. Within this period, you’ll be required to apply for a residence permit to study. The maximum period you’ll be receiving through such a residence permit is 2 years. You’ll also be allowed to extend the residence permit, depending on the length of your studies.
Steps to Follow After Arriving in Germany With a Student Visa
There are few steps you’ll have to go through before beginning your studies in Germany.
1. Find permanent accommodation in Germany.
Soon after arriving here, get yourself permanent accommodation in Germany. You may get accommodated in a student residence, flatshare, or an apartment rented on your own. The evidence of permanent address will be necessary on many future occasions.
2. Get yourself covered by German health insurance ‘Krankenversicherung’.
Get yourself covered with a health insurance policy, as this is a mandatory requirement for everyone living here.
If you’re a citizen of a country issuing a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you’ll not need to get German statutory health insurance. This accounts for EU people and citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Morocco, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey. In addition, the EHIC covers any medicinal treatment in Germany.
There are great German health insurance companies targeting students and meeting their needs. German insurance companies such as DR-WALTER have been in the industry for many years and are preferred by international students. Not only are they affordable, but their tailored student packages such as the tariff EDUCARE24 are favourites amongst international students in Germany.
Without proof of health insurance (public or private), enrolment at a German university is impossible.
3. Matriculate in studies to get the certificate of enrollment.
As you’ve found your permanent housing here, next to come is the enrollment or matriculation in studies at the student service office. But, again, do this within the enrollment period within dates announced in your letter of admission. If lacking enrollment, you’ll not be able to participate in study courses, sit the study exams, neither access the university’s services nor get the study degree. The certificate of enrollment will, likewise, is required when registering your address, applying for a residence permit, and getting discounts on leisure activities.
To enrol at a German university as a foreigner, these are the documents needed:
- Valid national passport. It must show your valid student visa within.
- Letter of admission.
- Few recently taken passport photographs.
- Student health insurance.
You’ll not be officially enrolled just by applying. Initially, a certificate of enrollment will be issued as a temporary student ID until you get the official student ID card. The process is completed when you pay the semester contribution and study fees (if any) right after receiving your student ID card by post. The average semester contribution is 250 Euros, and it covers social and other university services, counting the semester ticket for using the local public transportation.
The Student ID card sent to you will be accompanied by a unique ID account, e-mail and password on the server of the education provider. You’ll use this information to access internal electronic materials and library resources of the same provider.
Note: You’ll need to re-enrol yourself at the beginning of each new semester. If you don’t do that, you’ll be exmatriculated, removed from the student register.
4. Open a current bank account from a recognized German bank.
The next thing you’ll need to do is getting yourself a current bank account, ‘Girokonto’, with a recognized German bank. You’ll that in many cases, such as paying the rent, enrollment, other study-related fees, registration fee, and other bills. It is likewise needed for receiving any subsidy or your salary. Opening a bank account is normally free of charge service.
To open a student bank account in Germany, these are needed documents:
- Valid national passport.
- Confirmation of registration ‘Meldebescheinigung’.
- Evidence of student status in Germany. (Any of the following).
- Student registration certificate ‘Immatrikulationsbescheinigung’.
- Letter of admission.
- Student visa.
5. Register your living address in Germany at the ‘Einwohnermeldeamt’. Get confirmation of registration ‘Meldebestätigung’.
In one week from having found your permanent housing, register your living address at the Resident’s Registration Office “Einwohnermeldeamt” or at Citizen’s Bureau ‘Bürgeramt’. Once completing the application, you’ll receive the confirmation of registration ‘Meldebestätigung’.
>> The documents you need for registering your address in Germany as an international student.
Note: You’ll have to repeat the process each time changing your living address in Germany.
6. Apply for a residence permit to study at the ‘Ausländerbehörde’.
As soon you receive the confirmation of registration, you’ll have to apply for a residence permit for your studies. This must be done while having a valid student visa.