The Ultimate German Student Visa Checklist

If you’re thinking about moving to Germany to study, there is a whole range of things and documents that you need to think about. German bureaucracy is famous for a reason!

From getting the right kind of visa to figuring out the cost of the paperwork to making sure you register your address at the right time, our ultimate German student visa checklist is here to keep you on the straight and narrow!

So, let’s dive in and find out more.

What Are the Different Kinds of German Student Visas?

You might be surprised to know that there are five different kinds of student visas in Germany. So, when you’re applying for your student visa, you have to make sure that you’re applying for the correct option for your situation.

This is massively going to affect your budget, study allowance, and where you can actually enroll in Germany.

Full-time academic studies

This is probably your most traditional form of student visa. Basically, if you want to come and study at a German university or college on a degree track or higher, this is going to be the visa for you. It allows you to study full-time in Germany without any hassle.

German language courses

If you’re coming to Germany to study the German language, and you’re planning on staying between three months and a year, you can apply for a German language course visa.

This is a separate track that allows you to immerse yourself in the German language. It’s worth noting that you need to hit a minimum number of lessons each week, so if you’re applying for a night class that’s only two hours a week, you’re not going to get this visa approval.

german administration building with a flag

State preparatory college ‘Studienkolleg’

Some high school certificates just aren’t accepted or recognized in Germany. If yours aren’t recognized, then you might need to go to a State Preparatory College and earn yourself a Feststellungsprüfung, or university entrance qualification. Once you have this, you can apply to universities and colleges in Germany.

Propaedeutic course

Otherwise known as a Propädeutikum, propaedeutic courses are really short, condensed courses that are normally run over the summer. Sometimes this can be a foundation course to get you ready for the academic year, and sometimes it’s a way to hit the ground running and graduate earlier from your university course.

Mandatory preliminary internship ‘Praktikum’

Many university courses in Germany have a mandatory internship or work experience component to help students get real-world experience. This is also known as a Praktikum and lasts from four to eight weeks, depending on your industry.

Some courses might need your internship to be a full year, so it’s worth checking the terms of your course before checking out visa options.

What Are the German Student Visa Requirements?

As you might expect, there is a long list of paperwork that you’re going to need to apply for your German student visa.

Two completed application forms
A valid national passport
Two recent passport photos
Proof of admission, which can be any of the following:
- University admission letter
- Foundation course admission letter
- Propaedeutic course admission letter
- German language course admission letter
Proof of German language proficiency, if you’re studying in German or on a mixed-language course. These can be any of the following.
- 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 if your course is taught in English or is a mixed-language course. This tends to be either a TOEFL or an IELTS certification.
Valid education certificates that have been authenticated.
- German university entrance qualification from an overseas German education provider.
- Recognized foreign academic qualification.
- Academic records or transcripts.
CV or resume with previous work experiences and internships.
Proof of funds for during your stay. These can be any of the following:
- Blocked bank account with enough money to cover rent, bills, food, living expenses, etc.
- Letter of commitment by a resident “Verpflichtungserklärung“. Essentially, this says that a resident is going to cover your accommodation while you’re studying in Germany.
- Letter from a parent, saying they’ll support you, and proof of their funds with six months of bank statements.
- Proof of scholarship with the amount specified.
Student health insurance with at least 30,000 EUR coverage.
A letter stating why you’ve chosen this university program and the specific university. This can also include plans for your career to help carry weight.
Marriage certificate if you’re coming with a spouse, and a birth certificate if you’re coming with a child.
Receipt of payment for the German student visa application fee.

How Much Are German Study Visa Fees?

Unfortunately, visas aren’t free, and German student visa fees are no different. There are two different price points, and it depends on your age bracket. As far as visa fees go, these are super reasonable compared to other countries.

If you’re under 18, you’ll pay 37.50 EUR, and if you’re over 18, the fee amount is 75 EUR.

Dos and Don’ts while on a German Student Visa

As with a lot of visas, there are quite a few things that you can and can’t do while you’re living in Germany. There are some hard restrictions that you need to be mindful of.

After all, if you break the terms of your visa, you can be deported, and you won’t be able to complete your degree.

So, what are the dos and don’ts of the German student visa? Let’s find out.

What you can do on a German Student Visa

You can get a part-time job. On a student visa, you can work for up to 120 days out of the year. That equates to a third of the year, so you can definitely help support yourself while you’re in Germany!
You can extend your student residence permit. As long as you process this before your studies end, you extend your stay in Germany.
You can apply for a job-seeking residence permit after graduation. This allows you to stay in Germany for another six months after graduation so that you can find a job and secure a work sponsorship visa.

What you can’t do on a German Student Visa

You can’t have a full-time job on a German student visa – 120 days per year is the limit.
You can’t abandon your classes. If you don’t participate regularly, attend classes, and complete and pass assignments, your visa can be voided.

How Long Can You Stay in Germany with a Student Visa?

The duration of your German student visa honestly depends on your degree. Interestingly enough, the student visa is only for three months. This might sound bizarre, but it’s because you should apply for a residence permit once you arrive.

These residence permits have a maximum length of two years, so if you’re on a three-year course, you’re going to have to reapply for your residence permit at least once during your stay.

What to Do When You Arrive in Germany on a Student Visa

So, your student visa has been approved and you’ve arrived in Germany – now what? Here’s what you need to do when you first arrive in Germany on a student visa so that you can stay in the country on a long-term basis and complete your studies!

Find a permanent place to stay

First things first, you need to find a permanent place to stay in Germany. This can’t be a hostel room or Airbnb or anything; it needs to be a permanent space.

When you arrive in a country, you often stay in an Airbnb or hostel while you’re looking for a permanent place. Once you have that, you can start registering at your university and with the local government.

Get German Health Insurance or Krankenversicherung

Everyone in Germany needs health insurance. It’s a mandatory requirement, so you need to make sure you’re covered. There are both public and private health insurance options to choose from, especially if you’re under 30 years old, and the more comprehensive and affordable public health insurance options are still open to you.

You may need to show proof of your health insurance when you apply for your visa in the first instance, but you need to make sure that you have enough coverage for the duration of your time in Germany.

Enroll at your university or college

Once you have your new and shiny permanent address in Germany, it’s time to head to the Student Services office at your university or college and enroll or matriculate in your studies.

This basically says you’re here, you’re local, and you’re ready to start learning again. If you don’t enroll during the designated enrollment period, you might lose your place at the university or miss the cut-off for choosing your elective modules.

This is super important because applying and getting accepted into a German university doesn’t mean that you can just show up to classes. When you show up to enroll, you’ll need to bring a few documents to make it all official and prove that you are who you say you are.

Valid national passport, complete with a valid student visa
Admission letter
Spare passport photos
Proof of valid student health insurance

When you enroll, you’ll get a certificate of enrollment, which is super important to hold onto until you receive your student ID. Your student ID comes by post, and you’ll also get access to your university email, the library, and more.

Once you’re enrolled, you’ll have to pay any outstanding university fees. It’s worth noting that there’s usually a 250 EUR per semester fee that covers social activities, university services, and local transportation fees.

Open a German bank account

If you’re living in Germany, you need to open a German bank account. This is going to be crucial for paying your rent and bills, and if you want to get a part-time job while you’re studying.

There are plenty of options to choose from, and it’s normally free to open a bank account in Germany.

This is kind of a chicken-and-egg situation because in order to open a German bank account, you need to prove that you’ve registered your address at the local Bürgeramt. However, to register your address, you need a rental contract, which is sometimes hard to get without a bank account.

Register your address at the Einwohnermeldeamt or local Bürgeramt

Within one week of finding your permanent housing in Germany, you need to register your address at either the Einwohnermeldeamt or the local Bürgeramt. This allows you to move forward and apply for your much-needed residence permit.

So, when you register your address, you’ll get a confirmation of registration, which is called a Meldebestätigung. Make sure you keep this safe for when you apply for the residence permit!

You’ll need to bring your passport with your valid student visa and your rental contract or a letter from the owner stating that you’re living there permanently.

Apply for a residence permit to study or Ausländerbehörde

Speaking of residence permits, it’s time to get yours! This allows you to stay in Germany longer than three months and gives you access to all the great German social services. As such, you need to bring a big binder full of documentation!

Your valid passport, complete with a valid visa
Confirmation of Registration or Meldebestätigung
Proof of funds – you can use the same ones as you did for your visa application
110 Euros in cash for first-time applicants or 80 Euros for extensions, paid in cash.
Proof of Health Insurance
Proof of language skills
Proof of accommodation
Student ID or Certificate of Enrollment

Bring all of these pieces of paper and certificates to your local government office and submit them to an appropriate agent. On average, it takes between 1-3 months for a residence permit to get approved.

Once you receive your residence permit, you’ll be given a chip and pin card with all your biometric information, so it’s super useful for a whole range of services while you’re in Germany and you also want to take really good care of it!

Normally, residence permits last around 12 months, so you’ll need to extend your permit each year. This is actually a great permit for student visas, as you’ll likely have different addresses each year and you’ll need to re-enroll each year of study.

This basically ensures that all your details stay up to date with the local German authorities, and you don’t miss out on any important pieces of information.

How much money do I need to apply for a German Student Visa?

So, when you apply for a student visa in Germany, you need to prove that you can support yourself while you’re in Germany. This covers everything from rent to bills to going out to activities, transport, and more.

For this reason, the minimum amount that the German government requires in a blocked account is 11,208 EUR for a year.

It might sound like a lot, but once you break it down, that’s under 1,000 EUR a month to live off. In some parts of Germany, like Berlin, you might want to make sure that you have more money put away to ensure you can live comfortably while you’re there.

How Long Does it Take to Get a German Student Visa?

There are a few things that go into the processing time of a German student visa. If it’s a long-term visa, like a full-time academic study visa, you can expect it to take between six and twelve weeks for you to get your visa.

If it’s a short-term student visa like a foundation course, internship visa, or a shorter language course visa, it can take between 15 and 30 days to come through. A general rule of thumb is that the longer you want to stay and study in Germany, the longer it’s going to take for your visa to be processed.

At peak times, such as after the university acceptance letters come through, the application times can lean towards the longer end of the spectrum, so be prepared and don’t worry if it’s taking a little bit longer than usual!