Essential Requirements for Entry to Germany

Students interested to take up full time study in Germany are required to apply for a student visa which is initially granted for a period of three months. It needs to be extended by the authorities in Germany within three months of your stay. The extension is granted for one year at a time till the end of the course.

Types of Visa

• Language course visa: valid only for the duration of the course.
• 3-month study applicant’s visa: valid for those who have not yet been admitted to a university. Upon admittance, it must be changed into a resident permit for student purposes only.
• Visa for study purposes: valid for one year. Student must provide proof of admission and financial backing for the duration of the study to receive this visa.
  

Procedure for student visa- Certain guidelines:

1. Choose your college or University: Choose which college/institution you want to study and check their eligibility conditions. If you meet the eligibility criteria and other necessary conditions, apply to that particular course of study and college.
   
   
2. Apply for student visa: Once admission to one or more Universities has been obtained, you can begin applying for a student visa.
   
   
3. Understand your visa conditions: Please note that if you are granted a student visa, you must abide by all conditions as outlined by the visa. These conditions include the following. You must:
   - complete your program within your visa duration
   - make satisfactory academic progress
   - not interrupt your study, except for compelling or compassionate grounds
   
   
4.  Students need to submit the following documents for visa:
   - Completed Visa Application Form
   - Photographs
   - Visa Application Fee
   - Evidence of Admission, i.e. Admission Letter or Acceptance Letter
   - School leaving certificate
   - Certified Copies of birth certificates
   - Proof of funding and supporting documents showing your financial stability
   - Medical Certificate
   - If attending a course in German, proof of your proficiency in the German language or an intensive language course of twenty hours a week in Germany.
   

Proof of Financing

You need to submit either your parents appropriate statements of income and assets or provide a bank guarantee or someone living in Germany guarantees the Aliens Department that they will bear the costs for you.

• Submit the application and documents: Processing of the visa take up to eight weeks. A letter of introduction will be sent to you confirming the approval.

Health Insurance

Students who study in Germany must have a health insurance cover. There are two kinds of health insurance: Statutory (Public) health insurance and private health insurance. If you have not yet turned 30 years of age or have not yet spent 14 subject related semester in academic study, you can be insured by a statutory health insurance carrier.

Resident Permit

Citizens of European Union, Australia, Canada, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland & USA do not need a Visa to study & are totally exempted. All other nationals need one of the following Visas issued in the home country or the nearest German mission to pursue education in Germany:

Language course visa
Valid only for the duration of the language course exclusively.

Study applicant Visa
This Visa is valid for 3 month period. After enrolling at the University, this visa must be converted into Resident Permit for study purposes at the Local Foreigners Office.

Resident Permit
Resident Permit is issued for study purposes for the duration of one year and extendable based on the proof of financial support for the duration of study.

Planning for your arrival: Pre-requisites

Once you have been accepted to study at an institution and have received confirmation of your student visa, the next step is to start planning for your arrival. Following are the essentials:

• Student enrolment and documents – You will need your acceptance letter which you have received from your institution, the letter of introduction from the visa office indicating your study permit details, a valid passport and other necessary documents, if any.
  
  
• Flight details – Be mindful of the date and time of your flight. Keep your flight details in a safe and secure place, with your passport and visa.
  
  
• Contact details – Have a list of emergency contact details of your embassy, accommodation and institution details.
  
  
• German currency – There are money exchange places available at German airports and in urban centers, but it is recommended to have some German currency to you prior to leaving your home country.