Non-European Union students need a visa to study in Germany. Normally German Embassy issues a 3-6 months entry visa to all international students that they can extend after reaching Germany. This visa extension depends on the duration of their study.
Who needs a visa for Germany?
All the students belong to these countries require a visa to study in Germany.*
| Afghanistan | Azerbaijan | Belarus | Belize |
| Egypt | Ethiopia | Benin | Bhutan |
| Algeria | Bahrain | Bolivia | Botswana |
| Angola | Bangladesh | Burkina Faso | Burundi |
| Equatorial Guinea | Cabo Verde | China | Ivory Coast |
| Armenia | Dominican Republic | Djibouti | Ecuador |
| Eritrea | Fiji | Gabon | The Gambia |
| Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Guyana |
| Haiti | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia |
| Iraq | Iran | Jamaica | Yemen |
| Jordan | Cambodia | Cameroon | Kazakhstan |
| Qatar | Kenya | Kyrgyzstan | Comoros |
| Congo | North Korea | Kosovo | Cuba |
| Kuwait | Laos | Lesotho | Lebanon |
| Liberia | Libya | Madagascar | Malawi |
| Maldives | mali | Morocco | Mauritania |
| Mongolia | Mozambique | Myanmar (Burma) | Namibia |
| Nauru | Nepal | Niger | Nigeria |
| Oman | Pakistan | Palestinian territories | Papua New Guinea |
| Philippines | Rwanda | Russian Federation | Zambia |
| Senegal | Sao Tome and Principe | Surinam | Cyprus |
| Zimbabwe | Somalia | Sri Lanka | South Africa |
| South Sudan | Sudan | Sierra Leone | Swaziland |
| Syria | Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand |
| Togo | Chad | Tunisia | Turkey |
| Turkmenistan | Uganda | Uzbekistan | Vietnam |
| Central African Republic | Saudi Arabia |
Admission letter:
The German study visa process starts only after you have received your admission letter. You cannot apply for a visa without a university admission or offer letter.
Find a German university to obtain the admission letter. You can find German universities on Daad and uni-assist portal. Immediately start your visa process right after getting the admission letter.
Blocked account:
Education is free in Germany but you require a scholarship, sponsor letter or blocked account to afford living expenses. You cannot get a study visa from the German embassy without showing one of these financing options. A blocked is one of the most famous and easy option to show financial strength. You can open a blocked account in one of the following banks:
- Fintiba
- Expatrio
- Coracle
- Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank, Fintiba, Expatrio, and Coracle blocked accounts comparison
After opening a blocked account you have to deposit 11,208 euros into it. You can say that this amount is a security deposit of your first year living expenses in Germany.
The amount you transfer will be blocked for one year and cannot be taken out all at once. Instead, you can withdraw only 853 euros per month from your account
The process to get a visa to study in Germany:
Appointment:
The process to get a study visa starts when you book an appointment in the German Embassy or German Consulate. You can book your appointment online on the website of the German embassy of your country.
Interview & visa application:
Prepare all the required documents as mentioned on the website of the German embassy and appear for an interview on the day of the appointment. The interview will not be difficult. They will ask just a few general questions like: why did you choose Germany? why did you choose this particular university? etc.
During the interview, you will submit the visa application as well. you will also pay a visa fee that can be around €75.
Collection of Passport:
Once the German embassy will decide to issue your visa they will call you or give you a date to collect your passport. Collect your passport, book a flight ticket, pack your luggage and fly to Germany.
Congratulations! You have completed the process to get a visa to study in Germany. The whole visa process may take up to 6-8 weeks. However, if your classes start earlier, you may request the consulate/embassy to speed up your process, and they are usually very accommodating.
After arrival in Germany:
After landing in Germany, you have to apply for a residence permit to prolong your student visa. The resident permit will be given for either the whole period of study at once or maybe for a year. Then you might have to get it renewed later. The rejection ratio of student visas is very low for Germany if you fulfill all the requirements.
*Source: The German Federal Foreign Office
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