Visa for study purposes

In order to obtain a visa for the purpose of studying, you must fulfill the following requirements :

• proof of a higher education entrance qualification: The decision on university admission for applicants with foreign university entrance qualifications lies with the universities.

• Proof that your livelihood is secured for the duration of your studies: You can prove this in the form of a blocked account (2025: at least €992 per month or €11,904 per year), a scholarship or a declaration of commitment.

You may also need to provide proof of a certain language level to ensure that you can complete your studies.

The visa also covers preparatory study measures such as language courses or attendance at a preparatory college or similar institution as well as full-time doctoral studies.

As a rule, the visa is limited to two years when it is first issued. If you have not yet completed your studies within this period, the residence permit can be extended for a further two years on application. The total duration of study should not exceed 10 years.

The visa is tied to a specific university and course of study. A change of university or course of study must be applied for at the Foreigners' Registration Office.

ATTENTION: Even if you do not need a visa to enter Germany but would like to stay longer than 3 months, you must register with the Residents' Registration Office. This requires proof that you can finance your studies yourself and that you have health insurance.

If you have successfully completed your studies, you have the option of applying for a change of residence title at the Foreigners' Registration Office. The application is here online.

If you have a job offer for qualified employment, you can obtain a residence permit for gainful employment as a skilled worker, for example. It is also possible to obtain a residence permit to look for a job for up to 18 months. During this time, you may pursue any type of work.

It is possible to obtain a visa to study in Germany. To do so, you must fulfill a number of conditions:

• You must be able to prove that you meet the school and language requirements to be admitted to a university course in Germany. In many cases, you can use the anabin databasehere to find out whether your school-leaving certificate entitles you to university admission.

• Your livelihood must be secured (in 2025 € 992 + 10% surcharge = € 1.091). This can be done, for example, via a blocked account or a declaration of commitment.

The maximum duration of stay for the title is 9 months. The title cannot be extended. You can work up to 20 hours a week in a part-time job during this period. You are also allowed to work on a trial basis for up to a total of 2 weeks.

Even if you discontinue your studies for reasons for which you are not responsible, the title can be granted in order to apply for admission to another educational institution.

If you have successfully completed your search for a place to study, you can apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studying at the Foreigners' Registration Office.

For foreign students studying abroad and academics who have recently graduated, there is a visa for completing a study-related internship EU. This can be obtained by

• an internship agreement and

• a certificate of enrolment from a foreign university or the university degree was completed no more than two years ago at the time of application.

The internship must also correspond to the subject of the degree course. In addition, the internship institution must undertake in writing to cover living and travel expenses for the duration of the internship and for up to six months after the end of the internship.

The residence permit is issued for a maximum of 6 months. Further employment is not permitted.