How to Apply for a German Student Visa
This page details how, where and when to apply for a German Student Visa at a German consulate or embassy. Explore our guide below and discover exactly what you need to know for a smooth and successful visa application.
Who is this guide for?
🎓 The German Student Visa is open to citizens from all countries. To be eligible to apply, you must have first secured a place (or received a conditional offer) for a study programme at a German university.
🌎 Only citizens from certain countries are permitted to apply for the German Student Visa at an immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after their arrival in Germany. If you are from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, or the United States, you can enter Germany without a visa for 90 days. During this 90-day period, you can apply for a German Student Visa. We have explained how to do this in the following guide:
🛑 Citizens from all other countries must apply for the German Student Visa before arriving in Germany. This must be done at a German consulate or embassy outside of Germany. This guide is for you.
For an overview of how to set up in Germany as a student, see our German Student Checklist.
German Student Visa: Application Process
1️⃣ Book a German Student Visa appointment at your local German embassy or consulate
2️⃣ Apply for the German Student Visa at your local German embassy or consulate
We have expanded on these steps below.
1️⃣ Book a German Student Visa appointment at your local German embassy or consulate
You must apply for the German Student Visa at your local German embassy or consulate. To do this, you must first schedule a suitable visa appointment at your local embassy or consulate:
Find your local German embassy or consulate using this search tool.
Once on the relevant embassy/consulate website, you should navigate to their visa appointment booking platform. This can be hard to find.
Once on the visa appointment booking platform, simply select the visa type you would like to apply for, and a time and date that suits you.
Alternatively, here is a quick link to the appointment booking platform for a wide range of German embassies and consulates around the world. Note: not all German embassies/consulates are shown in this list.
📅 Top tip! Visa appointment slots often fill up months in advance. To avoid unexpected visa delays, we suggest starting to search for a suitable appointment 3 months before your intended move date to Germany.
Once you have secured a suitable visa appointment, you will receive an email detailing the time, date and location for your appointment. You can now start preparing the relevant paperwork for step 2; applying for your German Student Visa at your local German embassy or consulate.
2️⃣ Apply for the German Student Visa at your local German embassy or consulate
❗ Note: Each German embassy/consulate tends to have slightly different application requirements. However, the documents listed below are the standard, minimum application documents required for the German Student Visa. Prior to your appointment, we recommend that you double-check with your local embassy or consulate to see if they have any additional requirements on top of what is listed below
To apply for a German Student Visa at your local German consulate or embassy, you will be required to submit:
✅ A passport
Your passport must:
Have at least 2 free pages.
Be valid for 3 months longer than the intended visa duration.
Have been issued within the last 10 years.
You should also provide a photocopy of your passport’s data page.
✅ A passport photo
Guidelines for taking compliant biometric passport photos can be found here. Some embassies/consulates will request multiple photos so we recommend taking at least 3 identical passport photos to your appointment.
✅ Admission or acceptance letter from a university in Germany
This letter should detail the study programme that you will be attending in Germany, including details of the language of instruction.
✅ Proof of language proficiency
Sometimes you will be asked to prove that you have the necessary language skills to undertake the study programme you have been accepted on. If the language of instruction is German, you will usually need to provide proof that you are at a B2 level as a minimum. To do this, you can sit the relevant exam through the Goethe Institut or TestDaF-Institut.
If the language of instruction is English, then you usually do not need to provide proof of language proficiency if you are a native English speaker or the university states in the admission/acceptance letter that your language skills are sufficient. If you are required to prove your English language skills, then you can do this by completing a suitable IELTS or TOEFL exam.
✅ Health insurance
You must have suitable health insurance cover to apply for the German Student Visa. The insurance must cover:
At least your first 3 months in Germany.
At least €30,000 in medical expenses.
Repatriation to your home country.
Top tip! To ensure you meet the health insurance requirements for the German Student Visa, our favourite option is Feather’s expat health insurance. This policy not only meets the requirements for the visa and is approved by German embassies and consulates but is also competitively priced and can be quickly signed up for online.
✅ Proof of a secure livelihood
You must show that you have sufficient funds to live off while living in Germany on a Student Visa. For this, you generally have 3 options:
Open a blocked account (escrow account). This account should have at least €11,208 deposited in it at the time of application.
Our top suggestion for a blocked account is Fintiba, which combines a simple sign-up process with lower fees than most of its competitors.
Declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung). This is a formal commitment from a friend or relative in Germany that they will act as a financial guarantor during your time in Germany. Here is some additional info on how to obtain a declaration of commitment.
A scholarship. You should provide details of the scholarship duration and amount.
Prior to applying, check what documents are accepted by your local German embassy or consulate to demonstrate proof of a secure livelihood as these can vary considerably.
✅ Letter of motivation
Your cover letter should detail your motivations for studying in Germany including information on what university you will be attending and the study programming you will be undertaking.
✅ CV
You should provide a CV detailing your full education to date and professional experience.
✅ Visa application form
You must complete and submit a visa application form. The German embassy or consulate may request that you do this via an online form called VIDEX.
Alternatively, you can download a PDF copy of the visa application form here.
✅ Visa application fee
The fee for the visa varies depending on where you apply. However, in most cases, the visa fee charged by the German embassy or consulate is €75 (payable in local currency).
Additional info
Listed above are the standard application documents that are requested as part of your German Student Visa application. Other documents that are requested by some German embassies or consulates include:
➕ Proof of previous studies that entitle you to university admission
Often this is a high school certificate or graduation diploma. Essentially, it is proof that you have completed secondary education (high school) and are now entitled to start tertiary education (university).
➕ Proof of previous academic record
This can be certificates or transcripts that prove your previous academic record.
🎉 Congratulations! You have now completed all the steps for applying for a German Student Visa at a German embassy/consulate! Once approved, you are all set to move to Germany and start your studies.
For an overview of how to set up in Germany as a student, see our German Student Checklist.