How To Apply For A German Student Visa

How To Apply For A German Student Visa – Most European countries are the best places for candidates/students planning to have their study stay abroad. Germany as a country happens to be among the top countries in Europe with the best Universities coupled with impactful courses for international students.

Documents required for the German student visa application are as follows; Duly filled out and signed national visa application form, valid national passport, two photocopies of the applicant’s passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), applicant’s child certificate of birth (if applicable), recent passport-style photographs (up to 3), photocopies of previous German residence titles (if applicable).

The German student visas are grouped into three types and they are;

German student visa – This visa is applicable to students who have been admitted to any of the Universities in Germany.
German Student Application Visa – Applicants who wish to apply for a German student visa themselves. This visa disallows applicants to study in Germany and it is only valid for the University application process.
German Language Course Visa – This type of visa is required by international applicants who wish to study the German language course in Germany.

In this post, applicants will be taken through the ranks and files of the steps involved in applying for a student visa to Germany.

Table of Contents

Apply To A German University and get your acceptance letter

Applicants must receive an acceptance letter from any University in Germany of their choice. After an acceptance letter from a University in Germany that accepts international students, applicants are advised to further the steps involved in the application process.

Locate the closest German embassy or consulate

Applicants are to use the official website online or search for an embassy or a consulate near them to get the requirements and set up a visa appointment.

Review the requirements and procedures

Applicants are to review the specific requirements for their country and procedures after finding the German embassy website. Applicants are notified to be extra vigilant when reviewing all the information provided before appointments are set up.

Set up a visa appointment

Applicants are to set up a visa appointment by following the steps described on the official website of the German embassy in their country. Student visa interviews might be conducted at this stage.

Have all of the visa application documents ready

Once applicants have their student visa appointment date approved, they can re-confirm all documents and make sure they are all intact.

Prepare for your visa interview

Applicants are to pay a visa application fee of €60.00 – €75.00 and have their payment confirmation with themselves at the time of their visa interview. This application fee is non-refundable if your visa is rejected. An official response will be sent to applicants once the interview is done.

Frequently Asked Questions on how to apply for a student visa to Germany (FAQ)

How much bank balance is required for a German study visa?

The amount required in the applicant’s blocked bank account before applying for a German student visa €11,208.

What activities can I get a German student visa for?

The list below is the activities for which applicants can get a German student visa;

Non-academic language course studies
Pre-academic measures
Pre-academic German language courses
Preparatory foundation course ‘studienkolleg’ studies
Propaedeutic course studies
Partaking in a mandatory preliminary internship
University degree awarding studies

Which language proficiency certificates are valid for studying in Germany?

The following are the recognized German language certificate for studying at a German university;

TestDaF level IV

DSH Certificate II or III

Assessment test

DSD Certificate of level III

Goethe Certificate C2

Telc Deutch C1 or B2 Hochschule Certificate.

Below are links to other student visa applications;

In this post, applicants who wish to apply for a student permit/visa to Germany were taken through the steps involved in the application process coupled with other necessary documents required from applicants.