Application Process
How can I get a student visa for Germany?
You need to begin your student visa application around four months before the start date of your course. This should provide enough time to make an appointment, do the necessary paperwork, attend the interview, and wait the 6 to 12 weeks for your visa to be processed.
The process to obtain your visa involves liaising with the German consulate in your country, ensuring you have filled out all forms correctly, and having the necessary documents prepared.
1. Make an appointment with the German consulate
You will need to attend an interview at the German consulate in your home country in order to be accepted for a student visa. Because these appointments get booked up in advance, you need to do this in good time. After you have made the appointment, go through the following steps and ensure they are all completed by the time you attend the interview.
2. Set up a Blocked Account
A blocked account is a type of German bank account for international students to prove they have the funds to cover their costs of living during their studies. Because the average cost of living for a student in Germany is €861 a month, you will need to have an account with a balance of at least €10,332 (12 months of living costs). See Expatrio’s Blocked Accounts page to start the process of setting up an account quickly, easily, and safely online.
3. Apply for health insurance
Make sure you are registered for health insurance and have proof of this cover that is valid in Germany (in almost all cases, this will have to be with a German provider). You can start the registration process with one of Germany’s top providers, the Techniker Krankenkasse, on Expatrio’s Health Insurance page today.
4. Fill in the application form
This can be downloaded from your nearest German consulate’s website. When you fill the application form out, take care to check you have included everything that is asked. Ask a friend or family member to go over it for you to check you haven’t missed anything. An incomplete form can result in a refusal of the visa.
5. Check you have all the documents ready
Ahead of your appointment with the consulate, ensure you now have all documents ready with a Germany Student Visa checklist. This includes your health insurance, passport, copies of passport, passport photos, high school certificate, course acceptance letter, birth certificate, proof of blocked account or funds, and the correctly filled out application form itself.