New Visa Rules for Germany in 2023

Are you planning to pursue your higher education in Germany? Once you have made the application and have been offered the admit, you will have to start working on your visa to fulfil your plans of availing quality education, amidst advanced infrastructure in Germany. So, what are the visa rules for Germany? Read on to find out.

Germany is an extremely popular destination among students who desire low-cost but high-quality education from an international university. Getting your higher education at a foreign destination is always a good idea as the experience sets you with new insights and advanced skill sets, making you industry ready. And, Germany offers it all – from no tuition fee at public universities, lucrative employment offers, relevant and updated curriculum, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, among others. However, even if you make a perfect application and receive an offer from your dream university, you will still have to clear the visa round to finally be able to fulfil your dreams.

How to apply for a German Visa?

First of all, you need to identify which kind of student visa you need for your studies in Germany.

Language Course Visa

If you are going for a short time of three months to a year and will be partaking in short German language programs or as part of some educational activity, you will need the Language Course Visa or the Visa for Language Learning. Should you plan to continue your higher education in Germany, you will have to return to your home country with the expiry of this visa and make a fresh application for the Student Visa.

Student Applicant Visa

If you have decided that you want to study in Germany but you are still unsure about the program or you have not yet received the offer letter from your university, you can apply for the Student Applicant Visa or the Visum Zur Studienbewerbung.

This visa will let you pursue a complete college program, any preparatory German language course needed to pursue a college program, take the Studienkolleg, a program that all international students must take before sitting for the Feststellungsprufung, the test that is needed to justify their foreign pre-university grades if their certificate is not recognized in Germany. You can also use this to complete your mandatory internship.

This visa will allow you three months in Germany initially. You can obtain an extension for additional six months to meet all admission requirements. Once you receive an admit, you can convert it to a Student Visa. With this visa, however, you cannot have a work permit, you cannot leave your preparatory studies, and cannot stay in Germany for longer than nine months.

Student Visa

As an accepted student of the German University, you need to apply for the Student Visa or Visum Zur Studienzwecken. You can stay up to two years in Germany with this visa. You will need your IELTS for this visa. With a student visa, you can take on part-time jobs in Germany. You will be allowed to work for 20 hours a week or 120 full days in an academic year in Germany. Another advantage of this visa is that it allows you to travel to neighbouring countries in Europe.

Documents to Apply for German Visa

You need to make an application for your visa. Depending on the type of visa you wish to apply for, you will have to provide the documents and furnish a statement of intent as part of the application. Once your application is received, you will be summoned to an interview with the visa officer and if you clear the same, you will be awarded the visa.

If you are applying for a student visa, you will generally need to submit the following documents:

1. Visa application form and Declaration (per Section 54 of Residency Act) – Duly Signed by Self
2. An additional declaration may be needed for additional contact information and legal representation information
3. 3 recent passport-sized photographs (not older than six months)
4. Copy of valid passport (not older than 10 years and valid for at least the next one year as of the date of visa application) with at least two empty pages
5. A copy of your passport’s data page in A4 size
6. Proof of address
7. Proof of admission to the college (the original and two copies) – along with the medium of instruction to be followed by the university for the particular program
8. If the medium of instruction is not confirmed by the university, you will have to submit your proof of proficiency in the German language (preferably at B2 level) – original and two copies. These certificates should be from institutes that provide German government-approved certification for language proficiency (Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, ÖSD, IELTS, TOEFL). Exemption Letters or Language of Instruction Certificates will not be accepted.
9. The certificate issued by the Academic Evaluation Centre
10. Letter of motivation
11. Resume
12. Academic certificates (if specified for certain specific programs)
13. Proof of finance (preferably, a blocked account of 11208 Euros and/or scholarships/fellowships/bank statements/stipend, etc.)
14. Proof of health insurance cover

Visa Interview

A crucial aspect of the visa granting process is the visa interview. The visa officer will seek to understand your motivation to go to Germany and your plans of returning to your home country. On many occasions than not, failure to strongly justify your reasons for returning to your home country may lead to the rejection of your visa application. The statement of intent/letter of motivation should also clearly prove your reasons for going to Germany, your ability to sponsor your travel and stay in Germany, and your plans of returning to your home country after the completion of your program.

Your visa application fees for a German student visa will be around 75 Euros, depending on the kind of visa you are opting for.

For further details on applying for a German student visa, connect with our expert advisors at Manya – The Princeton Review.

Manya – The Princeton Review Advantage

Manya – The Princeton Review offers end-to-end study abroad services encompassing admissions consulting services, test preparation, English language training, career assessment, and international internship opportunities to study abroad aspirants. Founded in 2002, Manya holds an impeccable track record of enabling more than 4 lac students to accomplish their study abroad dreams through its network of 47+ centers across India.

Manya has formed long-lasting global alliances with several market leaders in the education industry in order to maximize the benefits of its large service portfolio. Their list of esteemed partners and affiliations includes – The Princeton Review (TPR), Cambridge University Press (CUP), Cogito Hub, British Council, Tuding to name a few. Manya has also forged 600+ partnerships with international universities across top study abroad destinations.