Get an education in Germany: Student Visas and Permits for Germany
When it comes to seeking high-quality education, Germany is an excellent option. Their world-class teaching methodology, remarkable research infrastructure, outstanding career prospects, and incredibly low tuition fee makes Germany a perfect place to study. Therefore, many foreign students believe that it is the most appropriate and valuable place for attaining higher education.
Although the country offers fantastic opportunities and quality education,, not everyone and anyone can realize this dream of studying in Germany. The reason is that people from many different countries are not permitted to take a trip to Germany and live in its territory without having a valid German Visa.
What you need is a study visa which is an officially authorizing document needed to allow a non-German individual to enter the country and live in the German territory for the objective of studying, particularly in a specified time period.
Who can apply for a German Study Visa?
Any foreigner who is under any of the following conditions can apply for acquiring a study visa to Germany.
• recently received the letter of acceptance from any University in Germany
• awaits a positive response on the admission application from any German University
• wishes to register in any foundation course prior to applying in any German University.
• has to take one foundation course for the preparation of examination for quality assessment.
• has to complete his/her doctoral degree
• aims to complete a research project in the territory of Germany
If you fall under any of the above situations, you can apply for the Study visa to Germany only if you are not from such a state which is under the visa-waiver program. You will have to submit your application at the consulate or Embassy of Germany in your state. Once you get the visa, you would be able to enter the country and stay there for the allowed period as per the permit.
If any of the students have to stay in the German territory for over 3 months or 90 days, he/she can also apply to acquire a residence permit soon after arriving in the country.
As far as the suitable time to apply for a visa is concerned, there is no particular period in which you should send the study visa application. However, it is always suggested that you should apply for a visa as soon as you can so that you can get it timely.
Usually, the students apply about three months before their intended date of the trip.
Below is some for valuable information for those who want to know more about getting a study visa for Germany.
What are the types of study visas for Germany?
As mentioned above, if you wish to study in Germany, you will need a study visa. There are different types of these visas depending upon your exact study purpose.
For the people who aspire to move to Germany for pursuing educational activities, the following are the three types of study visas.
Study visa for Language Learning
The students who aim to participate in educational activities which last for minimum three and maximum one year for completing a short language course in German are required to apply under language learning visa.
Student Applicant Visa
The students who desire to study in Germany but has not got admission yet should apply under this visa category. The student applicant visa is for those who are still trying to get admission in a German University. So, if you have not found an appropriate study program yet, but you wish to go to Germany for studying, this is the type of visa you need.
Student Visa
The students who are already accepted by a university in Germany need the student visa for going there.
How and where to apply for Study Visa to Germany?
As explained before, the go-to place for applying for German study visa is the German consulate or Embassy in your state.
The first thing you need to do in this regard is the scheduling of an appointment for the visa interview. On the day when your interview is conducted, you will have to present documents of visa application.
Moreover, you will have to respond appropriately to all the interview questions that the consulate officer will ask you in order to examine every visa candidate properly.
Set up a Visa appointment Timely
Please note that the first and foremost thing that you should know regarding visa application is set up the visa appointment at the German consulate or a German embassy as soon as you can.
Do your homework and find out the available dates to book your appointment. Visit the official website of German consulate or Embassy and schedule your appointment online with enhanced ease. After this, you will be able to plan out your time of departure.
Visa Interview
The interview for a visa is the critical moment when you meet the German consulate officer face-to-face. Remember that you will have to show all your required visa documents when the officer asks about them orderly. During this interview, the officer will ask different questions. Some of these will be the personal ones while some will be about your visa application. Make sure you answer all the questions honestly and carefully.
Registration at Registration office of Resident
The foreign students who aspire to stay in Germany for over 2 months must get authorization on the registration. In order to get this authorization, the applicant is required to apply at the registration office of the local resident.
Those foreign students who want to stay in Germany for over 3 months or 90 days must possess an approved residence title. For international students, the Residence Permit is the suitable title intended for the purpose of the study.
The Resident permit is granted only when the visa holder submits an application at an Alien Registration Office in the same city where his/her university is situated.
Critical things to know as a German Visa Applicant or German Visa Holder
- During the visa interview, the consulate officer can also ask for some additional documents.
- It is essential to go in person for the visa interview.
- Take care of the passport validity. Its validation date must cover your whole stay period along with the expected duration of the extended period.
- The incomplete visa application can be rejected instantly.
- You don’t have to paste your photos in the application form.
- Go alone for the visa interview at the German consulate or Embassy.
- You are authorized to take legal action against the decision of consulate or embassy regarding their decision on your visa application.
- A German Study visa is more valuable than a Tourist visa as it offers you an excellent chance to acquire Residence Permit in the country. Please note that a tourist visa does not provide the facility of extension while you are still in Germany even if you need to stay for a longer period.
- If any applicant appears to be any kind of threat to the public order and security of the whole Schengen area, his/her visa will immediately be rejected.
- If the authorities reject your visa, you will be duly informed about the major reason for it.
- Timely schedule your trip to Germany, so that get enough time in the deposition for enrolling in a German university.
- Once you arrive at the airport, the authorities may ask you to show your original documents, so keep them with yourself.
- You cannot automatically get the study visa to Germany. It is a long process, and you will have to patiently wait for over 4 months to get a response from Consulate or Embassy. Remember that even if you have all the required documents, nothing can guarantee that you get a visa.
- The application form is available at the website of the consulate or Embassy. You can download it now.
- Throughout the visa proceeding process, your passport will remain at the consulate or Embassy.
- You can easily make a visa appointment through the online systems.
- If your application is rejected or visa is refused, the fee will not be reimbursed.
Student Visa Fee for Germany
The total fee for application of Germany student visa is only 75 EUR.
All the applicants are required to pay this fee via bank transfer. Remember that the payments through credit cards and checks are not accepted. Besides, the money order applicants send are needed to be in Consulate/Embassy name, and it should not be more than two months old.
Always remember that in case your application for the German study visa is rejected, the processing fee will not be refunded.
Processing time for German Student Visa
As mentioned above, the German study visa processing takes time. The long term study visas can take about 6 to 12 weeks from the day you submit an application while the processing time for short-term German study visas is about 15-30 days.