What you need to know about the student visa

More and more young people want to study in Germany. If you are planning to do the same, you will probably need a student visa. The visa is permission for you to stay in Germany during your studies.

There are different types of visas for students. For a language course lasting no longer than three months, you need a so-called "Schengen visa C". For a longer visit to Germany, you must apply for a "Schengen Visa D". If you are only in Germany for a short time because you want to find out about the possibilities of studying, a "student applicant visa" may be sufficient.

Applying for a student visa for Germany costs 75 euros. You must transfer this fee to the account of the German embassy in your country. No other payment, for example by credit card, is possible.

You should also note that this fee is non-refundable - even if the visa is refused. If you want to come to Germany to study, you must apply for this visa in good time.

It can take several weeks or even longer before you are issued a visa. You will need to visit the German embassy in your country. Your fingerprints will also be taken there, for example. You must therefore appear there in person.

1. a current passport

The passport must be valid for at least three months after you wish to leave Germany. In addition, there must be enough space in the passport for the visa (two pages).

2. two passport photos

These passport photos must be biometric.

3. accommodation

You must be able to state where you will be staying during your visit to Germany. This can be a booking from a hotel, a rental contract for an apartment or a confirmation for a shared apartment.

4. financing

To study in Germany, you must be able to prove that you can afford to buy everything you need every day. Therefore, you must open a "blocked account" at a bank. You must transfer 10,236 euros to this account. As long as you are in Germany, you can withdraw around 850 euros from this account every month.

5. admission

To study, you must attend a university. To do this, you must prove that you are eligible to study. You can prove this, for example, with your school-leaving certificate or with courses you have already completed.

6. health insurance

Health insurance is also an important requirement for the visa. This insurance pays the hospital bill in the event of an accident, for example. The insurance must be able to pay at least 30,000 euros for such emergencies.

It is very important that this health insurance meets certain requirements. That's why it's good to have the right partner at your side for this issue.