Information for international students

Most international students require a special student visa in order to enter Germany and study at German universities. To find out if and which visa you need, please check this visa navigator.

Information on the visa process are provided by the Germany embassy in your country of residence. Your embassy is the only source of reliable information. Please check their website for details about procedures, documents, and appointments. You can find your embassy on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Universities do not have influence on visa processes and decisions.  

Visa application processes can take very long (over a year in some countries). Please check if applicant visas are offered by your embassy or if there are special categories in which visa applications are processed more quickly. The respective information is provided on your embassy’s website. 

There are several websites that provide a range of useful information for international students coming to Germany. 

Topics range from hard facts such as information on proof of financial means and health insurance for visa applications to the German transport system. We recommend browsing the following websites:

• Study in Germany by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• Study and research in Germany of the German Academic Exchange Service