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Who
requires a visa?
If you wish to take up
studies in Germany, you will need a visa for entry
(residence permit in the form of a visa). A visa is
absolutely necessary under the immigration laws there;
the only exceptions are for applicants from European
Union countries and from states with which special
agreements have been made:
Nationals of American
Samoa, Andorra, Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil,
Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Estonia, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Israel,
Korea (Rep. of), Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue,
Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Singapore, Slovak
Republic, Slovenia, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela and
US Virgin Islands for stays of up to 3 months.
It is not permissible to enter the country on a
tourist visa for the purpose of studying here. Those
wishing to enter the country to study may apply for a
visa for purposes of study, or for a study applicant
visa.
The visa must be issued before you can
enter the country; you should therefore apply for it in
good time. The responsible body is the German Embassy or
Consulate General in your country, which can also
provide you with further information.
The visa
for purposes of study will be issued if you have already
been accepted to study in Germany. The study applicant
visa (Studienbewerber-Visum) permits you to enter the
country before the admission decision by the university
or college, in order to obtain information on the spot.
The university applicant visa is particularly important
for applicants to the Hochschule für Musik and Theater
(College of Music and Drama), so that you can enter the
country for the entrance examination. And this type of
visa may also be useful to applicants who wish to
improve their language skills in Germany before starting
their studies. The study applicant visa is limited to
three months, but it can be converted to a visa for
study purposes if you receive your admission from the
university or college during this period.
For
both types of visas it is necessary to hold a valid
passport, to provide proof of financial means for your
period of study in Germany, and to have either
university admission (visa for purposes of study) or at
least a confirmation of your status as an applicant
(study applicant visa).
Those who intend to
study and enter the country on a study applicant visa
should also note that they must provide evidence of a
university or college place in Germany within the
prescribed period of three months, in order to obtain a
residence permit for study purposes.
What documents will be
required?
Visa applications for language courses
must be accompanied by the following
documents:
Application forms(2 copies)
Two
recent passport photographs
Your passport with a
validity exceeding three months after your scheduled
return
Photocopy of passport and previous Schengen
visas, if applicable
Confirmation of course
reservation and payment of fees by the language school
in Germany
Proof of sufficient funding / Formal
obligation
Certification of medical insurance.
1) For the student applicant visa you will need
the following basic documents:
-
a valid passport and 2 passport
photographs;
-
proof of possession of a school leaving
certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, entitling you
to study in both Singapore and Germany (or to visit a
preparatory course in Germany)
as well
as, where necessary
-
proof of previous studies;
-
proof that you already possess
German-language skills or that you plan to attend an
intensive language course (at least 20 hours per week)
in Germany;
-
proof of sufficient funds to finance your
period of study.
You may either
a) finance yourself or
b) nominate one
or more persons who will assume the full costs.
You must supply evidence that sufficient funds
per months or a sum covering at least one year's study
are available (e.g. own funds) equal to the highest
German student loan level (BaföG).
Adequate
financial means implies that the applicant is in the
position to secure his/her living expenses for the
period of studies in Germany. This means that the
applicant has to prove (at the time of application for a
student visa) that he/she has a monthly allowance of 580
Euro, for the first twelve months of the studies, at
his/her disposal. The following proofs of sufficient
financial means are accepted:
-
Formal obligation document, according to § 84 of
the German Alien's Law (signed by a person living in
Germany, before the local immigration office in
Germany and confirmed by the immigration office)
-
Payment made into a restricted account in Germany
to the amount of 6960 Euro (= 12 x 580 Euro)
-
A yearly renewable bank assurance (for the amount
of 6960 Euro = 12 x 580 Euro) given by a financial
institution in Germany.
-
Scholarships from German public funds or
scholarships financed by an organisation that promotes
education, and is approved in Germany. Scholarships
from the public funds of the applicant's country of
origin are also accepted if the Federal Foreign Office
(Auswärtige Amt) or the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) or any other German scholarship
organisation undertook the introduction to the German
college.
-
Proof of the parents' wealth, i.e. income and/or
other finances is only accepted in exceptional cases,
varying from one local immigration office to another,
which have to approve all student visa applications.
In this case a letter of sponsorship from the parents
is required, stating that they will make 580 Euro
available per month for at least one year, to which
they must attach proof (bank statements, payslips,
etc.) that they are in the financial position to do
so.
N.B.: As a student in
Germany you may as a rule work for a maximum of 3 months
and, depending on where you study, only during recess
periods (e.g. semester holidays).
(1) If you are
financed by a sponsor in your home country, that person
must declare his/her willingness to cover all your costs
during the standard period of study (proof of a minimum
monthly income of €4,000 (by means of local
documents such as tax receipts, bank statements,
certificates of employment, pay slips, Commercial
Register excerpts).
(2) If you are financed by a
sponsor in Germany, that person must submit a binding
declaration that he/she is willing to cover all your
costs during the standard period of study.
(3)
If you receive a scholarship you must produce a letter
of confirmation to this effect.
In all cases it
must be certain that you will have a monthly sum
available to you directly in Germany.
2) For the
student visa you will in principle need all documents
listed under 1) above, except that
- instead of
the school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level
certificate, you must enclose the certificate of
admission to higher education or a confirmation of
application.
N.B.: You may normally only send
for your family later to live with you in Germany in
exceptional cases, e.g. if you are scholarship holder or
on a postgraduate course. In these cases you must be
able at least to support yourself and your family, have
sufficient accommodation for your family, and already be
registered at a German higher education institution.
Please take your time and do not hesitate to
contact the Cultural and Consular Sections of your local
Embassy for further detailed advice on any questions you
may have regarding your planned studies in Germany.
3) For the visa for participation in a language
course you will basically need the following documents:
-
a valid passport and 2 passport
photographs
-
proof that you have registered for a
language course (e.g. certificate of registration,
receipt of course fees)
-
proof that you will be covered by health
insurance for the duration of your stay in Germany
-
proof that you are able to finance your
stay and the course (using your own funds or via third
parties).
Time required to issue visa:
1
day to 3+ weeks; contact nearest Consulate for more
information
It is strongly recommended to enquire at
least 12 weeks in advance at a German consulate about
possible visa requirements
What is the cost of a visa?
The
cost of a visa or a residency permit is aprox. €100
How long is the visa valid
for?
The visa is valid for the length of the
study period
Other
information:
You may be issued with
one of three types of visa:
1) student applicant
visa (if you do not yet have a certificate of admission
to higher education or of confirmation of application).
2) student visa (if you have a certificate of
admission to higher education or of confirmation of
application).
3) visa for participation in a
language course (if you only wish to attend a language
course in Germany).
N.B.: If you intend to begin
studies in Germany immediately after your language
course ends, you must apply for either a student visa or
a student applicant visa before arrival in Germany,
otherwise you will have to leave Germany at the end of
the course and reapply from your country. The visa for a
language course cannot be converted into a student visa
or a student applicant visa in Germany!
1.
During the language course you are normally not allowed
to take up employment.
2. If you intend to study
in Germany after your course ends, please state this
fact in your application, so that you can be issued with
a student applicant visa or student visa, provided you
fulfil the conditions for issue. These visas entitle the
holder to attend language courses and to study in
Germany (see above!). If you only apply for the language
course visa, you will have to leave Germany at the end
of the course. It is not possible to exchange this visa
for another form of residence permit in Germany.
3. Examination of your application will normally
require approximately 6 - 8 weeks. If the language
course is longer than three months, processing of your
application will require about 8 - 10 weeks. Therefore
please send your application to the Consular Section in
good time, i.e. at least eight weeks before you plan to
travel!
Should you intend to travel to Germany
with your family, please contact the Cultural or
Consular Section of your local Embassy.
There
is no legal right to a visa, even if all documents are
submitted. The ultimate decision rests with the Legal
and Consular Sections of the Embassy. You may be asked
to supply further documentation.
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest
German
embassy for information on what documentation
you may require to enter Germany |
