Australia
Netherlands
Ireland
Cyprus
Student visa for Germany
Money to show for the visa: €11,904 for one year. Work while you study: 140 full days or 280 half days a year, or 20 hours a week. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €11,904 for one year
- Visa fee
- €75
- Work while you study
- 140 full days or 280 half days a year, or 20 hours a week
- Stay after you graduate
- 18 months
Blocked account (Sperrkonto). You deposit the full amount and may withdraw €992 a month.
Make it in Germany: Federal Government, checked 2026-09-24
€37.50 under 18
German Missions in India, checked 2026-09-24
Make it in Germany, checked 2026-09-24
Jobseeker residence permit, §20 Residence Act. Unrestricted work during the search.
Make it in Germany, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: Baden-Wuerttemberg charges non-EU students EUR 1,500 a semester and TU Munich charges non-EU students EUR 2,000 to 6,000 a semester.
The visa
You need a national category D visa for study, converted on arrival into a residence permit under §16b of the Residence Act. The fee is €75.
The money. You must show €11,904 for one year in a blocked account, releasing €992 a month. This figure is pegged to the BAföG maximum rate; it rose to €992/month on 1 January 2025 and has not changed since. A scholarship confirmation or a formal declaration of commitment from a sponsor in Germany can substitute.
If you are applying for the visa to seek a study place, before you hold an admission letter, the figure is higher: €1,091 a month.
The real constraint is not the decision, it is the appointment. The visa itself takes about four weeks to two months. Getting an appointment takes far longer: the German Embassy in Dhaka publicly states waits above 27 months for non-scholarship students. India, Pakistan and Nigeria run their own long queues. Budget three to six months minimum from admission to visa in hand, and far more in a congested country.
Applicants from India, China and Vietnam must obtain an APS certificate verifying their academic documents before they can book a visa appointment. Allow four to eight weeks for it.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in Germany. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
The German student visa, step by step The blocked account What German universities charge
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Germany that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: make-it-in-germany.com. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Government scholarships to study in Germany
- DAAD Scholarships see the official page for dates
Which of these are open to your nationality
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From Canada
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Germany student visa?
€11,904 for one year. Blocked account (Sperrkonto). You deposit the full amount and may withdraw €992 a month. (Make it in Germany: Federal Government, checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for Germany?
€75.
Can international students work in Germany?
140 full days or 280 half days a year, or 20 hours a week.
Can I stay in Germany after I graduate?
18 months.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for Germany?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in Germany without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.