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Student visa for Germany, for students from Syria
As a citizen of Syria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Germany before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Germany without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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
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.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Germany that covers Syria, 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. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Scholarships open to students from Syria in Germany
Questions students ask
Do students from Syria need a visa to study in Germany?
As a citizen of Syria you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Germany before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Germany without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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. (source: Make it in Germany: Federal Government, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Germany?
140 full days or 280 half days a year, or 20 hours a week.
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.