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Student visa for Germany, for students from Timor-Leste
As a citizen of Timor-Leste 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 Timor-Leste, 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 Timor-Leste in Germany
Questions students ask
Do students from Timor-Leste need a visa to study in Germany?
As a citizen of Timor-Leste 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.