Entry Requirements/ Visa

Regulations for entering Germany can vary depending on your country of origin.

• Citizens from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Canada, Korea, Israel, New Zealand and the USA may enter Germany with a valid passport and do not require a visa.
• Foreigners from other countries require a visa to enter Germany.

Please get in touch with the respective German foreign representative (embassy or consulship) in your native country to apply for a visa before entering Germany.

The visa must be issued for the purpose of studies.

Please inquire with the German foreign representative in your native country in due time to find out about all the necessary documents. When finalising your plans, don't forget it will take at least two to three months for your visa to be issued after filing your application.

The following documents are normally required when applying for a visa for study purposes:

• Application for issue of a visa
• Letter of admittance or confirmation of application from the university
• Health insurance coverage
• Proof of German language knowledge / planned German course in Germany
• Proof of study financing / source of livelihood

More information about the letter of confirmation from the HTW can be found in the How to Apply section.
Important notes regarding proof of study financing can be found further below.

Please also note the following:

• Visas are issued for a maximum of three months and must be renewed as a residence permit by the department for foreign nationals in Berlin.
• The department for foreign nationals will only issue the necessary residence permit for study purposes if you have already been issued a visa for study purposes before entering Germany!
• A tourist visa or language course visa is insufficient and can not be changed into a residence permit later, so you would have to leave the country after your language course is finished or your visa has expired.
• For multiple-entry into Germany, e.g. re-entering after a visit home or travelling within the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, a multiple-entry visa is recommended.
• The visa’s validity period must be observed by all means.

If you are unable to directly begin your studies because you have to attend a preparatory course or language course first, please be sure to state in your visa application that these measures serve as preparation for your studies so that a visa for study purposes can be issued.

Further information can be found on the website of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

• Visa applications in different languages
• All German foreign offices

Please get in touch with the foreign representative/embassy in due time to find out which type of financial certificates/verification you will be required to present.

Self-financing of studies through gainful employment is normally not accepted!

You have the following possibilities:

As proof of sufficient means for financing your source of livelihood, a so-called blocked account can be opened to which an adequate amount of funds can be transferred. Please contact the German foreign representative to inquire about the necessary sum to transfer. It is normally based on the maximum possible amount of the German student grant and loan (“BaföG”), which is currently 659.00 euros a month. You should have this amount of money at your disposal every month to cover the cost of living, i.e. for one year, 12 x 659.00 euros = 7,908.00 euros are to be transferred to this account.

Please direct any enquires about blocked accounts to:
studenten-bsc.nord@db.com

In conjunction with providing proof of financial circumstances, a person who resides in the Federal Republic of Germany pledges to cover all costs incurred during your course of studies.
More information on formal obligations

Notice of a granted scholarship can serve as proof.
Scholarships

Your parent's financial situation must be confirmed by a German foreign representative/embassy.
Please contact a German foreign representative.

Deposit of a bank guarantee at a financial institution in the Federal Republic of Germany. This bank guarantee is to be renewed annually and must amount to the annual sum of the maximum possible German state student loan and grant ("BaföG") of 7,716.00 euros.