German Schengen student visa usually lasts for 3 months. Once completed, you will have to apply for a residence permit at the time of your arrival in Germany. You must apply for a student visa in your home country in good time.

Applications must be made to German diplomatic missions abroad (embassies or consulates general). Depending on the duration of and reason for your visit you may be issued with a Schengen visa or a merely national visa. The Schengen visa is valid for a short visit of up to three months for holidays, language courses and business trips, and cannot be extended. The national visa is intended for longer study visits.

Process for application:

To apply for a visa, contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country. You can find the addresses of the German diplomatic missions on the website of the Federal Foreign Office, which also contains information on exactly which documents you will need.

If you have already been accepted to a higher education institution, you can apply for a student visa. The student visa is for those who wish to pursue undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses in the country. There are several requirements which ought to be submitted together with the application. These requirements may be seen in the list below:

• Valid passport (issued within the last 10 years and with at least 12 months validity left after the scheduled return)
• Application form & declarations duly signed
• (3) Passport size pictures according to biometric specifications
• Cover letter from the applicant explaining the exact purpose and duration of stay
• Letter of admission from the German university or a studienkolleg (electronic version)
• Proof of payment of study fees, if applicable
• Proof of language proficiency in English and/or German (ONLY if the course is taught in German).
• Proof of other academic qualifications
• Proof of financial means to cover the costs for the time of your studies by one of the following documents:
• Confirmation of scholarship/ stipend
• “Verpflichtungserklärung” (formal obligation letter) by the sponsor (it could be a friend or a family member) living in Germany. You will have to provide to the income proofs and salary slips of their work or job.
• Proof of blocked account in the name of the applicant showing a minimum balance of 8640, - Euros.
• True information declaration form is also to be filled in for all applicants
• Travel health insurance covering the period from your departure to the date of enrolment at the university (mentioned in your letter of admission) (approx. 3 months).

If you have been refused previously for any German visa or Schengen, provide the details of the refusal. Do not forget to take with you the appointment booking confirmation code.