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International students who want to study in Germany need to obtain a German student visa. A German student visa allows a foreign national to stay in the country for educational purposes. For studying for less than 3 months, students must obtain a Schengen visa and, if the education lasts longer a German national visa or a student visa. To apply for a German student visa, an online application must be submitted. To apply for the same students must present several documents. Without these documents, it is not possible to obtain a student visa. Therefore, in this article, we have provided the German student visa checklist.
This Blog Includes:
- Declaration Form, Application Form & a Valid Passport
- APS Certificate
- Letter of Admission & Proof of Tuition Fee Payment
- Proof of Financial Means
- Proof of Previous Academic Qualifications
- Proof of Language Proficiency
- Statement of Purpose
- Travel Health Insurance
- Curriculum Vitae & Passport Photographs
- FAQs
Declaration Form, Application Form & a Valid Passport
The passport verifies the citizenship of the applicant. Hence, it is the basic document under the German student visa checklist that is required by any applicant. The passport must have been issued in the last 10 years and must have 2 empty pages. Once, the applicant has ensured that he/she has a valid passport, and completed the online application form for a student visa in German, inaccurate information in the application form can result in visa rejection. Hence, make sure all the information is accurate. A Declaration form has to be filled in as well. Additional contact and legal representation information. The applicant must have 2 copies of the same.
APS Certificate
An APS certificate is one of the major requirements is the German student visa checklist. APS verifies the authenticity of the educational documents and biographical data. If he information provided is accurate an APS certificate is issued. APS certificate is not needed in the following cases:
- Received a non-German degree while in Germany
- The student wants to pursue a PhD or Post Doctoral degree in the country
- Has received a scholarship or a stipend from the EU or German public funds
- The education of the student was built on a non-Indian school graduation certificate. For example, a British Bachelor, or International Baccalaureate certificate.
Watch this video to learn more about the APS Certification
Letter of Admission & Proof of Tuition Fee Payment
The German student visa checklist includes a letter of admission from a German university or a letter of admission to a preparatory college. Registration for a language course is also accepted. The letter of admission must have details of the language of instruction at the university. Moreover, a confirmation letter is mandatory in case of a non-German degree. Additionally, the applicant must also submit proof of fee payment in case the university charges fees. This is only exempted if the student is applying to study at a German public university.
Check out the Documents Required for Applying to German Universities
Proof of Financial Means
German student visa checklist another document is the proof of finances. The proof of finances has to be submitted to ensure the government that you have sufficient funds to live in Germany. For this reason, the government requires you to submit;
- The student must have a “Sperrkonto” (blocked account) in Germany. The blocked account must have sufficient funds for the 1st year of education. Currently, the amount required for the same is 11,208,– EUR. Additionally, the applicant must confirm that no more than 934,– EUR per month will be withdrawn from the account. Otherwise, the student can submit a “Verpflichtungserklärung” (formal obligation letter) by a sponsor in Germany.
- Another option to meet the financial requirements is to provide proof of an EU scholarship or German scholarship/stipend
Proof of Previous Academic Qualifications
Another important document in the German student visa checklist is the proof of previous educational qualification. Since the student is applying for education at the university, educational documents have to be presented. It is necessary to verify the eligibility of the student for the course,
- For BA submit University degrees (if applicable), 12th and 10 mark sheets, or a diploma certificate
- For MA submit a BA degree certificate, and any other degree certificate (if applicable), a diploma certificate can also be submitted
- For PhD / Post Doc submit a postgraduate degree, and any other university degree if applicable
Proof of Language Proficiency
The German student visa checklist includes proof of language proficiency. The language proficiency can be in English or German. It depends on the language of the instruction at the selected university. Moreover, the proof of language proficiency must not be older than 1 year. As proof you can submit any of the following documents:
- For English- IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge Assessment English
- For German- Max Mueller Bhavan, TestDAF, ÖSD,DS
Check out the video below to learn about IELTS
Statement of Purpose
A statement of Purpose is another document necessary included in the German student visa checklist. In a statement of purpose, the student must explain the reason for selecting the particular subject, the reasons for studying in German, and the reason for choosing the particular university. The motivation letter or the statement of purpose must be signed by the student.
Travel Health Insurance
Health Insurance is necessary to obtain a German student visa. The health insurance will provide coverage against travel risks. It will also help the student to cover the medical expenses to get treated at a German medical facility if a situation arises. Therefore, the student must obtain health insurance that at least covers the 1st 90 days of starting the course. This includes the date of entry to Germany.
Here is how you can get a German work permit
Curriculum Vitae & Passport Photographs
Apart from the above-mentioned documents, the applicant must also submit a CV. A CV must include all educational qualifications and experience of the student along with other relevant details. Aside from that, 3 identical biometric passport photographs have to be submitted. These have to be current photographs and not old ones. The photographs will be used for identification purposes only.
FAQs
The German student visa Checklist includes providing proof of language proficiency. If the medium of instruction for the selected language is English then the student can submit an IELTS score. Instead of IELTS students can submit TOEFL or Cambridge Assessment English scores as well. The minimum score needed for IELTS is 6 band.
Some of the important documents for a German student visa application are the application form, passport, letter of admission from the university, and proof of fee payment. Proof of finances, proof of educational qualifications, APS Certificate, travel health insurance, and photographs.
No. It is relatively easy to get a German student visa. According to a study conducted in 2022, the German student visa success rate is approximately 95%. It means there are only 5% visa rejections. As long as the student has submitted the correct documents, and meets the eligibility criteria, there is a high chance of receiving the visa.
We hope you now understand the german student visa checklist. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!
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