You need a specific visa to be allowed to live in Germany for study purposes ("Studentenvisum"/"Visum zu Studienzwecken"). This can be applied for with the German embassy or another diplomatic mission in your home country. You should first check here whether you need a visa or what entry requirements apply for you. The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers general information.
Please be aware that getting an appointment and the entire process of obtaining a visa, may take up to two months, and even longer in isolated cases.
For a visa for study purposes, you need to have an admissions notice from Goethe University. Goethe University usually sends out admissions notices 4-6 weeks after the applications deadline. If you do not receive an admissions notice in time for you to apply for a visa, please contact Global Affairs Study and Teaching.
Exceptions - Entry without visa:
Important:
In some rare cases a German diplomatic mission may accept the uni-assist assessment report ("Prüfbericht") in order to issue a visa. You will get this assessment report if you have submitted all required documentation for your Goethe University application to uni-assist. We therefore recommend that you take your Goethe University admissions notice when you go to apply for a visa.
Please make sure that you do not apply for a tourist visa! A tourist visa cannot be changed to a visa for study purposes once you are in Germany.
We recommend that you do not apply for a student applicant visa or a language visa. If you enter Germany with a student applicant visa, you must be enrolled at a university within 9 months (three months visa + a maximum of six months of residence permit).
If you apply for a language visa, you have to leave the country after completing your language course in order to apply for a student visa.
Please also apply for a student visa if you plan to attend a language course before taking up your studies. Once you have a residence permit for study purposes, you can take 2 years to prepare for your studies.
This is to show that you will be able to finance your studies. At a minimum, this means complete funding of your living expenses for the first year. As a rule, you have to show proof of income or assets currently amounting to € 11.208 for the first year. Higher amounts may be required.
Please make sure to get the relevant information from your German embassy or diplomatic mission so you know how to prove sufficient financial resources.
Attention: Problems with the blocked account provider BAM! (Bundesweites Anlagenmanagement UG)
Some International Students are currently facing problems getting their money from the blocked account provider BAM! (Bundesweites Anlagenmanagement UG).
According to current information, the accounts are frozen and the money is safe.
The BaFIN and the LKA are investigating and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is informed and they are working on a solution.
If you are also affected, please contact the Studentenwerk or Global Affairs Study and Teaching.
As a rule, proof of financial resources is possible by way of:
>> Further useful information regarding proof of financial resources by the DAAD
In Germany it is mandatory to be officially registered if you are living in one place for more than three month and also if you are moving within one city. Once you have found a room or a flat in Germany, you must register within two weeks with the registration office – the "Einwohnermeldeamt" or "Bürgeramt" – of the town where you live. For this registration, you will need, as a rule: a passport or ID and a confirmation from your landlord/landlady that you have moved in (the so-called "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung"). This confirmation can also be obtained from a hostel or hotel in case you haven't found a flat or a room yet. Once you have registered, you will receive a "Meldebescheinigung" (confirmation of registry), which you will need e.g. for opening a bank account. More information is available on the website of the registration office: Bürgeramt Frankfurt. Information about the "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung" is available here.
You can also make an appointment online in order to avoid long waiting times.
Changing your student visa into a residence permit: After moving into an apartment or other accommodation, you go to the local registration office ("Einwohnermeldeamt"/"Bürgeramt") and register there. Wait for two weeks, to let them forward your data to the immigration office. Then you go to the local immigration office and apply for your residence permit.
Registration & immigration offices for students living in Frankfurt:
Bürgeramt (Zentrale) Zeil 3
60313 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 069/212 30600
Fax: 069/212 30898
E-Mail: buergeramt.zentrale@stadt-frankfurt.de
Website of the Bürgeramt
Ausländerbehörde - Ordnungsamt (Immigration Office)
Service-Center Ausländerangelegenheiten (SCA)
ground floor
Mainzer Landstraße 323-329
60326 Frankfurt am Main
E-Mail: sca.amt32@stadt-frankfurt.de
Website of the Ausländerbehörde