We look forward to helping students like you who are considering schooling in Germany. You will find everything you need to compile your necessary research in deciding if Germany is the best place for you.
Study in Germany
About Studying In Germany
Benefit from a high quality educational system to help you advance in your career, learn a new language by making new friends and socializing with other students, and gain an amazing life experience to remember for years to come by studying and living as a foreign student in Germany. There are hundreds of universities in Germany that have free or very low-fee tuition programs available for international students. Whether you want to study Engineering, Medicine, Architecture, or Business, Germany is the place to be. Combining high quality education with a unique cultural experience living in Germany is the main reason why young people from all around the world come to Germany.
Living expenses
Living costs in Germany are relatively modest when compared to other Western European nations. On average, students can get by on 800 euros per month.
Rents in certain metropolitan areas, such as Hamburg or Munich, may be high, although in no way comparable to cities like Paris or London, especially with some flexibility regarding the part of town to live in.
Health support and insurance cost
If you are a student under the age of 30 enrolled in a degree programme at a German university, you can choose to register with a public health insurance provider so you can benefit from the statutory health insurance scheme.
Students over 30 years old, language and preparatory course students, PhD students, and guest scientists, however, only have the possibility of getting private health insurance.
However, if an EU/EEA student is doing a student job or paid internship in Germany, they have to be insured with a German public health insurance provider.
The following categories are not eligible for the public German health insurance scheme:
- Students who have health insurance in their home country and it is recognized in Germany.
- Students who are 30+ years of age.
- Students who are working as freelancers or are self-employed.
- Students who are not enrolled in degree programs in Germany (e.g: preparatory or language courses).
- Post-graduate students and scholarship holders (without a contract of employment).
Why use Genuine Education?
- Enjoy face-to-face consultation with our experienced counsellors about entry requirements and the application process for courses
- Discover speciality course offerings that are unique to campuses in regional areas
Student visa requirements for Germany
The numbers of foreign people choosing Germany for their abroad studies are increasingly growing each year. Most international students will likely need to get a German student visa at a German consulate in their country before they can come to Germany to study.
Depending on the country you come from, you might be exempt from needing a visa to study in Germany, but you are still required to obtain a residence permit for studies lasting more than 90 days, once you arrive in Germany.
Do You Need a Visa To Study In Germany?
- For studies that last up to 3 months, you need a Schengen visa.
- For studies that last more than 3 months, you need a German national visa
If you enter Germany with a national visa you have to extend your stay by getting a German residence permit for studies at the Foreigner’s Office. You should do this while your entry visa is still valid.
The first thing you’ve got to do is to find out if you need a visa to study in Germany as an international student, and if you do, what type of visa you need to apply for considering the length and nature of your planned studies.
Types of Germany Study Visas
You may be issued a German visa for studies for a range of study levels and degrees. This includes undergraduate, exchange, graduate, or postgraduate studies. This also covers participation in a pre-academic measure or in a non-academic German language course.
There are three types of German student visas you can apply for:
- German Student Visa. This is the standard student visa for international students who have been admitted to a German university and are ready to start their studies at a full-time university program.
- German Student Applicant Visa. You need this visa if you need to be in Germany to apply for university admission in person. This visa doesn’t allow you to study in Germany, it’s only valid for the university application process.
- German Language Course Visa. You need this type of visa to study for a German language course in Germany.
The Admission Procedure to study in Germany
If you’re wondering about what you need to do to study in Germany, and you’re confused by the amount of information available on what steps you need to take, you’re at the right place.
We have simplified the process of studying in Germany as an international student into 8 steps you need to go through. Follow these 8 steps one by one to keep track of where you are right now and what you need to do to make your dream of studying in Germany a reality.
Find a Study Program
Finding a university and choosing a study program that suits your interests is the first step to planning your studies in Germany.
This is not supposed to be a major problem because there are many universities and countless study programs available – and their quality is undoubtedly world-class. Regardless of what direction you want to go in life, there will certainly be a study program that will match your studying aspirations and future plans.
But, finding a university and a study program may take time if you haven’t given much thought to this matter before starting your application process to study in Germany. The high number of available courses could be one of the reasons you haven’t made a decision yet.
We suggest you think about the study program at least 3 months before making a final decision. This period of time is enough to allow you to scan all German universities that offer courses related to your professional field.
Once you find those German universities, you can focus on a smaller list of universities that seem ideal for you. You can either decide to focus on just one university or apply to several that you like best to increase your chances of securing admission.
Finding a university and study program is very important because it determines everything.
Here is a guide on how to choose the right university for you in Germany.
Meet All Requirements
Now that you have decided what university and what study program you want to attend you must check out all the requirements. For this purpose, you check the university website and their admission requirements section. If there are things you don’t understand never hesitate to contact the university directly.
Entry requirements are different depending on the university and the type of course you choose, so it’s recommended to read the requirements section multiple times.
Bad timing and missing documents are the most common issues that happen at this stage and both can lead to delayed admission or even rejected applications. To avoid such possibility you must prepare these documents early enough.
For example, sitting for a German language proficiency standardized test you need to take a language course for at least three months. If you start learning German from scratch it takes way longer than this.
Further legalizations of your documents may have a similar processing time until they’re issued to you. Taken any occasional delay originating from the nature of the process, you must start preparing your documents at least 4 months before applying for your place at the university.
Apply For Admission
General Admission Requirements
A completed application form with Application fee (NGN 50,000.00)
Academic Transcripts & Certificates
Statement of purpose
Two Recommendation Letters (for few courses, and on Original letterheads preferably)
Three Passport size Photographs – (optional)
Work Experience Certificate or Appointment letter (preferably on the original letter heads)
Conditional offer letter:
Consultancy Fee – NGN 100.000:00 Plus 5% VAT must be pay later after admission.
After double-checking your application documents, it’s time for you to submit the application. The application can be carried online, but there may be universities that receive only applications in person or by post.
Most German universities are part of the national university online application platform known as UniAssist. In addition to this, there are universities that run their own online admission platform on their website.
Keep in mind that universities in German are a hub for international students and admission committees are heavily loaded with foreign applications. Going through all the applications takes time and you need to submit your application as soon as possible to take advantage.
You must submit your application once the call for application is opened and then wait for the admission letter.
Depending on what level of studies you’re pursuing in Germany, the application procedures vary slightly.