Visas and Residence Permits

Whether you need a visa to study in Germany depends on your nationality.

• Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland do not need a visa.
• Most international applicants from non-EU countries need a student visa before entering Germany.
• Special regulations apply to some nationalities. Therefore, check with the relevant German embassy well in advance

Check well in advance which entry and visa requirements apply to your nationality so that you can plan more reliably.

The documents you need to submit depend on the embassy of your country. Typically, these include the following:

• valid passport
• Letter of admission from the university
• Proof of financial support for your studies
• Proof of health insurance (if required)
• Completed visa application
• Additional documents required by the relevant embassy

You can find clear instructions on the process on the government’s website.

Please note: Processing your visa application can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Be sure to apply well in advance!

Do not enter the country on a tourist visa. A tourist visa cannot be converted into a student visa!

The most common way to prove that you can afford to study in Germany is through a blocked account. This is an account into which you transfer the funds you’ll need for one year in Germany (approximately €12,000). Only after providing proof of this account will you receive a visa and be able to enter Germany to begin your studies.

Keep in mind that you cannot freely access the money in the blocked account. The blocked account provider will pay out a monthly amount of €992 to a local bank account. 

And this is where things get a little complicated. You can usually only open the local bank account once you’ve established a residence in Germany and registered with the city.

To open the local bank account, you’ll need your tax ID, which you’ll receive about two weeks after registering with the city.

We therefore strongly recommend that you bring additional cash for about 3 months (approximately €4,500) just to be safe. We’ve summarized more information about the costs for you.

 

A person living in Germany can submit a declaration of support on your behalf. By doing so, that person commits to covering your living expenses.

The declaration of financial responsibility must be submitted to a competent German authority.

You can find more information on the government’s website. 

In some cases, a scholarship may also be accepted as proof. However, it must be ensured that the scholarship covers the necessary costs.

The Technical University does not award scholarships of this type.

However, there are other institutions where you can apply for a scholarship.

Whether you're applying for your residence permit for the first time or renewing it, the process is the same.

There is an online process you can use to apply for and renew your residence permit.

It’s important that you submit your application no later than—or earlier than—3 months before the permit expires, and that you select “Residence Permit for Education” in the online application.

Alternatively, you can scan the following documents and send them in their entirety via email to aufenthalt.uni@augsburg.de:*

• Application form for the initial application for a residence permit 
• Passport (including visa, if applicable)
• Current certificate of enrollment
• Proof of sufficient funds to cover living expenses* (e.g., a blocked account with 992.00 EUR per month applied for or a declaration of financial support pursuant to Section 68 of the Residence Act (AufenthG))
• Current proof of health insurance

Once the Foreigners’ Registration Office has reviewed your documents, you will be given an appointment to appear in person.

At the in-person appointment, you must pay a fee of 100 EUR using your debit card and submit a current passport photo.

*We recommend filling out the online application, as this usually results in faster appointment times.

Unlike a visa, a residence permit can be issued for less than one year, depending on your bank balance. An employment contract can also sometimes serve as proof of financial means, as long as your income covers the costs. 

The calculation here is based on a benchmark figure of €992 per month.

After you graduate, you’ll have 18 months to look for a job that matches your qualifications. You’ll receive a residence permit to look for work.

During these 18 months, you will have an unrestricted work permit. This allows you to take on any type of employment or complete an internship until you find a suitable job.

Within this period, you must submit an employment contract for a position that matches your qualifications to the immigration office. With this, you can apply for a work permit.

Important: The residence permit for job seeking cannot be extended!

Please scan the following documents and send them in their entirety via email to aufenthalt.uni@augsburg.de: 

• Passport, current residence permit with green supplementary sheet
• Application form for the extension of the residence permit
• Degree certificate or doctoral diploma (or confirmation of graduation from the Registrar’s Office)
• Proof of current health insurance
• Proof of sufficient funds to cover living expenses (a blocked account with 992.00 EUR per month applied for, or a declaration of financial support. Please note: Any existing letter of financial support for your studies must be replaced with a new letter of financial support in accordance with Section 68 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) for the purpose of job seeking)

After the Foreigners’ Registration Office has reviewed your documents, you will be given an appointment for an in-person interview.

During the in-person appointment, you’ll pay a fee of 93 € using your debit card. You’ll also need to provide a current passport photo.