Studying in Germany as an international student

Choose programmes and check their entry requirements: a recognised school-leaving certificate (or a preparatory year at a Studienkolleg if yours is not sufficient), language certificates, and for Master's programmes a relevant first degree.

Many universities process international applications through uni-assist, a central service used by around 180 German universities. It checks your documents and forwards them to the university. In 2026 the handling fee is €75 for the first programme and €30 for each additional programme in the same semester. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks once your application is complete, so uni-assist advises applying at least eight weeks before the deadline. Some universities require a preliminary review documentation (VPD) from uni-assist and an application directly to them; others do not use uni-assist at all. Check each programme page.

Typical deadlines are 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester, but many Master's programmes have earlier dates.

For the visa and the residence permit you must prove that you can cover your living costs. The required amount follows the maximum BAföG rate (student financial aid). In 2026 it is €992 per month, i.e. €11,904 for a full year - the figure used both by German missions and by Berlin's immigration office. If BAföG rates rise, this amount rises too, so check the current figure before you transfer money.

The most common proof is a blocked account (Sperrkonto): you deposit the yearly amount with an approved provider in Germany, and after arrival you can withdraw only the monthly amount. Providers charge set-up and monthly fees; the DAAD names a range of about €70-€150 for opening an account. Compare several providers and check that the one you choose is accepted by your German mission.

Alternatives accepted in Berlin include a scholarship confirmation, a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) by someone living in Germany, proof of your parents' income, or an employment contract.

Non-EU students generally need a national (D) visa for studies before travelling. Since 1 January 2025 all German visa sections can receive national visa applications online through the Federal Foreign Office's Consular Services Portal: you upload your documents, the mission checks them, and you then attend an appointment to give fingerprints, present originals and pay. The fee for a national visa is €75 (2026); people whose stay is funded by a scholarship from public funds are generally exempt.

Typical documents are your passport, admission letter, proof of finances, proof of qualifications and language skills, and travel health insurance covering the time until you enrol. If you do not yet have admission, you can apply for a visa to search for a study place (Studienbewerbung): the resulting residence permit is issued for up to nine months and allows work of up to 20 hours a week.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States may enter without a visa and apply for the residence permit in Germany within 90 days.

Everyone in Germany must have health insurance, and you need proof of it to enrol. Students at state-recognised universities are generally covered by statutory student insurance until the end of the semester in which they turn 30. In 2026 the student contribution is €87.38 a month plus the insurer's individual additional contribution (the 2026 average rate of 2.9% adds about €25) plus long-term care insurance of €30.78 (under 23 or with a child) or €35.91 (23 or older without children). In total most students pay roughly €140-€150 a month.

If you start with private insurance and are eligible for statutory student insurance, you can apply to be exempted within three months of enrolment - but that choice is normally irreversible for the rest of your studies, so consider it carefully. Students over 30, and participants in language or preparatory courses, often need voluntary statutory or private insurance instead. Students from the EU or EEA with statutory cover at home can usually use their European Health Insurance Card.

Working more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period can cost you student insurance status.

After arrival you enrol (Immatrikulation) at your university. You normally need your passport, admission letter, original certificates, proof of health insurance (statutory insurers usually report this electronically to the university) and proof that you have paid the semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag). The contribution covers student services and the student union and is typically between about €70 and €430 per semester; at many universities it includes a public transport ticket.

Separately, register your address at the Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in (see the Anmeldung guide).

Your visa is usually valid for a limited period, so apply for a residence permit for studies (section 16b of the Residence Act) at Berlin's immigration office (LEA, Keplerstraße 2) through the online application on service.berlin.de. Typical documents: passport with visa, proof of Berlin residence, health insurance, proof of finances, and your admission or enrolment certificate; for extensions also a certificate of your study progress.

Fees in 2026: €100 for the first electronic residence permit and €93 for an extension (lower for sticker versions). After payment and submission you receive a PDF confirming that your current status continues while the application is pending. The permit is usually granted or extended for two years. Apply for extensions online no earlier than four months before expiry. See the LEA guide for the full process.

A student residence permit allows work of up to 140 working days per calendar year (the Arbeitstagekonto). The law counts part-time work in whichever way is more favourable for you, week by week:

• a day with up to four hours counts as half a day (so up to 280 half days); or
• during the lecture period, a week with up to 20 hours counts as two and a half days, and outside the lecture period a week of work also counts as two and a half days.

Jobs as a student assistant at your university or a research institution (studentische Nebentätigkeit) are not counted. Keep a record of your working days and hours, and ask your university's international office or the LEA if you are unsure - exceeding the limit can affect your permit. Remember that hours also matter for your health insurance status and that wages above the tax-free allowance are taxed.

After you complete your degree you can get a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for a job that matches your qualification. Once you work in a qualified job, a settlement permit is possible after two years with 24 months of pension contributions and B1 German. For the EU long-term residence permit, time spent studying counts half. See the settlement permit guide.