How to get a German Student Visa?

Student Visa for Germany from India

Your purpose of visit would determine your German Visa Category. Applicants visiting the country for the purpose of education are required to apply for a German Student Visa. Student visa for Germany from India is broadly divided into two categories. A course duration of six months or less would qualify for a Schengen Visa, whereas all courses that are longer than six months would qualify for a German Student Visa.  

Applicants will require to provide two fully completed application forms and the required declaration in duplicate, proof of acceptance and enrolment to an accredited academic institution in Germany, and two passport photographs as part of the student visa for Germany from India application process. Applicants must possess a valid passport/travel document, and provide proof of financial support and also proof of ties to their home country. Applicants should note that student visa requirements would vary depending on the selected level of study, the applicant's educational background and the duration of the said course.

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German Student Visa checklist

German Visa checklist: Before filling out the application form and booking an appointment, please prepare two identical sets of documentation for your German student visa. Provided below is a German student visa checklist for all candidates planning to pursue higher education in the country.

German Visa Checklist

• Valid Passport (issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least another year as of the date of visa application; passports with observations regarding the front data page cannot be accepted) with at least two empty pages
• Application form & declaration (under Section 54 of the Residence Act) duly signed
• Declaration for Additional contact and legal representation information
• Copy of your passport’s data page (A4 size copy)
• Statement of purpose / Motivation letter
• Proof of admittance to the study course/preparatory college (original and 2 copies) including information on the language of instruction
• APS Certificate: Issued by Academic Evaluation Centre (APS India)
• Where not confirmed by the University in the admission notification: Proof of the language skills in the language of instruction for the study course or the preparatory course (without a preparatory language course as a rule at least B2-level in the language of instructions) (original and 2 copies)
• Where applicable: Certificates of other academic qualifications (original and 2 copies)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of financial means to cover the costs for the time of your studies by one of the following documents:
  • confirmation of a German / EU scholarship/stipend or
  • “Verpflichtungserklärung” (formal obligation letter) by a sponsor living in Germany or
  • blocked account for the first year of your stay, amounting to Euros 11,172€ per year or Euros 931€ per month

When applying for a visa, you can provide evidence that you can meet your living costs by opening a blocked bank account. You have a free choice of provider. To the best of the Embassy/Consulate General’s knowledge, Kotak Mahindra Bank or Capital India Finance Ltd offers blocked accounts in India that meet the visa procedure requirements. Information on providers that offer this service worldwide is available on the Federal Foreign Office website. PLEASE NOTE: You cannot withdraw more than Euros 931€ per month from a blocked account. This is applicable from 01.08.2022. However, especially at the beginning of your stay, you might be required to spend more than 931€ Euros in a month (e.g. to pay a deposit when renting a room or an apartment). It is therefore highly recommended to make sure that you have access to sufficient financial means according to your situation.

• Three passport pictures according to biometric specifications, not older than six months
• Germany study visa fee of Euros 75€ payable in INR only (pls. check our website for payment options and applicable exchange rate)
• Travel health insurance is valid on arrival in Germany to the date of enrollment at the university (mentioned in your admission letter) (approx. three months). Kindly refer to www.india.diplo.de/visa to find out about the travel health insurance accepted

Please prepare two identical application sets with the above-mentioned documents and bring your original certificates as well as your original employment contract along. Please DO NOT staple any documents. Please note that the German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents or the verification of certificates, for which additional fees would be charged. Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted. Submission of incomplete documentation or refusal to appear for a visa interview may result in the rejection of your application.

source: German Mission in India

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How to Apply for German Student Visa for Indian Students?

Now that candidates have got their German Visa checklist in order, let us quickly go through the step-by-step instructions on how to apply for Germany Student Visa for Indian students.

• Step 1: Get your German Visa checklist in order
• Step 2: Procure photos that meet the biometric photo requirements
• Step 3: Fill out the application form for National Visa
• Step 4: Schedule an Appointment
• Step 5: Pay your Germany student visa fees

Germany Study Visa Fees

Germany study visa cost: Provided below are the Germany student visa fees 2022. Shortly before your appointment, please verify the current exchange rate. The Germany student visa cost is to be paid at the end of the visa appointment. The Germany student visa fee is not refundable, even if the visa is rejected. In some cases, the Germany student visa fee might be waived. Kindly check the official website for more information on the same. 

Age Group	Germany Study Visa Cost in Euro	Germany Study Visa Cost in INR
Adults	Euro 75€	INR 6,156.53₹
Minors (0-17)	Euro 37,50€	INR 3,078.26₹

(€1 = ₹82.09)

What is the Germany student visa processing time from, India?

Germany study visa processing time: The student visa processing time for Germany from India would usually take up to 25 days. However, the Germany student visa processing time also depends on the German Embassy as well as the country you're applying from. In some instances, i.e. if the consulate requires additional documents or there is a high wait time, the Germany student visa processing time may also take up to 6-12 weeks, with the longest Germany student visa processing time being three months.

What if a German Student Visa is postponed or not approved?

It can happen at times that a student’s German student visa might get postponed, which just means you have to wait longer for an answer from the consulate about your case. Waiting for further response or action, or contacting the consulate, should be the next step. However, if the visa application is refused, you can reapply by paying the Germany study visa fees again and scheduling another appointment.

Possible Reasons for Visa Rejection

• Financial proof shown is not enough to support the student while studying in Germany.
• The applicant has not satisfied the visa officer that the primary intention in Germany is to study.

Arrival in Germany

Once you have arrived in Germany, your passport, German student visa, and an offer letter from the university will be verified by an immigration official at your point of entry, to see if and how long you can be admitted. Hence, make sure you have all documentation, including the information for your visa, and photocopies of your passport.

It is said ‘When in Rome do as the Romans do. Well! Taking a cue from this, consider learning the country’s native language German if you aspire to study in Germany. Hoardings, electricity bills and restaurant menus would be in the German language rather than English, so to make life easier a course in German before heading to the country would help in more ways than one.

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Where to Apply for a Student Visa for Germany from India?

How to get a German student visa: Applicants are required to submit the German student visa application at the German Mission in India responsible for your jurisdiction, as follows:

Mission	Jurisdiction	Acceptable Modes of Payment
German Embassy in New Delhi	Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Delhi, Andaman, Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Minicoy, Amindive	Demand Draft or Cash (Issued in favour of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi | Payable in New Delhi)
German Consulate General Bangalore (Bengaluru)	Karnataka, Kerala	Only Demand Draft (Issued in favour of Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bangalore | Payable in Bangalore)
German Consulate General in Chennai	Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Union Territory of Puducherry	Only Demand Draft (Issued in favour of Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Chennai | Payable in Chennai)
German Consulate General in Kolkata	The states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura	Only Demand Draft (Issued in favour of Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Kolkata | Payable in Kolkata)
German Consulate General in Mumbai	Maharashtra, Union States of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Union Territories of Daman, Diu and Dadra, Nagar Haveli	Only Demand Draft (Issued in favour of Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mumbai | Payable in Mumbai)

 Note: The German Honorary Consul in Goa and the German Honorary Consul in Thiruvananthapuram do not accept visa applications.

Applicants can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors for assistance with German university admissions. Candidates can also get in touch with us with their queries in the comments section below. 

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