German Visa for Indian Students 🎓 FREE Guide (2024) ✏️

Let us get straight to the point: if you want to study in Germany and you are from India, you will need a special type of visa to accomplish that goal. We know that many prospective students from India are extremely worried about this procedure, as it involves a lot of bureaucracy. If you are one of those students, then you are in the right place! In this article, we cover the fundamental questions related to the German student visa for Indians and try to guide you through the bureaucratic jungle that stands on your way to getting this visa!

It is our goal to inform you honestly and accurately, therefore, we need to add a DISCLAIMER:

You should use this text as a general guide, but it cannot be a legal consultation. The visa regulations are made and executed by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), and the local Foreigners’ Offices (Ausländerbehörde). Please be aware: Some rules and procedures can vary from embassy/consulate to embassy/consulate (even within one country), and from Ausländerbehörde to Ausländerbehörde in Germany. That is why we highly recommend you also consult the German representation abroad near you, and the local Foreigners’ Office in Germany (which Ausländerbehörde is responsible for you depends on your residence in Germany) for information that applies to your case.

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What are the different types of German visas?

There are various types of German visas that might be interesting for the citizens of India. Let us introduce to you some of them.

German Student Visa. Indians need to have a German Student Visa if they want to pursue a Bachelor's or a Master's degree in Germany. One of the key preconditions for getting this visa is that you have a letter of admission from a German study program.
German Student Applicant Visa. If a prospective Indian student has applied for a German study program but does not have an official letter of admission yet, s/he should be able to apply for a German Student Applicant Visa. By doing that, the chances of getting into Germany on time significantly increase. IMPORTANT: Check out the possibility of applying for a student applicant visa at the relevant German Embassy/Consulate in India.
German Language Course Visa. Those Indians, who desire to attend an intensive German language course in Germany, can also apply for a German Language Visa. We suggest you to consult the local German Embassy/Consulate in India to make sure you are eligible for this type of visa.
German Job Seeker Visa. Indian students, who pursued a degree at a German university, can apply for a job-seeker visa immediately after they graduate. This visa gives them 18 months to find a suitable job in Germany and, hence, to stay in the country.
German Family Reunion Visa. German student visa gives Indian students studying in Germany the right to bring their family members with them to Germany through German Family Visa. Depending on the individual cases, family members that are eligible to accompany Indian students during their studies in Germany are their spouses, children and parents.

So, basically, if an Indian student wants to study in Germany (i.e., to pursue a degree at a German university), s/he needs a German student visa.

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Visa to study in Germany

What is a German Student Visa?

A student visa for Germany is a type of visa which you can get if you have applied to a study program at a German university and received a letter of admission (also known as a letter of acceptance) from that program. The study course that entitles you to a German student visa might be offered by various types of higher education institutions in Germany, like Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences and Academies of Arts, Music, and Film.

German study visa for Indians is usually issued for 3 months. During this period of time, Indian students have to arrive in Germany and complete the necessary bureaucratic procedures. Among them, to apply for a residence permit. Indians can convert their 3-months visa to a residence permit, which is valid for one to three years, depending on the length of their study programme. If Indian students do not manage to finalize their studies within the standard period of time, they can also extend their residence permit.

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Student Applicant Visa

Student Applicant visa (or Visum zur Studienbewerbung) is a type of visa which you can get if you have applied to a German university but do not have an acceptance letter yet, or if you need to prepare yourself in Germany for your studies, for example, by taking a language course, going through the Studienkolleg Preparatory Course, doing a compulsory internship etc.

In general, you are considered a student applicant if you are interested in studying in Germany but have not yet been officially admitted to a German university.

German Student Visa for Indians: Costs

How many funds are required for a German student visa?

German student visa costs 75€ for Indians (37.5€ for minors), just like for everyone else. Indian students have to pay the money in the local currency, in Indian Rupees (INR). Hence, it is crucial to always check the up-to-date exchange rate before visiting the German Embassy/Consulate in India. For example, as of 21.01.2023, the German student visa fee in Indian Rupees was 6,600 INR (3,300 INR for minors). As for the payment methods, all German missions in India accept Demand Drafts. The demand drafts are accepted from all national banks of India as long as they are not older than 2 months. It is noteworthy that the German Embassy in New Delhi also accepts cash.

In general, even if your application is rejected, you cannot get your money back. Put another way, the visa fee is non-refundable. Interestingly, Indian students who have a scholarship from a German public institution (e.g., DAAD) do not have to pay any visa processing fees.

German Student Visa for Indians: Processing Time

How long does it take to get a German student visa from India?

German student visa processing time for India is around 12 weeks. Put differently, Indian students might need to wait around 3 months to get a visa to study in Germany. The countdown starts as soon as you submit the complete application and pay the visa fees. This means that it is of utmost importance for Indians to apply for a German student visa as soon as possible (at least as soon as they receive the letter of acceptance from a German university) in order to be in Germany on time!

As can be seen on the website of the German Missions in India, German missions do not differentiate between the German Embassy in New Delhi and German Consulates in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai with regard to the student visa processing time. One can only find the approximate number of 12 weeks as a general guideline mentioned on the website. Following this rationale, whether it is Bangalore or Kolkata, you should expect around 12 weeks of processing time for your German student visa application. However, it is fair to assume that Indian students should expect a longer processing time if they have to apply to the German Embassy in New Delhi rather than the German Consulate in Bangalore because the former processes the largest amount of German student visa applications among the German missions in India. For instance, it is even responsible for the applications coming from Bhutanese students.

Click here to check out our table, where you can find information regarding the approximate German student visa processing time across various countries.

Germany student visa success rate for India

Based on our research conducted in 2022 and 2023, the German student visa success rate for India is around 90%. In other words, approximately 90 out of 100 Indian students succeed in their German student visa application. Consequently, the rejection rate for a German student visa for Indians is approximately 10%. The major reasons for the rejection are incomplete application and insufficient financial resources.

However, as you can see from the numbers, it is still very unlikely that your application for the German study visa will be rejected as long as your application is complete, your documents are in good shape and you have solid proof of sufficient financial resources. In a word, it is quite easy for Indians to get a German student visa.

Can Indian students work in Germany with a student visa?

Yes, Indian students can work with a student visa in Germany. When you convert your student visa to a residence permit, you will also receive an additional green paper, which is called Zusatblatt in German. This paper contains information regarding your right to work in Germany. In particular, it states that as an Indian student, you are allowed to work 280 days per year part-time (e.g., up to 20 hours per week) or 140 days per year full-time (e.g., more than 20 hours per week).

Moreover, as an Indian student, you are not allowed to work in a self-employed or freelance capacity in Germany. However, if you work as a student assistant at the university, you do not have limits in terms of the number of working days. Despite this, you still need to inform the foreigners' office about that occupation.

And do not forget that Indian students can get a German job-seeker visa (aka 18-month visa) after completing their studies in Germany!

Germany Student visa Requirements for Indians

When applying for a German student visa, it is of utmost importance to present the right documents to the German Embassy/Consulates in India. If your student visa application is not complete, this can lead to the rejection of your application. Hence, you should take the requirements seriously! Here is the list of the documents that Indians need to submit to apply for a German study visa:

German student visa checklist for Indians

Completed and signed application form. You can find the application form on the website of the German Missions in India. The form is usually quite self-explanatory and easy to fill in. It asks you to provide information regarding your personal details, like your first and last names, date of birth, email, address, marital status, etc.
Completed declaration. This is a form where the Indian applicants provide "additional contact and legal representation information". It is also available on the website of the German Missions in India.
Passport. Indian students need a valid passport with a minimum of 2 free pages and an A4 copy of its data page. To qualify as valid, your passport should not be older than 10 years, and its expiry date should not be earlier than a year from the day of your application.
Biometric photos. Indian students should provide 3 biometric photos not older than half a year. The size of the photo should be 35(W) x 45(H). Your face in this photo should be clearly visible and should occupy 70-80% of the picture. This equals to 32-36mm of height. The background should be without shadows, bright and unicolored, preferably in neutral grey. Further details regarding the photo quality, head position and the rest can be found here.
Acceptance letter from a German university or foundation course. A letter of acceptance, or Zulassungsbescheid in German, is a document that you receive from the university you applied for. It states that your application was successful and that you are offered a place in the program. Usually, in this letter, you can find the following information:
- Personal details.
- University and study program details.
- Deadline for confirming the acceptance of the offer. Usually, you can do that by signing the specific paper provided by the university and sending it to the mentioned address.
- Deadline for paying the semester contribution. Usually, the fee ranges between 200-400 Euros, which also includes the payment for the free usage of public transport throughout the semester.
- Further steps to successfully enrol as a student.
APS certificate. The APS certificate is issued by APS India. It confirms that your documents are genuine and valid and that, consequently, you are eligible to study in Germany. Note: there are some cases when Indians are exempted from the requirement of providing the APS certificate.
Statement of Purpose/Letter of Motivation. Generally speaking, a Statement of Purpose (SOP) is a mandatory application document requested by the German Missions in India, in which the prospective Indian students need to convincingly demonstrate their motivation for coming to Germany, to seek admission to the specific study program, and explain why they should be given the opportunity to study in Germany. Put another way, it is through the LOM that Indian applicants make a formal request for their German student visa.
Curriculum Vitae. CV or Résumé is another compulsory document requested by the German Missions in India, where prospective Indian students should provide information regarding their academic background, work experience (including internships), extracurricular activities and skills.
Proof of financial resources. Here Indian students should demonstrate that they are able to cover all their living costs while in Germany (e.g., accommodation, health insurance etc.). Currently, the amount to be proved set by the German government is 934 Euros per month or 11 208 Euros per year. In other words, Indian students need 934 Euros per month to study in Germany. There are various ways through which they can provide proof of funds. The most popular ones are arguably blocked account* 💰, declaration of commitment from the German resident, and scholarship.
- Blocked account. Known as Sperrkonto in German, the blocked account is a special kind of account that Indian students who plan to study in Germany need to open before arriving in the country.
- Declaration of commitment (also known as a declaration of sponsorship or letter of commitment). Called Verpflichtungserklärung in German, a declaration of commitment is a document with which the German resident assures that s/he will provide financial support to you during your stay in Germany.
- Scholarship. If you want the scholarship to serve as proof that you can completely cover your costs while in Germany, you should have a full scholarship provided by German or EU public institutions.

Note: In case your study program has tuition fees, you also need to provide proof of funds demonstrating that you are able to cover those tuition fees.

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Certificates of past academic achievements, e.g., Bachelor’s degree, secondary school degree.
Proof of preliminary health insurance that covers the first 3 months in Germany. At this point, travel insurance usually suffices. In Germany, you will have to get an insurance plan with one of the private or public providers that cover the rest of your stay.
Proof of language skills. German Missions in India accept certificates like TOEFL and IELTS (in case of English-taught study programs) or Goethe Institut and ÖSD (in case of German-taught study programs).
Prepare the Demand Draft.

The requested documents should be submitted as originals with two attached copies. Additional documents might be required.

How can I get a student visa for Germany from India?

The exact procedure for applying for a study visa for Germany may be slightly different for various Indian students depending on their residence within India and their academic goals. For example, some Indian students need to apply directly through the German Embassy/Consulates in India, while others should apply via VFS Visa Application Centre in India. Taking into account this background, let us present to you the TEN steps that Indian students need to take to get a German student visa.

1. Find out whether you need to apply directly through the German Embassy/Consulate in India or via the VFS.

For instance, if you fall within the jurisdiction of the German Embassy in New Delhi or the German Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore, and you have an unconditional letter of admission from a German Master's (Doctoral, Post-Doc) program or have a scholarship from a German institution, then you should apply via the VFS.

2. Find the German Embassy/Consulate or the VFS Visa Application Centre in India responsible for your German student visa application.

Where should the Indian students apply for a German student visa? Here the residence of the prospective Indian students plays an important role. In the table below, you can find which German Embassy/Consulate in India is responsible for your student visa application based on your location.

Table 1: Where to Apply for a German Student Visa in India?

Your location in India	German Mission in India responsible for your application
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Minicoy and Amindive.	German Embassy in New Delhi
Maharashta, the Union States of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli	German Consulate in Mumbai
West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura	German Consulate in Kolkata
Karnataka and Kerala	German Consulate in Bangalore
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Union Territory of Puducherry	German Consulate in Chennai

3. Collect the required documents

In addition to the information provided in this article, familiarize yourself with all of the requirements by following the next steps: visit the website of the German Missions in India, click on "Services", then "Visa Information", afterwards go to "German National Visa" section and, finally, choose the "Checklist for Student Visa" category.

4. Book the appointment

Depending on the individual cases (largely on the residence and the academic goals and background of the applicant), Indian students will need to book the appointment for a German student visa application in one of the following locations: German Embassy in New Delhi, German Consulate in Mumbai, German Consulate in Kolkata, German Consulate in Bangalore, German Consulate in Chennai or one of the Visa Application Centres in India.

Usually, Indian students can book an appointment either online or via phone. Interestingly, it does not matter whether you need to submit the documents in the New Delhi Embassy, one of the German consulates or Visa Application Centres in India; in any case you need to book the appointment through the VFS.

Table 2: Booking an appointment for a German student visa application for Indians

Location for the appointment	How to book?
German Embassy in New Delhi	Online	Via phone (022-67866013)
German Consulate in Mumbai	Online	Via phone (022-67866013)
German Consulate in Kolkata	Online	-
German Consulate in Bangalore	Online	Via phone (022-67866013)
German Consulate in Chennai	Online	Via phone (022-67866013)
Visa Application Centres in India	Online	-

5. Visit the Embassy, Consulate, or the Visa Centre

Make sure you are there at least 15 minutes before the appointment. It is crucial not to miss the appointment, as if you do so, you may lose some more weeks, making your chances of arriving in Germany on time extremely slim.

Keep in mind that if you fail to attend your scheduled appointment, you will have to wait at least 24 hours from the original appointment date to schedule a new one.

6. Submit the documents

Do not forget any of the documents! If you do so, your application may be rejected.

All of the documents should be ordered according to the checklist provided by the responsible German Embassy/Consulate in India. Besides, do not staple the documents!

7. Complete the interview (only in case of Embassy/Consulate visit)

It will take around 10-15 minutes. During the German student visa interview, Indian students have to make sure to explain with convincing arguments why did they choose the given study program and how it will help with their future goals. Using information from the CV and SOP/LOM during the interview will help with proper argumentation.

8. Pay the German student visa processing fee for Indians (see "German Student Visa for Indians: Costs" section)

9. Wait for the response (approval or rejection)

10. Collect your passport and visa

German Student Residence Permit for Indians

German student visa for Indian students is usually valid for 3 months. After arriving in Germany, Indian students have to complete the necessary bureaucratic procedures. Among them, Indians need to apply for a German student residence permit. Put differently, they need to convert their German student visa to a German student residence permit before the 3-month visa expires. Our recommendation for prospective Indian students is to apply for a student residence permit 6 weeks before the student visa expires.

The German student residence permit can be valid for the duration of your studies. Even if the Indian students do not manage to finalize their studies within the standard period of time, they can also extend the student residence permit.

The documents that Indians need to apply for a German student residence permit are usually listed on the website of the relevant Foreigners' Authority office. Depending on the city or town you reside in, there might be some slight differences in requirements. After looking through various requirements across locations in Germany, our team came up with the following general checklist of documents that you will usually need for your student residence permit application:

German student residence permit checklist for Indians

Completed application form
- You can find the application forms on the website of the Foreigners' Authority responsible for your application. The form is usually quite self-explanatory and easy to fill in. It asks you to provide information regarding your personal details, like your first and last names, date of birth, email, address, marital status, etc. Here is one of the examples of the German student residence permit application form.
Valid Passport (including entry visa)
- Make sure that your passport's expiry date is not very close and that it has enough free pages left.
Current biometric passport photo.
- Specifics are the same as in the case of the German student visa (see "Germany Student visa Requirements for Indians" section)
Registration of the address (Meldebescheinigung)
- After arriving in Germany, Indians have two weeks, during which they have to register their new German address at the local citizens' office (Bürgeramt). After doing that, you will receive a paper confirming your registration. This is the paper that you need for your student residence permit application.
Proof of valid health insurance
- You can ask your German health insurance provider to send you a paper which states that you are indeed insured by the given company.
Proof of sufficient funds
- Like in the case of the German student visa, here as well, Indian students need to prove that they are able to secure their livelihood. As mentioned above, this can be done, for example, through a blocked account, a declaration of commitment and a scholarship.
Certificate of enrollment
- This document (called Immatrikulationsbescheinigung in German) states that you are enrolled in the specific programme of the given university. Usually, you will receive it both online (through your university portal) and via physical post.

Table 3: Examples of student residence permit requirements for Indians across German cities

Location	Source
Berlin	Student Residence Permit Berlin
Bremen	Student Residence Permit Bremen
Cologne	Student Residence Permit Cologne
Düsseldorf	Student Residence Permit Düsseldorf
Frankfurt	Student Residence Permit Frankfurt
Hamburg	Student Residence Permit Hamburg
Munich	Student Residence Permit Munich

You might be asking yourself now, "How exactly can I, as an Indian, get a German student residence permit?" That is a fair question, and here is our answer to it. Currently, in most cases, Indians have to complete the following three-step procedure for getting a German student residence permit:

Sending the application package to the authorities (via email or post).

Submission of the biometric data and payment. After you send the application, the authorities will get in touch with you (usually via email), stating that your complete application was well received and checked. Besides, they will inform you about the specific day you have to visit their office so they can collect your biometric data. Put another way, you have to appear in person to

Sign the necessary documents.
Hand in your fingerprints.
Show your passport.
Submit the biometric photo.
Pay the residence permit fee. German student residence permit usually costs around 100 EUR for Indians. In most cases, the Foreigners' office accepts payment by both cash and EC card.

Receiving the residence permit card. After the biometric data is collected and the payment is made, you immediately receive a paper, which serves as a substitute for the residence permit card. It states when the card will be ready and that this substitute paper is valid for 3 months. You will be informed whether you will receive the card by post or if you need to visit the office once again to pick it up. So, the final step is getting the card either via email or in person. It is noteworthy that the processing time for the German student residence permit for Indian students is circa 4-6 weeks. The countdown starts as soon as you submit the biometric data and pay the fee.

Just like in the case of the requirements, the procedure to apply for a German student residence permit may also vary based on your location in Germany. That is why, in this case as well, it is crucial to check the websites of the relevant Foreigners' Authority offices.