Stepwise Guidance for Getting a German Student Visa

by Rita Biswas Consultant

Germany is a land that attracts a huge student population owing to the high quality of technical education offered, the low cost of education, and the worldwide acceptance of German degrees. However, getting a German student visa is a task that must be cleared first. We have outlined below the steps to obtain a German student visa:

Enrollment at Universities: Selecting the appropriate institution from among the different categories namely; Universities, Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen), and art colleges, is the primary step. The course and university selection must be done according to the student profile. After application to the university, on acceptance of the application, the university provides an acceptance letter which is an essential part of Germany Study Visa Requirements.

Document certification: For visa application, for some institutions, the academic and other documents need to be certified. This process can be carried out at the German consulates/ embassies in India. An appointment needs to be booked for attestation of documents at the embassy/consulate.

Blocked Account: To provide evidence that you are able to meet your living costs in Germany, a blocked bank account needs to be opened. A certain amount, specified by the visa authorities needs to be allocated to this blocked account. This money is to attest that you have the financial capability to support yourself in Germany. After choosing the service provider and applying online, on getting authorization, funds may be deposited.

Application: Filling of the application form and declaration needs to be done. Details furnished in the form must be authentic and must be completed leaving no blank fields. The next step in obtaining a Germany Student Visa is to schedule an appointment with the VFS.

Document Submission: On the scheduled appointment date, you need to visit the VFS center and show your appointment confirmation proof. A token would be issued to you and document submission, Biometrics and a short interview/discussion would be there. The visa fee needs to be paid at the time of the visa interview. Payments are accepted in cash as well. Once the above steps are completed, the application is sent to German consulate on the next working day.

Processing of the Germany Student Visa Requirements for the application takes around 20-45 days depending upon the level of assessment required and time of application. Application tracking may also be done online. Overall, the key points to be stressed for successfully getting a German visa are proof of financial capability, the authenticity of documents, and the visa interview.