Studying in Germany as an international student

1. The order things have to happen in

Most problems international students run into are sequencing problems rather than eligibility problems. Steps depend on each other, and a step taken out of order can cost a semester.

1. 1

   Establish how your qualification is assessed

   This determines whether you apply for a degree directly, for restricted subjects only, or for a Studienkolleg. Everything downstream depends on the answer.

   anabin — database of foreign qualifications (opens in a new tab)
2. 2

   Check whether APS applies to you

   Applicants who studied in certain countries need an APS certificate, which takes weeks to months. Start it before choosing programmes.

   Certificate evaluation and APS (opens in a new tab)
3. 3

   Choose programmes and confirm each one’s requirements

   Language certificate, subject fit, deadline and application channel differ per programme, even within one university.

   Hochschulkompass — degree programme search (opens in a new tab)
4. 4

   Obtain the language certificate

   TestDaF, DSH or telc C1 Hochschule for German-taught programmes; IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught ones. Test dates book out.

   German language requirements and tests (opens in a new tab)
5. 5

   Apply, through uni-assist or directly

   Allow weeks for document processing on top of the published deadline.

   uni-assist (opens in a new tab)
6. 6

   Get the admission letter, then book the visa appointment

   The same day if possible. Appointment waiting times at some missions are the longest single delay in the process.

7. 7

   Arrange proof of funds and health insurance

   A blocked account or accepted alternative, and insurance that German enrolment will accept. Travel insurance will not do.

   Opening a blocked account (Sperrkonto) (opens in a new tab)
8. 8

   Arrive, register your address, then everything else

   The address registration certificate is required for the bank account, the residence permit and much else. It comes first.

   Registering a move (Anmeldung and Ummeldung) (opens in a new tab)

2. The first two weeks

German administration runs on a dependency chain, and the first fortnight is about clearing it in the right order. Nearly everything requires the address registration certificate, which requires a landlord confirmation, which requires somewhere to live.

• Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord: a written confirmation that you moved in
• Register your address (Anmeldung) at the Bürgeramt within the local deadline
• Collect the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) and keep several copies
• Open a German bank account, which usually needs the registration certificate
• Complete enrolment at the university and pay the semester contribution
• Apply for the residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde before the visa expires
• Register for the broadcasting contribution, or claim exemption if eligible
• Get a German SIM card, since some services will not accept a foreign number

3. Choosing a bank account as a student

Some banks offer youth, student or Ausbildung account conditions, but the age limit, required incoming payment, included cards and fees can change. Compare the current terms instead of assuming an account labelled “student” is free.

You will encounter regional branch providers such as local Sparkassen, nationwide branch banks such as Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, direct banks such as ING and DKB, and app-focused banks such as N26. These are examples, not recommendations. Check cash access, cash deposits, English-language support, card type and what happens when the student conditions end.

4. Working while you study

Non-EU students may work a limited amount, and the allowance is expressed in working days as well as hours, which is why it feels unfamiliar. Exceeding it breaches your residence permit rather than being a minor administrative matter, so it is worth keeping your own record of days worked.

Student assistant posts at the university, HiWi positions, are treated favourably and fit around teaching. Mandatory internships that form part of your programme are generally treated differently from ordinary employment, which is worth confirming before you accept one.

EU and EEA students have full labour market access and are not subject to these limits.

5. The reality about language

You can complete an English-taught degree in Germany without German. You cannot live comfortably in Germany without it, and that gap is the most common source of disappointment among international students.

Administration is in German. Tenancy agreements, doctors’ receptionists, insurance letters, part-time job adverts and tax forms are in German. So is the social life of most student cohorts outside the international programme itself.

Learning German while studying is also the single strongest thing you can do for your position after graduation: it widens the jobs open to you, and German at B1 shortens the qualifying period for permanent residence.

6. Staying after you graduate

Germany deliberately makes staying after a degree straightforward, because it wants the graduates it trained. Holders of a German degree can obtain a residence permit to look for qualified work, and the period allowed is generous by international standards.

Once employed, the route continues through a work permit or an EU Blue Card, and then to permanent residence. Recent graduates benefit from a lower Blue Card salary threshold within three years of qualifying, which makes the first job easier to structure.

• A post-study residence permit to seek qualified employment
• An EU Blue Card, with a reduced salary threshold for recent graduates
• An ordinary work permit for qualified employment
• Self-employment, where the business case is accepted
• Permanent residence after a qualifying period, with study time counting partially