Germany student visa guide

Non-EU students need a national visa to study in Germany, applied for at the German embassy in Abuja or the consulate general in Lagos. You normally show an admission letter, proof of funds (often through a blocked account) and health insurance. After arrival you convert the visa into a residence permit at the local immigration office.

Use the guide below as a planning reference, then check the official source before you pay anything or submit an application.

Tips from experience

• Book the appointment as early as possible, because waits at German missions in Nigeria can be long.
• Open the blocked account early, since confirmation can take several days.
• Bring originals and one set of photocopies in the order the mission asks for.
• Check the mission page for the current list of documents and any verification step.
• Choose a health insurer that accepts international students and gives clear confirmation letters.
• Treat the funds and fee figures as indicative and confirm them with the mission before you pay.

Documents most applicants need are marked required. Others depend on your case or on what the office asks for. Build a printable checklist.

• Valid passport Required

  With copies of the data page.

• Completed visa application form Required

• Biometric passport photographs Required

  Follow the mission photo rules.

• Admission letter Required

  From a German university. Some applicants apply for a study applicant visa before admission.

• Proof of funds Required

  A blocked account confirmation, a formal obligation letter or a scholarship letter.

• Health insurance confirmation Required

• Language certificate Required

  German or English, as the programme requires.

• Academic certificates and transcripts Required

  With translations or verification if the mission asks.

• CV Required

  Tabular and complete, as the mission usually asks for it.

• Visa fee payment Required

• Biometrics Required

  Fingerprints taken at the visa appointment.

• Motivation letter If asked

  Helps explain your study plan.

• Police certificate If asked

  Ask the mission whether it is required for your case.

• Proof of accommodation If asked

  Not always required for the visa, but useful for your own planning.

Indicative government fees only. School fees, translations, tests, courier and service charges are extra.

Living funds

€992 a month for 12 months (€11,904)

Basis

Germany sets the required living cost at a monthly rate linked to the national student support (BAfoeG) rate and expects you to show about a year of it up front.

Tuition included

No, add your first year tuition

Indicative. The figure shown equals EUR 11,904 for a year. Rates change, and some missions or visa types ask for a different amount. Check the Federal Foreign Office or the German mission in Nigeria for the current figure.

Typical decision time

Decision times vary by mission and season. Appointment waits in Nigeria can be long, and the decision after the appointment can take several weeks.

How early you can apply

Book your visa appointment as soon as you hold an admission letter, and ideally as early as the mission allows. Some students apply for a study applicant visa before admission.

Latest sensible time to apply

Aim to attend your appointment at least three months before your course begins, because the decision can take weeks and enrolment deadlines are strict.

1. 1

   Apply for admission

   Apply directly to the university or through uni-assist, as the university directs, and obtain your admission letter. Check the deadlines for the October and April intakes.

2. 2

   Open a blocked account

   Open a blocked account with an approved provider and deposit the yearly amount. Keep the confirmation for your visa file.

3. 3

   Arrange health insurance

   Obtain health insurance that meets German rules for the visa period, either through a statutory or private provider. Keep the confirmation letter.

4. 4

   Prepare your documents

   Gather your passport, academic documents, language certificate, admission letter and photographs. Check whether the mission wants copies, translations or verification of any document.

5. 5

   Book your visa appointment

   Book through the German embassy in Abuja or the consulate general in Lagos, depending on your state of residence. Appointment waits can be long, so book as early as you can.

6. 6

   Attend the appointment

   Attend in person with your originals and one set of photocopies, and give your fingerprints. Pay the visa fee as the mission instructs.

7. 7

   Receive your decision

   Collect your passport with the visa once it is issued and check the dates and conditions. Book travel to arrive before your enrolment deadline.

8. 8

   Register and get your residence permit

   After arrival, register your address and enrol at the university. Then apply for your residence permit at the local immigration office before the visa expires.

Work and post study rules change often. Confirm them on the official source before you plan around them.

• The applicant did not show enough funds or the blocked account did not meet the current amount.
• Documents were missing, incomplete or not in the required form.
• The language certificate did not meet the level the course or the mission asks for.
• The mission doubted the study plan, for example when the course did not match the applicant background.
• Health insurance was missing or did not cover the visa period.
• The applicant did not appear for the appointment or submitted an incomplete file.

Refused before? Read what to do after a visa refusal.