Students and doctoral candidates from the member states of the EU, EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland), and from countries with which Germany has concluded intergovernmental agreements (e.g. USA, Japan, and Canada) do not require a visa.
Citizens of all other countries require a valid "Visum für Studienzwecke” (Visa for Study Purposes) in order to study or do a doctorate in Germany. Find out in good time from a German diplomatic or consular mission abroad in your home country or on the website of the Federal Foreign Office about the currently valid entry and residence regulations. In any case, you must present the following certificates to the embassy:
- Admission
- Proof of sufficient funds for your studies
The granting of a visa usually takes several weeks and should therefore be applied for early. Foreign applicants need a visa that entitles them to study in the Federal Republic of Germany. Do not enter with a tourist visa. It cannot be converted into a residence permit for study purposes, i.e. you cannot be enrolled and must return home. All this costs a lot of time and money. You may miss the start of your studies.
Please also note that a residence permit for study purposes only entitles you to study. A work permit is not included. Exceptions are activities that do not require a permit of up to 120 days or 240 half days per calendar year.
Applicants who are already studying in Germany must have their change of degree program approved by the Foreigners' Office. The permit must be entered in the passport, otherwise it is not possible to enroll at the University of Hohenheim!
