Traveling to Germany without IELTS? Here’s how to apply for a German student visa, including the documents you’ll need and your next steps in the application process! If you’re an international student interested in studying in Germany.
This guide will be very useful to you! We’ll go over all of the information and steps required to get your German student visa application started, so that you can travel to Germany and attend university there! We’ll also go over what types of visas are available for international students and give suggestions about which one might be best for you.
What is the German student visa?
You can travel Germany as an international student on a tourist visa if you are enrolled in an academic degree program. This visa allows you to stay in country up to 90 days but cannot be extended.
The German student visa must be renewed every year from your home country before coming back into Germany. If you want to extend your trip beyond 3 months, you will need to apply for another residence permit from within Germany that will allow stays up to one year.
Having graduated from your study program will also qualify you for another residence permit that is valid indefinitely. For more information about studying in Germany and whether or not it’s right for you, check out our guide on applying for a university degree in 2018.
Where do you apply for the German student visa?
You must apply directly at your closest German embassy or consulate. You may only apply once you have received an invitation letter from a certified university. This letter should include all details of your acceptance and contact information for the school.
You will need to submit your original acceptance letter with your visa application and provide documents detailing proof of health insurance coverage and sufficient funds to cover travel expenses while studying in Germany as well as tuition fees, living expenses and return travel. Once approved, you can enter Germany within 90 days or up to six months before enrolling in school.
What will you learn from this guide?
Learning how to apply for a German student visa can seem like an intimidating task. In order to better help you understand how to travel germany without IELTS in 2022, we’ve created an in-depth guide that will take you step by step through all of the information that you need.
Our guide gives you a breakdown of every single document and requirement needed in order to successfully apply and learn more about traveling germany without IELTS!
The German university application form (Antrag)
The university application form is relatively simple and only requires personal information (name, address etc.) as well as information about your secondary school. However you also need more documents when applying to study in Germany.
So if you want travel to germany 2022 make sure that you have all documents ready before sending it in. It is not necessary to have already taken an IELTS exam when sending in your application. You can apply at universities with valid non-exam certificates.
This means official certificates from your home country which are equal or comparable in level with certificates given by certified language testing centres.
A certificate which proves sufficient knowledge of English gives you better chances at obtaining a place on an international course of studies taught in English!
The certificate of enrollment (Zulassungsbescheinigung)
As part of your visa application package, you’ll also need to include proof that you’ve been accepted at a recognized school or university in Germany. You can choose from several different types of documents depending on your situation. If you’re applying as an international student with plans to enroll in an undergraduate program , you’ll want to submit either:
An enrollment certificate ( Zulassungsbescheinigung ) from your school or university which confirms that you’ve been accepted for enrollment and includes information about your degree program; OR A letter from your school confirming that you’ve been admitted and detailing what semester/year you plan on starting classes. Both letters should be sent directly from your school administration.
Will you need an invitation letter (Einladungsschreiben)?
If you don’t have any friends or family members in Germany who can sponsor your visa application and are considering applying for a student visa, then yes—you will need an invitation letter.
To obtain one of these letters, you must have at least 3 years of relevant work experience. If you are younger than 18 or 19 years old (depending on how long you’ve been out of school), but do have at least 3 years of work experience and aren’t married/have no children, then yes—you should be able to find an agency that will issue an invitation letter for €200-€300. If not…then try again! Perhaps it isn’t such a good idea after all?
If you do need an invitation letter – who can write it?
The safest route is always obtaining an invitation letter from an educational institute or an organisation that’s in contact with potential employers. You can also apply for a tourist visa and then travel to Germany—this will be your best bet if you need an official invitation letter.
It may also take longer to obtain one as you won’t have any connections in Germany that can help you out. If you’re traveling without an invitation letter and applying at a consulate, it’s recommended that you go through a visa agency.
These agencies specialise in student visas, allowing them to provide more specific information than embassies on what documents are needed and how long it might take.
When should your application be ready?
When your application is ready depends on when you are traveling. If you apply too early, there’s a risk that you could delay your travel plans by having to make corrections or returning with incomplete documents.
Generally speaking though, it takes about 10 weeks for your visa application to be reviewed and either approved or denied. So if you plan on leaving in March of 2017, applying in October 2016 would be smart; if you were planning on staying until May of 2017 but will travel during April instead, applying in January 2017 would give you enough time.
Since applications are processed by consulates closest to where they originated (generally), processing times vary based on location: Applications from Europe generally take 4–6 weeks while those from outside Europe can take up 8 weeks or more.
The German student visa interview
The first step in your process is to get an appointment. It’s an interview at your local consulate that is used to determine whether you qualify for a visa.
During your appointment, you’ll meet with an officer who will ask questions about your plans and goals. Be prepared—the officer may ask difficult or follow-up questions.
What happens after your interview?
If you’re in Germany and looking to stay long-term, it’s important that you apply for your residence permit as soon as possible. The procedure is simple enough—you’ll need to prepare your visa application form and gather some supporting documents.
Just make sure not to forget anything! Once you apply and get approved (the process can take up to 2 months), your residence permit will be mailed straight to your home. Make sure you open it right away; if your application was denied, there might be space on the envelope where you can write a letter of appeal—allowing you time before leaving on vacation or attending an interview at a university.
Can your family move with you?
If you’re going to be studying in Germany, you may wonder if your family can move with you. Generally speaking, only students enrolled in degree programs are eligible for student visas and only one visa will be issued per family.
However, citizens of EU countries can move freely around Europe and live where they please. If you’re unsure whether or not your family members can join you in Germany during your stay there, contact an immigration lawyer who specializes in German student visas; they should be able to advise you on how best to proceed based on your situation.
Additional information about studying in Germany
It’s important to note that anyone wishing to enter Germany must apply for a student visa prior to their arrival in order to travel. The visa application process can be quite complex and often requires months of preparation.
Luckily, our skilled team of experts can help you complete all necessary paperwork and support you through every step of your application. If you are considering studying in Germany but have questions about how or where to apply, reach out today! We would love to assist you!
Conclusion
Part of being an adult means having a lot of responsibilities. But part of being an adult also means that you can travel any time you want! Want to go see Europe? No IELTS is needed.
If you are interested in traveling to Germany, first thing’s first: understand what documents you need and how long it will take to get your visa processed.
Then book your flights. In as little as 6 months from now, you could be taking in all that Germany has to offer!