General Information

Foreign students who have been admitted by a German university (possibly with a preparatory language course) or who have been accepted by a Studienkolleg can apply for a visa to study in Germany. It is advisable to take care of the admission or acceptance of the university as soon as possible.

Foreign doctoral students (PhD) who have been admitted to a doctoral program at a German university as a full-time doctoral program can apply for a visa for doctoral studies in Germany. If the doctorate is to be carried out within the scope of an employment contract or a research agreement with a German university or research institution, a research stay visa must be applied for.

During the studies, a student can earn his/ her living by working. After completing the studies, it is possible to look for a job in Germany.

For the purpose of your visa application, applicants are considered

- „students“, if they applied at a German university or preparatory courses (e.g. „Studienkolleg“) and were admitted to the program or have a confirmation of application („Bewerberbestätigung“)

- „exchange students“, if they spend part of their studies in Germany and – upon return to Georgia – complete their studies at their Georgian university

- „prospective students“, if they are interested in studying at a German university, but have not yet been admitted to a specific program. Applicants for study programs in music or arts who successfully have to partake in entrance exams, in order to be admitted to their program, are also considered „prospective students“. A visa for prospective students will only be prolonged by the competent „Ausländerbehörde“ (foreigners’ office) in Germany, if the student can provide the Ausländerbehörde with a certificate of enrolment.

We request that all documents be submitted with your visa application as originals with two copies. Non-German/English language documents have to be accompanied by a translation in German or English. Foreign official documents regarding your civil status may require legalization or an Apostille. Georgian official documents and certificates regarding your civil status have to be presented with Apostille.

Following documents have to be submitted for your application:

• two complete application form including the declaration according to § 54 Abs. 2 Nr. 8, § 53 AufenthG, to be filled in in German or English and signed by the applicant or their legal guardian(s)

• Passport (issued no longer than ten years ago, minimum validity of six months, at least two empty pages) and copy of the page including your identity data (passport picture and signature)

• Non-Georgian citizens: Valid residence permit for Georgia (the validity of your residence permit should exceed your stay in the Schengen area by three months) and a current border crossing certificate including a translation

• Two biometric passport pictures, no older than one year

• Confirmation of admission („Zulassung“) or confirmation of application („Bewerberbestätigung“) or pre-booking for a study course („Studienplatzvormerkung“)

  • If you only can present a „Bewerberbestätigung“, you will need to show the confirmation of admission before the visa can be issued. If you are not able to show your „Zulassung“, it might be possible to issue a visa for student-applicants („Studienbewerbervisum“)

  • PhD-students: Invitation of the professor or research institute that will oversee the PhD student’s activity, as well as a brief summary of the research project and – if applicable – the PhD student’s admission to the PhD-program and conferral of a doctorate

  • Exchange students: Invitation or admission by the university

  • A printed copy of the relevant document is sufficient if it has been signed and sealed by the university. During the application process, you might be asked to submit the original.

• If applicable: proof of contact with German universities regarding your studies

• Proof of financial means at least for the first year of your studies amounting to 11,208- EUR (934,00EUR/month). The proven financing will be increased from January 1st, 2025, and there will be a transition period. From September 1st, 2024, proof of EUR 11,904.00 (994,00 EURO per month) must be provided.

• Applicants without a „Zulassungsbescheid“ (letter of admission) must have at least 1.027,00 € per month (12.342,00 € per year) at their disposal

• Please find information regarding opening blocked bank accounts in Germany on our website at www.tiflis.diplo.de/visa-en.

  It is requested to also elaborate how you will finance your studies after the first year.

• Proof of previous education: last certificate of (higher) education (e.g. International Baccalaureate, bachelor’s degree etc.)

• If your intended studies do not commence directly after finished your last (higher) education: proof of your activities since receiving your last degree

• Exchange students: proof of enrollment in your current study program with a Georgian university mentioning your current year and faculty/study program

• Letter of motivation for studying in Germany, either in German or English, in which you explain in detail your plans for the future (study, professional perspectives etc.)

• Complete CV in German with your address and contact details

• Proof of knowledge of the German language at least on level B1

  • In case you intend on visiting a preparatory language course before commencing your studies: proof of enrollment into the intensive preparatory language course (minimum 18hrs per week) at a German language school mentioning the place and duration of studies and your level of language proficiency at the beginning and the end of the course as well as proof of payment of the course fees

  • If you have been admitted to a study program under the premise that you proof a certain level of language proficiency until enrollment, you will have to bring proof of that level when applying your visa or – at the latest – before your visa will be issued

  • For PhD students, a certificate of the German university that your language proficiency has been tested and deemed sufficient will suffice.

  • Examples of recognized German language certificates: Goethe, Telc, ÖSD, TestDaF, DSH, ECL, Deutsches Sprachdiplom KMK

  • English language proficiency may be demonstrated by submitting certificates of IELTS or TOEFL with sufficient results

• If applicable, further supporting documents (e.g. letters of recommendation etc.)

• Applicants who are minors are required to submit a notarized letter of consent by the legal guardian(s) that they may travel to and live in Germany, as well as proof of who (as person of legal age) will take care of them during their stay in Germany and passport copies of the legal guardian(s) and guardian in Germany. Additionally, we ask you to submit your birth certificate.

• Other documents, where applicable

• Travel health insurance: After any positive decision on the visa application, you must provide proof of existing travel health insurance before issuing the visa, unless proof of this has already been provided beforehand.

We ask you to organize your application and supporting documents in the above mentioned order in two complete sets. Please check the appropriate box on this information sheet to confirm that you are able to submit the respective document.

Please organize your documents as follows:

• First set: application form, declaration and all other supporting documents as copies in the above mentioned order

• Second set: original documents in the same order

Important:

• The Embassy reserves the right to request further documentation where deemed necessary.

• Please abstain from inquiring about the status of your application. Due to personal data protection laws, inquiries by telephone regarding specific applications cannot be answered.

• Generally, the processing of your application will take between six and eight weeks, at least it will take four weeks. If you are awarded a scholarship by a German public institution, the processing time will likely be reduced to a few working days.

• Flight bookings are not required to apply for a visa – please book only after receiving the visa.

• The processing of a visa application for study purposes costs 75,-- EUR. The fee has to be paid in cash in GEL upon submitting your application. Students receiving a scholarship from German public institutions are exempt of the visa fee.

Please make sure that you bring all the necessary documentation on the day of submitting your application. Submission of applications that do not show the necessary documentation may be rejected.