If you did not flee your home country and you want to come to Germany to study, you need a residence permit for study purposes according to § 16b of the Residence Act (AufenthG).
You can freely choose where you want to study and at which university.
To get this residence permit, you need the following:
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A valid passport
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Proof that you have enough money to support yourself in Germany (around €11,000 for one year)
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Health insurance
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A certificate of enrollment (or a conditional admission for a full-time study program)
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Registered address in Berlin (with a rental contract and confirmation from the landlord)
More information can be found here: service.berlin.de – Apply for a residence permit for study purposes
With a residence permit under § 16b AufenthG, you are allowed to:
Study in your chosen academic field
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Work:
Either 140 full days or 280 half days per year
Or: up to 20 hours per week during the semester, and 40 hours per week during semester breaks
(There are special rules for student jobs at universities.) -
You cannot receive social benefits, except in a few special cases
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You can live anywhere – there is no restriction on where you must live
This residence permit is usually valid for 2 years.
If you still meet all the requirements, you can extend it.
If you have questions about how to finance your studies, please contact our student social counseling service.
You can find consultation hours and the contact form on their website of our counseling services.
The International Offices at our partner universities also support you with applying for and renewing your residence permit.
If you don’t just want to come to Germany for your studies, but you are seeking protection because you are not safe in your home country, you may be able to apply for asylum in Germany.
Important:
The asylum process is often long and complicated. There are many rules you must follow.
For example, you cannot choose where you want to live – you will be assigned to a specific federal state.
If your asylum application is rejected, it is usually very difficult to later change to a student residence permit.
So you should think carefully before applying for asylum – and get advice first!
How the asylum process works:
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Arrival and registration in Germany
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Assignment to one of the federal states (you cannot choose this yourself)
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Reporting and accommodation in a reception center
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Submitting your asylum application at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
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The BAMF checks if another EU country is responsible for your case ("Dublin procedure")
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You will be invited to a personal interview
The BAMF will make a decision.
If you apply for asylum, you are usually allowed to study in Germany, no matter the status of your application.
This means you can study with what is called a “temporary permission to stay” (Gestattung) or a “tolerated stay” (Duldung), even if you have not been granted protection.
If your application is successful, you will receive a residence permit for up to 3 years.
You can find more general information about the asylum process on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
The information is available in different languages.
