Do you need help with your visa? We will support you!
If you are a third-country national and want to attend language classes in Germany you will need a special visa before you can come to Germany. To register for visa can be a long and exhausting process. Already before you come to Germany you need to register at your responsible diplomatic mission in your home country. The processing time can take up to a couple of months therefore it is recommended to plan enough time and submit the application in good time.
However, if you have got the citizenship of one of the following countries then you don’t need such an educational visa ahead of your language course:
all countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) plus Switzerland, Israel, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.
Citizens of the above mentioned countries can still apply for a residence permit at the Bamberg immigration office after their arrival in Germany.
Attention: new regulations from October
New EES entry system
From October 2025, the European Union (EU) will introduce its new entry system for non-EU citizens. This is changing:
The new Entry and Exit System (EES) will be implemented at EU border crossings and airports from October. This means that short stays from non-EU countries will also be registered. When you enter Germany, the following data will be recorded: Name, type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) as well as the date and place of entry and exit into the EU.
EES will be introduced gradually
The system applies to a total of 29 countries in the Schengen area and will be introduced gradually. Electronic data collection is just the beginning. Building on this, the European Travel Information and Authorization System Etias will go into operation. In future, you will have to register digitally in this system before entering the Schengen area.
Etias from the end of 2026
Etias will not be launched until the last quarter of 2026. Until then, you will still not need to register digitally in advance. Etias will then apply to holders of short-term visas, i.e. also to travelers who are exempt from the visa requirement.
There are different types of visa for you language course in Germany:
Tourist visa for short stay (Schengen Visa)
If you want to visit a language course which lasts only a couple of weeks a short stay visa (Schengen) is enough. This type of visa entitles you to stay for a duration of 90 days in the Schengen area. The application process is mostly very simple and easy. A short stay visa is recommended if you want to learn German and visit Germany only for touristic reasons.
Please note:
The Schengen visa entitles the holder to visits of up to 90 days every 6 months in the entire Schengen area. If you come to Germany with this type of visa it cannot be switched into another one afterwards.
Language course visa (Visa for language learning)
If you plan to stay longer than 90 days in Germany and want to visit a language course you can apply for a language course visa. It states that you are going to learn the German language and allows you to stay between three and 12 months in Germany.
Please note:
A language course visa cannot be switched into another type of visa (student visa) afterwards. Therefore you need to leave the country after finishing your language course to apply for a possible student visa. You are not allowed to work.
Student Visa
If you plan to study in Germany you can apply for a student visa. With this type of visa you are entitled to visit a language course before starting your studies. With a student visa you will be able to remain in Germany for a maximum period of 2 years.
You need to have a recognized foreign academic qualification which shows that you have a qualification equally recognized as the German Abitur as well as a proof of admission into a study program (e.g. university admission letter “Zulassungsbescheinigung” or a letter of admission in a preparatory German language course).
You may work for up to 120 full working days or 240 half working days a year.
Student Applicant Visa
If you have not been officially admitted to enrol in studies you can apply for a student applicant visa. With this type of visa you are entitled to stay in Germany to appear personally for university entry. With a German student applicant visa you are not allowed to study in Germany it only applies for the application process.
Holders of a student applicant visa can stay for a maximum period of 9 months to comply with the complete admission requirements. Once you have been admitted to study you can switch the visa into a student visa.
Please contact your responsible diplomatic mission which type of visa is the right one for you! We are not allowed to give any expert advice/counselling for visa!
How to apply for your visa – a step-by-step guide
The following paragraphs will show you exactly how to apply for your educational visa and how the visa process works in detail:
- Register for your language course. Our mini group courses all include 20 lessons per week and they are officially recognised by German embassies and German diplomatic agencies abroad. While registering for your language course you can also directly book your accommodation for your entire language stay and in addition also your mandatory health insurance.
- As soon as we have received your registration for one of our language courses we will send you an invoice by e-mail.
- Once you have paid the invoice we will send you an official registration confirmation that states that you will attend a German language course with a minimum number of at least 20 class hours (depending on the kind of language course you choose) and a list of additional services you have already booked and paid for, as your accommodation, insurances, etc. You need this registration confirmation (which we will send you as an pdf-file via email) for your visa application. This official registration confirmation plus your visa application must be submitted to the local German embassy in your country.
- In order to receive a visa the following prerequisites have to be met:
You must prove that you have adequate funds and that you are financially secure for your intended stay in the Federal Republic of Germany. You can prove this, for example, with a blocked account. In order to financially secure a stay of one year in Germany you have to deposit 11,208 euros into that blocked account. Alternative options are that you have received a scholarship or that a person in Germany will pay all expenses of your stay in Germany. Therefore, your host has to submit a declaration of commitment at the foreigners' registration office at his or her place of residence according to German law (Verpflichtungserklärung §§ 82 ff. AuslG.). Further information on the declaration of commitment can be found in German on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.
Please inform us immediately if you have problems with your visa application. We can postpone your language course.
The first postponement is free of charge, for any further we charge Euro 50.
If the cancellation is due to a visa not being granted, TREFFPUNKT refunds the payments already made, minus the advance payment of 10 %, if the participant provides the official notice of refusal at least three days before course commencement. You can find more information in our General Terms and Conditions.
More information from the Federal Foreign Office
General information on visa regulations (application process, fees, …)