Derrick

Germany is a very good study destination in Europe and many foreign students choose to go to Germany to study for their higher education. If you are a foreign student that wants to study in Germany, then you might need a student visa or you might not need one, depending on where you are applying from.

For example, if you are a resident or a citizen of a country within the European union, then you do not need a student visa. Many times, most students that apply to study in Germany do not need a Student Visa. What they need is usually just a Residence Permit.

1. First step is to confirm if you really need a German Student Visa to study in Germany.

Set A: If you are a student applying from the European Union countries like Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway etc., then you do not need to apply for a student visa.

Set B: Also, applicants from countries like United States, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel do not need to apply for a Student Visa to study in Germany. What these applicants need to do is, is to register at the Residents’ Registration Office locally in Germany and at the Aliens’ registration Office in Germany all within 2 weeks of the student’s arrival into Germany. This only applies to student applicants from the 7 countries listed earlier in this paragraph.

Set C: For students applying from one of these countries: Taiwan, Andorra, Brazil, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino or Honduras, you will only need a Student Visa if you plan on working in Germany before or after your degree program.

Students applying from these countries should therefore apply for their Germany Student Visa while still in their home country through their local German Embassy or Consulate.

Also, if you are from one of these countries, whether you applied for a student visa in your home country or not, it is compulsory for you to apply for a residence permit within your first 2 weeks of entering Germany. Also, applicants from Taiwan must have a ID card number in their passports.

Set D: For the applicants remaining from the rest of the world;

If your country was not listed among the countries given above, then you will definitely need a Student Visa to study in Germany. It is compulsory for you. You can apply for your student visa through your local German embassy in your home country or the Consulate. Usually, the fee charged to obtain a German Student Visa is about 60 Euros, which is approximately $70.

Steps To Apply For A German Student Visa

So, if you fall into the category of students from countries that need a German Student Visa to study in Germany, then the earlier you apply for it, the better for you. You should make sure you apply by at least 3 months before you make your move to Germany.

First, let’s look at a list of likely documents that you will need;

During the processing of your German Student Visa at your home country’s local German embassy, you will likely need the following documents;

– Completed National Visa Application Form

– Your Valid Country Passport

– Two Passport Photographs of you

– An acceptance or Offer Letter from a German University, there are different types of proofs that could be used.

– Your transcript

– A certificate showing that you are proficient in the German language or that you intend to attend a German language course while in Germany.

– Proof of Financial funding and that you have enough money to sustain yourself throughout your study program’s duration in Germany. You can use four methods to proof;

A. It is advised that you use a blocked account as proof of financial resources. A blocked account means that you deposit up to 10,236 Euros in your German bank account which will remain blocked until you arrive in Germany before you can then have access to it. It is easier and more likely to get a German Student Visa if you are using a blocked account as proof of funds.

B. You could also use a letter of commitment from a German resident who will cover your living costs in Germany.

C. Or you could use a scholarship award certificate as proof too.

D. You could use a bank guarantee from a certified German bank.

– A certificate of Health Insurance

– Your birth certificate

– A declaration of the originality of the documents you have submitted.

– You might also need proof of your criminal record.

– You might need a marriage certificate if you are married.

– You might need a birth certificate of your child, (if you have).

Steps To Follow To Apply For German Student Visa;

– Find a German Embassy or consulate in your home country.

– Make sure you check their requirements and procedures you should take to make a visa appointment.

– Set up your Visa appointment by following the steps outlined on the German Embassy’s website for your country.

– Prepare all the important documents.

– Get ready for your Visa Interview.

You will need to pay a visa application fee of between 60 Euros to 75 Euros and this fee is non-refundable. The fee will be paid before your visa interview is scheduled.

Keep in mind that there are different types of Germany Student Visa and also, the best time to apply for your student visa is immediately after you have been offered admission by a German higher institution. Good luck.

The good news for all Master’s prospective students that want to study in Europe is that, there is a good number of countries on the European continent where you can study for free or almost free.

Perhaps you are from the EU countries and you just want a cheaper master’s degree option within Europe? Or you are a foreign student who wants to study in Europe because of the continent’s world class universities but you are looking for affordable options to opt for?

Well, in this article, our main aim is to let you in on a number of European countries in which you can have your Master’s degree for free or almost free.

1. Sweden

Particularly Stockholm city in Sweden is a place where you can study at the public universities for free or almost free. The best university in Stockholm, Sweden is Stockholm University.

It might not be particularly cheap to live in Stockholm, but since the university tuition is free, you might be able to cope with the living expenses in the city. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and the city is the largest in Sweden as well. It will be a life-long memorable experience if you choose to have your Master’s in Stockholm, Sweden.

The thing with Sweden is that, if you are an international student that wants to do your Master’s, then you have to pay tuition. Only students from the EU have access to free tuition for their Master’s. Prior to the year 2010, Sweden covered the tuition of both EU students and non-EU students. But now, non-EU students are charged for tuition. The good thing is, there are many full scholarships offered by the Swedish universities that you can apply for as a foreign student applying for your Master’s.

2. Germany

The cool thing with Germany is that, whether you are from the EU countries or from outside EU, tuition is free at the public universities. So, if you want to study for your Master’s at an affordable cost and for free tuition, Germany is a good place to start from.

3. Hungary

If you are from the EU, then your Master’s degree tuition at Hungary is free. It is not the same for students from outside EU though. Students from outside EU, might have to pay about 1,500 Euros for their tuition.

4. Norway

Both for EU students and outside EU students, it is free to study in Norway for your Master’s. Unlike the other countries in this list who cover the tuitions of only students from the EU, Norway covers the tuition of both the students from EU and those from outside EU. Some top universities in Norway where you can study for your Master’s include University of Oslo, University of Stavanger etc.

5. Poland

Whether you can get free tuition from Poland to study for your Master’s depends on if you are from a EU country or not. If you are from outside EU, then the tuition for your Master’s at Poland is about 2,000 Euros.

6. Austria

If you are a student from EU, then your tuition is almost free to study in a public university in Austria. But if you are from outside EU, then the tuition is usually about 1,500 Euros per semester. The small tuition fee that students from EU have to pay is almost insignificant. Some top universities in Austria that you can apply to for your Master’s are University of Vienna, University of Innsbruck etc.

7. Denmark

If you are from the European Union, a citizen of Denmark or you possess a certain type of visa, then you might be eligible for free tuition for your Master’s. The major universities in Denmark include the University of Copenhagen, University of Kiel etc. All Danish citizens are offered scholarships and financial aids when they want to study whether for Bachelor’s or Master’s.

8. Finland

If you are going for a course offered in English language, and you are a student from outside EU or EEA, then you will have to pay tuition fees. The University of Turku and Helsinki University are top universities in Finland that you can apply for Master’s to study in. For students from the EU or EEA, then there is no tuition fee to be paid. But all students will have to pay for their own living costs by themselves.

9. France

Although it is not totally free to study in France, you will get top class Master’s education from France’s top universities. Students from the EU region just have to pay a few hundreds of Euros for an academic year. While for those from outside EU, the tuition fee is about 3,500 Euros a year. France’s tuition fees are actually very small especially when you compare it with that of the US, UK etc.

So, for your Master’s, you can consider any one of these European countries for free to very affordable tuition fees.