For any question on the visa topic, please contact Hanna Mattia.
The entry requirements into the Federal Republic of Germany are different according to your country of origin. Please enquire as soon as possible as to whether you require a visa or not.
Countries from which a visa is not required
Members of the EU and of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) do not need an entrance visa/student visa. However, after enrolling, you must register at the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt), just as every other student living in Frankfurt must do. EU and EFTA citizens will neither have to register at the foreign registration office nor will they need a so-called residence permit.
Citizens of the following countries also do not need an entrance visa/student visa, but will have to register at the aliens’ office (Ausländeramt) and apply for the residence permit after their enrollment in Germany.
- Australia
- Canada
- Israel
- Japan
- South Korea
- New Zealand
- USA
Please note: When it comes to visa matters, it is your nationality and not the university you come from that determines what the appropriate procedure is. Example: If you study in a European country and have a residence permit for this country but your nationality is neither European nor are you from one of the seven countries listed above, you need to apply for a student visa in Germany. If this is the case please contact the German Embassy in your country of origin or the German Embassy in your country of studies.
Countries from which a visa is required
Students from other countries have to make arrangements for obtaining a visa while still in their home country. Make sure you enquire whether you need an entrance visa/student visa well in advance. In this case, entrance with only a tourist visa is not allowed. Future students from most countries will need an entrance visa. Further information can be found here.
Make sure you apply for the entrance/student visa as soon as possible at the responsible German diplomatic agency (embassy/consulate). An entrance/student visa is required for students from these countries in order to be able to enroll. An entrance visa will be converted into a residence permit for study purposes following enrollment. The conversion of a tourist visa into a residence permit for study purposes after entry into Germany is not possible.
Entry and residence
