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Information for international students

The FIT Hermannsburg welcomes students from all parts of the world.
The following information may give you some orientation on your way to study at FIT.

Visas

All students/prospective students from non-EU countries  (except from some selected countries such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden,Switzerland) require a visa. Students from some Countries (such as Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or the United States) don’t need a student visa, but have to register within a certain period of time at the local Residents’ Registration Office and the Aliens’ Registration Office.

For details check here: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/visas/

International and prospective students should please note the following when applying for a visa:

• A visa for Germany is always only issued for a specific purpose.

• Students should apply for either a student visa or a prospective student visa. Visa applications must be submitted to the German Embassy or Consulate in the student’s home country.

Visa requirements are
-  a valid passport,
- an acceptance letter or application confirmation from a German higher education institution
- and – very important – proof of sufficient funds to finance the studies (see below: bank account)

Please do not travel for study purposes on a tourist’s visa. A tourist’s visa cannot be converted in Germany to a residence permit!

Please note: A short stay visa, issued so that a language course can be attended, is not a visa for study purposes; it cannot be converted to a student visa at a later date.

• A prospective student visa is only valid for three months. This type of visa is issued to prospective students, who have not yet received an acceptance letter from a higher education institution, but who can prove that they have applied to a German higher education institution for a study place. Once the applicant has been accepted for a study course and has enrolled at the higher education institution, then the appropriate Foreigner’s Office (Ausländeramt) must convert the prospective student visa to a student visa.

• A student visa is valid for one year and is only issued if an acceptance letter or proof of enrolment at a higher education institution and proof of sufficient funds is provided. A residence permit for study purposes will only be issued after enrolment at a higher education institution.

It can often take months for a visa to be issued. Therefore it is very important to apply for a visa at least several months before the study programme begins!

Health insurance

Please ensure that you are covered by a health and liability insurance. Students from non-EU countries have to be covered by a German health insurance company while studying in Germany.

Bank account

Students who do not receive a scholarship have to open a blocked bank account in Germany with a minimum amount of 11.208,00 Euro for one adult for one year.