Visa Information

In case you have to apply for visa, you should contact the German Embassy, a German Consulate or the competent immigration authority. There you will be informed about the requirements you have to meet. These also depend on the purpose of your stay and your personal circumstances. In some countries, you may also be required to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the German language. Furthermore, you may have to pay the full course fee in advance. If a visa is granted, you must, of course, attend the course. Please bear in mind that the course must comprise at least 20 hours of tuition per week.

Which visa do you need for a German language course?

The following visa options may apply:

German Language course – § 16f AufenthG

You mainly want to come to Germany to learn German intensively, without the German course being intended as preparation for university studies or vocational training that you have already planned.

University studies or preparation for university studies – § 16b AufenthG

You already have admission or conditional admission to a university in Germany and need to acquire the required German language skills before starting your studies.

Vocational training – § 16a AufenthG

You already have a vocational training place in Germany and need a preparatory German course before starting your training.

Recognition of foreign professional qualifications – § 16d AufenthG

You already have a professional qualification obtained abroad and need further qualifications or additional German language skills as part of the recognition procedure.

Depending on your residence permit, you may also be allowed to work while attending your German course. Residence permits under Sections 16f, 16a and 16d of the German Residence Act generally allow employment of up to 20 hours per week. Special rules regarding permitted employment apply to students under Section 16b.

One of several requirements for obtaining a study visa is the confirmation of enrolment from the school. TANDEM Köln will send you this confirmation as soon as we have received your registration and a deposit (usually 50% of the course price).

Useful links

If you are not sure which visa to apply for, the visa navigator will help you:
https://visa.diplo.de/en/index.html#/vib

Addresses of all German Embassies:
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/AAmt/Auslandsvertretungen/Uebersicht_node.html

For longer stays you may need to set up a blocked account. You can easily set this up at Coracle:
https://www.coracle.de/blocked-account/

You can take out health insurance here to cover the duration of your stay in Germany: https://www.tandem-koeln.de/en/german-language-classes/health-insurance

Information for students from abroad:
https://www.internationale-studierende.de/

TANDEM Köln cannot guarantee the granting of a student visa or in any way influence the outcome or duration of your visa application. In case a visa will not be granted, please send us a copy of the negative reply given by the Embassy. Then we will refund the amount paid in advance according to our terms and conditions .