Residence title as a student who wants to study

I am student and want to study or receive a doctorate (residence title as student according to § 16 I AufenthG)

Are you admitted to a state university or officially recognised university (university, university of education, college of art and university of applied science)? Then you are a student according to German Residence Law and can obtain a residence title according to § 16 I AufenthG.

You are also considered as a student, if you are admitted to
- a comparable education institution or
- a university of cooperative education or
- an officially recognised Studienkolleg.

To prove admission, the university’s original letter of acceptance must be presented.

Important: The academic studies must be the main purpose of the stay. Night school, weekend courses or a correspondence course of study are not sufficient to obtain a student’s residence permit.

Studies are doctoral studies according to Residence Law, if the main reason of the stay is to receive the doctorate.

A residence permit for the purpose of academic studies can be granted for one year up to a maximum of two years. The residence permit can be extended, if the studies are not yet completed but are to be completed in reasonable time.

Language skills are usually not tested by the Aliens Departments as the universities consider them when deciding about admission.

Another requirement to obtain a residence permit is to prove that the costs of living during the stay are covered. For this purpose it is permitted to be gainful employed while studying. Yet, the employment must not extent 120 days or 240 half-days per year (§ 16 III AufenthG).