Route: study in Berlin

§ 16b permit, money, work limits, admission with a Canadian diploma or Québec DEC, Studienkolleg.

Permit (§ 16b AufenthG)

• Full-time study at a state or state-recognised university. You can enter visa-free and apply in Berlin within 90 days (Entry), or apply for a visa.
• Work: up to 140 full days or 280 half days a year (§ 16b (3)). Student jobs at the university have separate rules. Check the rule for student assistants.
• Money: a blocked account of €992 a month (€11,904 a year) is the usual proof. The amount follows the BAföG rates; check the Federal Foreign Office page before you pay in. The €1,091 figure applies to the language course (§ 16f), study-place search (§ 17) and the Opportunity Card (§ 2 (3), § 20a (4)); it is a different rule.
• Health insurance is mandatory: Health.
• Source: § 16b, DAAD.

Admission with a Canadian school diploma

• Ontario and Québec: uni-assist says an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or a Québec DEC (diplôme d'études collégiales, pre-university) may allow direct admission if the certificate meets additional criteria. The page does not spell out those criteria; ask uni-assist or the university. Our understanding is that Québec secondary school ends one year earlier than in other provinces, which is why the DEC from a CEGEP matters; this is not stated by uni-assist.
• After university study: one successful academic year at a recognised university can also give direct access, but the school certificate must still meet the Studienkolleg entry conditions.
• Documents: official transcript for grades 9 to 12 (or 10 to 12) and the official diploma signed by the Ministry or Minister of Education; provisional certificates are not accepted. Other provinces than Ontario and Québec, AP or IB credits and Grade 12 alone are not covered by the uni-assist page.
• The Studienkolleg is a preparatory course ending with the Feststellungsprüfung, then subject-specific admission. In Berlin: TU Berlin and others. Entry conditions and fees were not verified here.
• Bachelor graduates apply directly for a master's; check the programme's requirements (credit points, GPA).
• Language: German-taught programmes need DSH/TestDaF (C1-level, check per programme). English-taught programmes: whether native speakers need a certificate depends on the university.
• Applications: many Berlin universities use uni-assist; some apply directly. Deadlines: per university, not listed here.

Fees

Public universities in Berlin charge no tuition for international students, only a semester fee. Private universities charge tuition; check recognition and whether the programme is on campus, because the residence authority may question distance learning.