Route: studying in Berlin

Visa (§ 16b), the steps in order, timing and what to prepare in Vietnam.

Legal basis: § 16b AufenthG (residence permit for studies). You apply for a national visa before you travel; a tourist or Schengen visa cannot be turned into a study permit in Berlin.

Steps

1. Check what your Vietnamese certificates are worth: THPT certificate, national exam results, university years. See Admission.
2. APS certificate (and TestAS for undergraduates): The APS certificate. Start early – the university application usually needs it.
3. Learn German (or English for an English-taught programme) and take a recognised exam: Learning German.
4. Apply to the university, directly or through uni-assist. Public universities in Berlin charge no tuition, see Costs of studying.
5. Prove your funding: blocked account, scholarship, or a declaration of commitment from someone in Germany.
6. Apply for the visa through the portal and VFS: Visa application.
7. Travel, register and collect your residence permit in Berlin: After arrival.

What the Embassy Hanoi asks for

• APS certificate, admission or Studienkolleg letter, language certificate, proof of funding.
• Blocked account: €992 a month, the first year covered (€11,904).
• Language certificates (Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF from B2, ECL) at most 12 months old.
• Health insurance: German private insurance, or German statutory insurance plus 3 weeks of travel insurance for the time before enrolment, or a foreign private policy that meets the criteria (for example a deductible of at most €300).
• Source: Embassy Hanoi, study visa.

Timing, fees, work

• Visa fee €75. Plan about 12 weeks from application to visa.
• Working while studying (§ 16b (3) AufenthG): up to 140 full or 280 half days a year, plus student jobs at the university or research institutions.

Study-applicant visa (§ 17)

Without an admission yet, § 17 AufenthG allows a stay of up to 9 months to look for a study place. The amounts and German level for this study-place search were not confirmed: the Embassy page found (€1,091 a month, B1) covers the search for a training place. Ask the Embassy.