The residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) for study purposes under § 16b of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) allows third-country nationals to study and to take part in preparatory measures for study at a German university. On initial issue and on extension, it is generally issued for two years, costs €100.00 nationwide under § 45 Nr. 1 of the Ordinance Governing Residence (Aufenthaltsverordnung, AufenthV) and opens up a working-day account of 140 working days per year – without separate approval from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit).
Independent information website: we are not the Ausländerbehörde, not an authority and not a paid advice service – we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in plain language; binding information always comes from the competent body. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source – this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Costs€100.00nationwide · extension €93–€98
Processing time4–8 weeksCard production · plus waiting time for an appointment
MethodIn personAppointment required
Required documents
What you need to bring
The Ausländerbehörde (foreigners authority) checks all proof in the original. If even one document is missing, the appointment is usually not continued at a later point; you are given a new appointment instead.
Valid national passport
You must present the original passport issued by your home country, including all pages with visas and entry or exit stamps. The passport must be valid beyond the period of validity applied for, because a residence title is never issued for a longer period than the passport is valid. If your passport expires during your studies, renew it in good time at your embassy and present the new passport to the Ausländerbehörde without being asked.
Admission letter from the university
The admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) is issued by the university, for international applications often via the uni-assist procedure. Proof of acceptance at a Studienkolleg is also recognised, because under § 16b Abs. 1 Satz 2 and 3 AufenthG the purpose of study also includes measures that prepare for study; a preparatory language course only counts if your admission to study is conditional on attending it. If your admission is linked to a different condition, or if you have only been accepted onto a language course without being admitted to study, the Ausländerbehörde can grant a residence permit under § 16b Abs. 5 AufenthG at its discretion. If you have neither an admission nor an acceptance at a Studienkolleg or on a language course, a visa for the purpose of applying for a study place under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG may be an option.
Proof of financing of €11,904.00
For twelve months, you must prove €11,904.00, which is exactly €992.00 per month. The amount results from § 2 Abs. 3 Satz 5 AufenthG in conjunction with the needs rates of §§ 13 and 13a Abs. 1 of the Federal Training Assistance Act (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, BAföG) and is published every year by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) by 31 August of the previous year; for 2026 it remained unchanged. The most common option is a blocked account (Sperrkonto) with a bank or an approved provider, which only pays out the released partial amount each month.
Proof of health insurance
Under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 9 of Social Code Book V (Sozialgesetzbuch Fünftes Buch, SGB V), students are compulsorily insured in student health insurance, in principle until the end of the semester in which they turn 30 (§ 190 Abs. 9 SGB V); a limit of 14 semesters of study (Fachsemester) has no longer existed since 2020. If the nature of the course of education or family or personal reasons justify exceeding the age limit, compulsory insurance is extended accordingly. If you drop out of compulsory student insurance, you must switch to voluntary statutory or to private insurance and submit the new proof. The health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) reports your insurance status electronically to the university; for the Ausländerbehörde, you also need a certificate of insurance in writing.
Biometric photograph
For the electronic residence title, you need a recent biometric photograph taken from the front with a neutral background, which since 1 May 2025 has only been accepted in digital form. Whether your Ausländerbehörde operates a photo terminal on site depends on the competent authority – clarify this when booking the appointment; otherwise, have the photograph taken in advance by a certified photographer, who transmits it in encrypted form and gives you a Data Matrix code. A paper photograph that you bring with you has no longer been accepted since the transitional period ended on 31 July 2025.
Meldebescheinigung and tenancy agreement
The Ausländerbehörde is only competent for persons who are registered in its area, which is why the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) from the Bürgeramt (citizens’ office) is the starting point for the entire procedure. For the Anmeldung (residence registration) itself, you need the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation) from your landlord or from the operator of your hall of residence; it is mandatory under the Federal Act on Registration (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG) and is not replaced by the tenancy agreement. More on this under Register your address.
Certificate of enrolment
The certificate of enrolment (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) proves that you are actually enrolled and is issued by the student registry office (Studierendensekretariat) after payment of the semester contribution. It is valid for one semester at a time and must be presented again for each extension. For preparatory measures for study, the confirmation from the Studienkolleg or the language course provider takes its place.
Completed application and fee
Every Ausländerbehörde provides the form for an application for the issue of a residence title on its website; fill it in completely and only sign it on site if the authority requires this. Have the fee of €100.00 ready – depending on the authority, payment is made in cash or by EC card; credit cards are not accepted in many places. Holders of scholarships from public funds present their scholarship certificate instead and are exempt from the fee under § 52 Abs. 5 AufenthV.
Step by step
How to proceed
The process begins months before entry. If you keep to this sequence, you avoid the typical gap between an expiring visa and the appointment at the Ausländerbehörde.
1
Secure admission or a place on a preparatory programme
Apply either directly to the university or via the central uni-assist procedure, which checks certificates and converts them into the German grading system. Each university sets its own application deadlines; 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester are common, but the information given by your university is always decisive. If your language level or your school-leaving qualification is not yet sufficient, apply for a place at a Studienkolleg or on a preparatory language course – under § 16b Abs. 1 Satz 2 and 3 AufenthG, the Studienkolleg is part of the purpose of study, but the language course only if your admission to study is conditional on attending it; without admission, only a discretionary residence permit under § 16b Abs. 5 Satz 1 Nr. 2 AufenthG is possible for the language course. Allow six to twelve weeks from your application to the official notice (Bescheid).
2
Provide proof of financing
You must prove €11,904.00 for twelve months, i.e. €992.00 per month. The classic option is the Sperrkonto: you transfer the total amount before applying for the visa, the provider confirms the block to the German mission abroad and, after your entry, releases €992.00 each month. Equally valid are a scholarship from a recognised funding organisation, a declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) under § 68 AufenthG by a person living in Germany with sufficient income, a bank guarantee or – depending on the German mission abroad – proof of your parents’ income. Allow two to four weeks for opening the account, the transfer and the confirmation.
3
Apply for a national visa at the German mission abroad
Third-country nationals enter Germany on a national visa (category D), which is applied for at the German embassy or consulate general in the country of origin; the fee is €75.00 under § 46 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 AufenthV, and a later extension in Germany costs €25.00. If you do not yet have admission, apply for a visa for the purpose of applying for studies under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG; it is valid for up to nine months, but requires proof of financing that is ten per cent higher, at €1,091.20 per month (§ 2 Abs. 3 Satz 6 AufenthG). Nationals of some privileged states may enter without a visa and apply for the title only once in Germany – check this in advance with your German mission abroad. Processing takes several weeks to months, depending on the location.
4
Register your address after entering Germany
The Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt must take place within two weeks under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG – the deadline runs from the day you move into the apartment, not from the day you enter Germany. Bring your passport and the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung; if you live in a student hall of residence, you receive it from the hall administration. The Anmeldung is free of charge and a requirement for practically everything else: bank account, Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting licence fee), tax identification number (Steuer-ID, IdNr.) and the jurisdiction of the Ausländerbehörde. A late Anmeldung can be sanctioned as a regulatory offence (Ordnungswidrigkeit).
5
Enrol at the university
Enrolment takes place in person or online at the student registry office and requires the admission letter, proof of health insurance and payment of the semester contribution. The Krankenkasse transmits your insurance status electronically to the university; without this notification, enrolment is not completed. You then receive the certificate of enrolment, which you present to the Ausländerbehörde in the next step.
6
Make an appointment and submit your application to the Ausländerbehörde
Book the appointment immediately after your registration of residence (Anmeldung), because in large cities appointments are often only available months later. What matters is that your application reaches the authority before the expiry of your visa – in many cities, this is also possible in writing or via the online portal if no appointment is available in time. If the title has not yet been issued on expiry of your visa, you receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung (provisional residence document) for €13.00 (§ 47 Abs. 1 Nr. 8 AufenthV), which makes your stay lawful in the meantime. At the appointment, the photograph, fingerprints and signature for the electronic residence title are recorded.
7
Pay the fee and collect your electronic residence title
Issuing the title costs €100.00 nationwide under § 45 Nr. 1 AufenthV, regardless of how long the title is issued for. Under § 16b Abs. 2 AufenthG, the title is generally valid for two years and for at least one year; if your course of study is shorter, it is limited accordingly. The card is produced by the Bundesdruckerei (Germany’s federal printing company) and must be collected in person – more on this under Collect your eAT. Allow four to eight weeks until it is handed over.
Fee information
Costs and payment
Fees
Issue€100.00 (§ 45 Nr. 1 AufenthV)
Extension for more than 3 months€93.00 (§ 45 Nr. 2 AufenthV)
Extension for up to 3 months€96.00 (§ 45 Nr. 2 AufenthV)
Change in the purpose of residence€98.00 (§ 45 Nr. 3 AufenthV)
National visa€75.00 · extension in Germany €25.00
Fiktionsbescheinigung€13.00 (§ 47 Abs. 1 Nr. 8 AufenthV)
Place of paymentAt the Ausländerbehörde
Means of paymentEC card or cash
The fee is fixed by federal law. Unlike with local services, there is no range here and no leeway for cities: § 45 Nr. 1 AufenthV sets exactly €100.00 for the issue of a residence permit, regardless of whether the title is issued for one year or for two years. Information such as “from €100” is misleading – any additional expenses in individual cities are at most costs for certified translations or for a photograph, not the official fee itself.
A curious side effect with extensions. An extension for more than three months costs €93.00, whereas an extension for up to three months costs €96.00. The shorter extension is therefore more expensive than the longer one. If you change the purpose of residence, for example from study to employment after graduation, €98.00 is due (§ 45 Nr. 3 AufenthV).
Exemption for scholarship holders. Anyone who receives a scholarship from public funds for their stay is exempt under § 52 Abs. 5 AufenthV both from the fee for the national visa and from the fee for the issue and extension of the residence permit. For spouses or civil partners and minor unmarried children who are included in the funding, the exemption only applies to the visa fee (§ 52 Abs. 5 Satz 2 AufenthV), not to the fees for their residence permit. Present the scholarship certificate without being asked, because the authority does not check the exemption on its own initiative.
Fast-track procedure. For skilled workers, § 81a AufenthG provides for a fast-track procedure, which the employer initiates at the Ausländerbehörde; it costs €411.00 under § 47 Abs. 1 Nr. 15 AufenthV. It is not intended for study itself, but can become relevant after graduation if you switch to an EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) or to other employment.
Do not forget the running costs. In addition to the official fees, you pay the university’s semester contribution, student health and long-term care insurance and the Rundfunkbeitrag. These amounts are not set by the Ausländerbehörde, but they are taken into account when assessing whether your subsistence is secured.
Good to know
Important notes
Working-day account, period of validity, protection periods and the transition after graduation – the points where things most often go wrong in practice.
140 working days a year, without separate permission – days with no more than four hours count as half a day (§ 16b Abs. 3 AufenthG).
During the semester break, there is no 20-hour limit, but each calendar week worked costs 2.5 working days from the account.
Student ancillary jobs, such as work as a student assistant at the university, are not counted at all (§ 16b Abs. 3 Satz 2 AufenthG).
After graduation: up to 18 months to look for a job under § 20 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 in conjunction with Abs. 2 Satz 2 AufenthG – only if your subsistence is secured.
The Sperrkonto releases exactly €992.00 per month – one twelfth of €11,904.00.
If you lose your admission through no fault of your own, you are entitled to up to nine months to change (§ 16b Abs. 6 AufenthG).
The Studienkolleg is treated in the same way as study, but a preparatory language course only if admission to study is conditional on it (§ 16b Abs. 1 Satz 2 and 3 AufenthG); without admission, § 16b Abs. 5 AufenthG applies.
The working-day account in detail. Since its revision by the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz), § 16b Abs. 3 AufenthG no longer simply refers to “120 days”, but provides for an account of 140 working days per year with two counting models. Under the first model, every day on which you work counts as a full working day; if your working hours on that day are no more than four hours, it only counts as half a working day – hence the widespread formula “140 full or 280 half days”. Under the second model, a whole calendar week is counted at a flat rate of 2.5 working days if you work no more than 20 hours in that week during the lecture period. The Ausländerbehörde carries out a comparison for each individual calendar week and counts whichever option is more favourable for you.
Why the semester break is not “free”. Outside the lecture period, the limit of 20 hours per week does not apply, so you may work full time. The time is still counted, however: under § 16b Abs. 3 Satz 3 Nr. 2 Buchst. b AufenthG, each such calendar week costs 2.5 working days from the 140-day account. If you work through twelve weeks of the break, you therefore use up 30 working days by this calculation. The idea that no limit at all applies during the semester break is one of the most common and most consequential misconceptions among international students.
What is really unlimited. § 16b Abs. 3 Satz 2 AufenthG completely excludes student ancillary jobs (studentische Nebentätigkeiten) from being counted. This means activities related in content to the work of the university, in particular work as a student or research assistant at your own university, in the library, in the computing centre or at a chair. These hours are not deducted from the working-day account. Work in catering or retail, on the other hand, never falls into this category, even if it was arranged through the university.
Period of validity and extension. Under § 16b Abs. 2 AufenthG, the residence permit is generally issued for two years on initial issue and on extension, and the minimum period is one year; for EU or multilateral mobility programmes, at least two years are provided for. If the course of study is shorter, the title is limited accordingly. On extension, the authority checks whether the purpose of residence can still be achieved within a reasonable time; for this, it regularly looks at proof of academic performance (Leistungsnachweis) and, in case of doubt, involves the university. You can find all the details under Extend your residence title.
Nine months of protection if you lose your admission. § 16b Abs. 6 AufenthG contains a little-known protective provision: before the residence permit is withdrawn, revoked or shortened for reasons for which you are not responsible, you must be given up to nine months to apply to another educational institution. This applies, for example, if a degree programme is discontinued or the university is closed. If you are yourself to blame for dropping out, for example because you have definitively failed examinations, you cannot rely on it.
The transition after graduation. Successful graduation ends the purpose of § 16b AufenthG. To look for a job appropriate to your qualification, § 20 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 in conjunction with § 20 Abs. 2 Satz 2 AufenthG provides for a residence permit of up to 18 months. Under § 20 Abs. 2 Satz 1 AufenthG, secured subsistence is a mandatory requirement – without this proof, the title will not be issued, even if you already have your degree certificate. During the job-search phase, you may engage in any economic activity without restriction; as soon as you have a suitable contract, switch to the EU Blue Card or to another residence title for employment. Note: the reference “§ 20 Abs. 3 AufenthG”, which used to be widespread, no longer exists in this form.
Health insurance with an age limit. Compulsory student insurance under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 9 SGB V depends on your age, not on the duration of your studies: the former limit of 14 semesters of study has no longer applied since 2020. Membership ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30 (§ 190 Abs. 9 SGB V), unless the nature of the course of education or family or personal reasons justify exceeding the age limit. If you are caught out by this, you then have to pay significantly higher contributions in voluntary statutory or private insurance. Arrange the switch before the end of that semester, because without uninterrupted insurance cover you jeopardise both your enrolment and the extension of your residence title.
Avoid these mistakes
Common mistakes
Too little money in the Sperrkonto. If you prove less than €11,904.00 for twelve months, you will receive neither a visa nor a residence permit – the application is refused, not corrected. You then have to top up the account and start the entire procedure again, which in practice costs a whole semester.
Relying on “unlimited holiday work”. This rule does not exist: every calendar week worked outside the lecture period is counted as 2.5 working days. If you overdraw the working-day account as a result, you violate the ancillary provisions (Nebenbestimmungen) of your title; the consequence can be a regulatory offence, the refusal of the extension or, in extreme cases, the revocation of the residence title.
Application submitted only after the expiry of the visa. If the application is not received before the expiry date, the effect of continued validity no longer applies and your stay becomes unlawful from that day. Even without an available appointment, you can submit the application in writing or via the authority’s portal – better too early than too late.
Address registered too late. The two-week deadline runs from the day you move in, not from the day you enter Germany; a late Anmeldung is a regulatory offence under the Federal Act on Registration. In practical terms, it is more serious that without a Meldebescheinigung no Ausländerbehörde is competent for you and you will not get an appointment.
Gap in insurance cover. Without uninterrupted proof of health insurance, the university will not complete your enrolment and the Ausländerbehörde will not issue the title. Students whose compulsory student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which they turn 30, and who miss the switch to voluntary or private insurance, are particularly affected.
Entering on a Schengen visa to study. A visitor visa cannot be converted into a residence permit for study purposes within Germany; the authority refuses the application and requires your departure and that you complete the national visa procedure after all. Apply for a national visa (category D) or a visa for the purpose of applying for studies under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG from the outset.
Dropping out or changing course without reporting it. The residence title is tied to its purpose; if this purpose no longer applies, you are obliged to report it. If you remain silent, you lose the nine-month period under § 16b Abs. 6 AufenthG for applying to another educational institution and risk the revocation of your title.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
How much money do I need in my Sperrkonto in 2026?
For twelve months, you must prove €11,904.00, which corresponds to exactly €992.00 per month. The amount follows from § 2 Abs. 3 Satz 5 AufenthG in conjunction with the needs rates of §§ 13, 13a Abs. 1 BAföG and was not increased for 2026. For the visa for the purpose of applying for studies under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG, a rate that is ten per cent higher applies, at €1,091.20 per month.
May I work alongside my studies, and how much?
§ 16b Abs. 3 AufenthG provides for a working-day account of 140 working days per year. Days with working hours of no more than four hours count as half a working day, which is why up to 280 half days are possible. Alternatively, a calendar week is counted as 2.5 working days if you work up to 20 hours per week during the lecture period; the Ausländerbehörde checks for each calendar week which model is more favourable for you.
May I work without limit during the semester break?
No, that is a widespread misconception. Outside the lecture period, the limit of 20 hours per week does not apply, but each calendar week worked in this way is counted against the 140-day account as 2.5 working days (§ 16b Abs. 3 Satz 3 Nr. 2 Buchst. b AufenthG). Only student ancillary jobs, such as work as a student assistant at the university, are truly unlimited; under § 16b Abs. 3 Satz 2 AufenthG, they are not counted at all.
How much does the residence permit for study purposes cost?
Issuing the permit costs exactly €100.00 nationwide under § 45 Nr. 1 AufenthV, regardless of the period of validity and of the local authority. An extension costs €93.00 for more than three months, €96.00 for up to three months and €98.00 for a change in the purpose of residence. If you receive a scholarship from public funds, you are exempt under § 52 Abs. 5 AufenthV from the fees for issue and extension and from the visa fee, but not from the fee for a change in the purpose of residence.
How long is the residence permit valid, and how do I extend it?
Under § 16b Abs. 2 AufenthG, the title is generally issued for two years on initial issue and on extension, but for at least one year; if the course of study is shorter, the period of validity is shortened accordingly. Submit your application for an extension before the expiry of the period of validity, with a current certificate of enrolment, proof of academic performance (Leistungsnachweis), proof of financing and proof of insurance. If the application is received in time, your stay is deemed to continue and, if necessary, you receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung for €13.00.
What happens after graduation?
After successful graduation, you can obtain a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for a job appropriate to your qualification; the legal basis is § 20 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 in conjunction with § 20 Abs. 2 Satz 2 AufenthG. The requirement is secured subsistence under § 20 Abs. 2 Satz 1 AufenthG; without this proof, the title will not be issued. During the job-search phase, you may engage in any economic activity without restriction.
What happens if I lose my admission or my university place?
Before the residence permit is withdrawn, revoked or shortened for reasons for which you are not responsible, you must be given up to nine months under § 16b Abs. 6 AufenthG to apply to another educational institution. Therefore, report the loss of your admission to the Ausländerbehörde on your own initiative. Dropping out through your own fault, for example because you have definitively failed examinations, is not covered by this protection period.
How long does it take to receive the electronic residence title?
Card production alone at the Bundesdruckerei takes different lengths of time depending on the city: Berlin states around four to five weeks until handover, Hamburg about four to six weeks, Munich six to eight weeks. On top of this comes the waiting time for an appointment at the Ausländerbehörde, which can be several months in metropolitan areas. You should therefore make the appointment immediately after your registration of residence (Anmeldung).
