Admission and study requirements Regulations for International Students – Visa
Depending on overseas students’ nationality, they may require a visa and a residence permit in order to study at Heidelberg University.
A visa entitles you to enter Germany and must be applied for at the German embassy or consulate abroad.
A residence permit is required for a longer stay in Germany and must be applied for at the Foreigners' Registration Office responsible for your place of residence in Germany.
Information on applying for a residence permit before your visa expires can be found here:
EU/EEA Nationals and Swiss Nationals
Citizens of an EU (European Union) or EEA (European Economic Area – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) member state do not need a visa to enter Germany or a residence permit to study, but only a valid passport or identity card.
Students from Switzerland also do not need a visa to enter Germany, but should apply for a declaratory residence permit from the immigration office in their place of residence in Germany for stays longer than 90 days.
Non-EU nationals and citizens of countries outside the EEA
Students from Andorra, Australia, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, the Republic of Korea, the USA, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland do not require an entry visa for Germany, but must apply for their residence permit within 90 days of arrival in Germany at the immigration office in their place of residence in Germany.
Students from all other countries must apply for an entry visa for Germany for study purposes at the German embassy or consulate in their home country. First, an online application must be completed on the website of the German diplomatic mission. The documents listed in the application must then be submitted to the embassy or consulate.
Exchange students from outside the EU and the EEA with a residence permit for study purposes in another EU country (except Denmark and Ireland) do not require a visa under certain conditions, but can apply for a mobility certificate from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) via Heidelberg University. This entitles them to enter and stay in Germany and must be applied for before the start of their studies in Heidelberg.
Information on applying for a visa
As waiting times can be considerable, you should apply for your visa as soon as you receive your letter of admission. You do not need to present a visa or residence permit for enrolment.
If you need to provide a contact person for your visa application, please use the following details:
Andrea Kumler
Heidelberg University
International Relations Office
Seminarstr. 2, Room 29, 69117 Heidelberg
Tel. +49 6221 54-12724
Email: andrea.kumler@zuv.uni-heidelberg.de
No further information is required; please leave the other fields blank.
Please note that tourist visas, visas under the Schengen Agreement and business visas cannot be changed to a residence permit for study purposes.
Visa Flow App
The VisaFlow platform offers international students support with visa applications and preparing for their stay in order to simplify the process of arriving in Germany.
With the access code UNIHEIDELBERG25, you can now use the VisaFlow app free of charge.
Please note that VisaFlow is an external provider. If you have any technical or content-related questions, please contact the VisaFlow team directly.
