Coming to Germany and getting started

• If you wish to stay longer than 90 days in Germany, you can obtain a visa after you arrive as citizen of one of the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, and the United States of America.
• All other foreign nationals wishing to stay longer than 90 days must apply for an entry visa in their home country before they come to Germany
• If you are a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you do not need a visa. You only need a valid personal ID card or passport.

Please contact the German Embassy in your home country to find out whether you need a visa to enter Germany.

Detailed information about visa for Germany can be found on the DAAD websites “study in Germany”.

Indian Students can find relevant information here.

The entire visa procedure can take eight to twelve weeks, especially for autumn admissions. So ideally, you should submit your visa application to the German embassy or consulate in your country as soon as you have the letter of acceptance from SRH University Heidelberg.

There are several types of visas, so be sure to apply for a student visa, and under no circumstances come to Germany on a tourist visa. You cannot study in Germany on a tourist visa, and a tourist visa cannot be converted into a student visa.

Student visas are usually issued for a three-month period. After you have arrived in Heidelberg and enrolled at SRH University Heidelberg, you will have to apply for a long-term residence permit at the Registration Office for Foreigners in your place of residence (Heidelberg, Mannheim, Eppelheim, Schriesheim, etc.).

As a rule, you will be asked to present:

• Proof of financial resources. Currently, international students must prove they have at least € 10,332 per year at their disposal (€ 861 per month). Proof of financial resources can be provided in various ways. In some cases, the German embassy or consulate may require a specific amount to be paid into a blocked access bank account to ensure financial security for the initial period of the applicant’s stay in Germany.
• Certificate confirming health insurance
• Certificate of past academic work and achievements – make sure that you write a convincing motivation letter, why your study at SRH University Heidelberg is important for your career.
• Certificate of German language proficiency (Exception: international programmes taught in English)
• Notification of admission from SRH University Heidelberg (“Final letter”)

If you are an international student coming from a non-EU country, you will have to provide evidence that you have sufficient financial resources to cover your living expenses in Germany for one year. This evidence is an important condition of getting your student visa and your residence permit.

International students have to set up a “blocked account” (Sperrkonto), which is a special type of bank account. You can choose where to set up your blocked account. From 1 January 2023, the annual amount that must be paid into the blocked account is € 11,208. Students are then allowed to withdraw up to € 934 per month.

To digitally enrol before you arrive on campus, you need to send your documents to Student Services (info.hshd@srh.de). However, you have to show up in person in order to complete the final enrolment process at SRH Heidelberg UAS. Please bring the following documents with you:

• Your admission notification;
• Originals of: your secondary school leaving certificate, and university diploma or degree certificate (if applicable);
• Your passport with a visa or a confirmation of your visa appointment for digital enrolment.

One day after enrolling, your student ID card can be issued at Maria-Probst-Strasse 3 (ground floor). Your student ID is a multi-functional chip card that serves as academic identification and is needed for photocopying, the parking garage, and the canteen.

Heidelberg has an excellent local public transport system that students can use inexpensively (€ 180) thanks to the Semesterticket. It is valid for six months, and you can buy it at Maria-Probst-Strasse 3 or at the central train station as soon as you have your student ID.

In Germany, all residents and visitors staying for longer than three months must register with the city government. Once you have found housing, you have to inform the Residents’ Registration Office in your city or town within one week. Students who live on campus have to go to the Residents’ Registration Office in Heidelberg-Wieblingen, Mannheimer Strasse 259, and fill in a registration form (Anmeldebescheinigung). All other students have to go to their local Registration Office. Please ask your landlord where it is. You will need the following documents to register: your passport (and visa) and your tenancy agreement, with a statement from your landlord confirming that you have moved in.

Please note: Anyone who lives in Germany and moves to a new location is required to inform the Residents’ Registration Office of their new place of residence within two weeks of moving in.

The formalities involved in obtaining a residence permit (from the Ausländerbehörde) depend on which country you come from.

• For students from an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland: You will receive a certificate confirming your right of residence when you register at the Residents’ Registration Office.
• For students from a country other than those listed above: After you have registered at the Residents’ Registration Office, you will have to go to the Registration Office for Foreigners (Ausländerbehörde) in your city to apply for a residence permit.
• For Heidelberg, the Registration Office for Foreigners is located at Bergheimer Strasse 69 (Bürgeramt). The email address is: buergeramt@heidelberg.de. You will have to make an appointment for your application.

Be prepared to present the following documents on request:

• Confirmation of registration from the Residents’ Registration Office
• Confirmation of health insurance coverage
• Confirmation of enrolment from SRH University Heidelberg
• Proof of financial resources
• Your passport and current visa, if you have one
• Money for the residence permit fee
• Your tenancy agreement
• Biometric passport photos (35 mm x 45 mm)

You will then be issued a residence permit valid for at least one year and a maximum of two years. It can be extended if necessary. Be sure to submit your application for your residence permit before your current visa/residence permit expires, even if you have not yet collected all the necessary documents. In this case, you will receive a provisional proof of application for the residence permit.

In Germany, almost every regular money transaction is done by bank transfer. This applies to recurring monthly expenses such as rent and insurance, as well as income such as salaries and grant or scholarship payments. If you present your enrolment certificate, most banks will be willing to open a student account for you. Some banks may request a copy of your residence registration or your tenancy agreement. Each bank offers different terms, although students are usually offered a current account free of bank charges and fees. The largest banks in Germany are Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse, Commerzbank, and Postbank.