Visas
Documents required for a German student visa
In short
German missions ask for two identical sets of documents for a national visa for study: signed application forms, biometric photos, a passport with two blank pages and copies, proof of admission stating the language of instruction, academic certificates, a CV and a letter of motivation, language proof at B2 in the language of instruction unless the admission notice confirms it, proof of financing of at least €992 a month or €11,904 for a year (usually a blocked account), a certified German translation of anything not in German or English, and apostille or legalisation for certificates. Indian applicants also need an APS certificate. The visa fee is €75.
The German list is the longest of the seven and the most literal: originals plus copies, in duplicate, with translations and legalisation. It is also the most predictable, because the missions publish it and the blocked-account figure is fixed for the year.
This is one of seven posts on the documents each destination asks for; the [document preparation](/study-abroad-documents) page sets out who produces each document and the order to start them in.
The embassy checklist, as the missions publish it
The German missions publish near-identical checklists. The items below are from the Embassy in Muscat's national visa for study page (dated 20 July 2023, read on 27 October 2026), with the India-specific APS requirement from the Embassy in New Delhi's checklist.
- Two completed and signed application forms, with the declarations under section 54 of the Residence Act.
- Two recent biometric passport photographs.
- A valid passport with at least two completely empty pages, and two uncertified copies of the data page.
- Proof of admission to the study course or Studienkolleg, stating the language of instruction: original plus two copies.
- Other academic certificates where available: original plus two copies.
- Two copies each of a CV and a letter of motivation.
- Language proof, if the admission notice does not confirm it: "at least B2 in the language of instruction", from a government-approved certificate (Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge); online-only certificates are not accepted.
- Proof of adequate financial means for at least one year: at least €992 a month, €11,904 for the year, by blocked account or a formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung). Only the bank's official confirmation showing the amount paid in and the monthly amount available is accepted.
- For Indian applicants: an APS certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre, which the New Delhi checklist lists alongside the statement of purpose and proof of admission.
- Proof of health insurance, where the Embassy requests it after approval; private cover is needed for the period before enrolment.
- A certified German translation of any document not in German or English, and apostille or legalisation for certificates and diplomas.
- The visa fee of €75.
The blocked account, and what the bank letter must say
The amount is the German state's annual estimate of a student's living costs, €992 a month, and it has to be in place before the appointment: the missions say the account must be opened before applying, and that a confirmation without the amount paid in and the monthly amount available "is not sufficient". The blocked account post covers the providers and the timing.
APS and the apostille, the two slow items
The APS certificate verifies Indian academic documents and is required before the visa appointment; it has its own fee and processing time. Apostille runs through the Ministry of External Affairs via the state authentication centre, which in Kerala is NORKA Roots; the apostille post walks through it. Neither can be rushed in the week the appointment falls, which is why both sit at the start of the preparation timeline.
The letter of motivation
The checklist asks for a letter of motivation, and German universities mean something specific by it: a Motivationsschreiben of about a page, built around the programme's modules and your professional goal, in a factual register. It is not an American statement of purpose with the country changed. The Germany page and the motivation letter guide cover the form.
Sources
Read on 27 October 2026. Check the New Delhi, Bengaluru or Chennai mission's own checklist for the appointment you book; they are the same list with local notes.
- [German Embassy Muscat: National visa for study (checklist)](https://maskat.diplo.de/om-en/service/05-visaeinreise/2609582-2609582)
- [German Embassy New Delhi: Visa for study](https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/-/2552164)
- Make it in Germany: visa for studying
- Motivationsschreiben: what German universities ask for
Related questions
How much must be in the blocked account?
At least €11,904 for one year, which is €992 a month, per the German missions' checklists. The bank's official confirmation must state the amount paid in and the monthly amount available.
Do Indian applicants need an APS certificate for the visa?
Yes. The Embassy in New Delhi lists the APS certificate among the required documents for a study visa, alongside proof of admission and the statement of purpose.
Can I apply with an IELTS score for an English-taught programme?
Yes, where the admission notice does not itself confirm your language level: the missions accept government-approved certificates such as IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge at B2 or above, and do not accept online-only certificates.