For which type of visa do I need to apply for my PhD studies?

In general you are strongly advised not to enter Germany with a tourist visa/Schengen visa, because this kind of visa cannot be converted into a student visa. With a Schengen visa, you would need to leave the country after it expires as it cannot be changed into a residence permit. So please make sure to apply for the right type of visa.

In case you start your PhD studies at KLU with a scholarship (+ “Minijob”) the main purpose of your stay is to attain a PhD. The applicable German visa for foreign doctoral candidates is the so-called “student visa” (Aufenthaltsgenehmigung nach §16 Aufenthaltsgesetz). It is intended for foreign doctoral and other higher education students seeking to get higher education in Germany. Please find more information in the following.

In case you start at KLU with an employment contract only (and not with a scholarship + Minijob) there are different types of visa. Please find more information at the bottom of this page.

When and how to apply for visa

The visa will be issued by the German embassy in your home country. You need to apply for a student visa - or: visa for study purposes - by submitting your certificate of admission (you will receive this document by postal mail along with your contract/admission kit incl. a visa letter of support).

Apply for a student visa as soon as you have the certificate of admission and visa letter of support, as the process may take around up to three months  - or even longer. You can find more information on which documents you need in order to get a student visa from the respective website of the German embassy in your home country or from this website.

Please keep in mind that you must prove how to finance your studies in order to get a visa. The German Embassy usually requires proof of funding for the first year of studies. The amount requested by the German embassies for issuing a student visa for allover Germany is 11,208 € per year (formal requirement). You may use your contract (scholarship agreement) as financial proof for your visa application. In the contract the amount of the scholarship as well as the period of time of the scholarship will be specified.

Kindly note that the formal living substance requirements for the visa application may differ to the realistic sum that is needed for living in Hamburg. You can check the estimated living expenses for Hamburg here.

In case a German address is already required for your visa application: as it is quite difficult to find permanent accommodation from abroad you can start with temporary accommodation (hostel, Airbnb) and may use this address for your visa application.

At first, the visa will be issued for a period of 90 days. Once you have arrived in Hamburg, you need to register at the foreigner’s authority and convert your visa into a residence permit for study purposes.

You will find further information about the visa process, the requirements and the documents which have to be presented for your visa application also on our Student Services' website.

Can I bring my family with me while I study in Germany?

As you intend to be in Germany for several years, you may want to be accompanied by your spouse and/or children. For nationals of a member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) this will be quite easy. In case accompanying family members are not citizens of one of the member states of the EU/EEA countries, a visa application for these family members is required. However, usually these visa applications are treated quite straightforwardly by the German authorities.

Unmarried partners will usually not be granted a residence permit unless they can provide their own reasons for staying in Germany. Spouses and underage, unmarried children of a foreign nationality from a third country can obtain a visa/resident permit for family reasons, provided certain conditions are met. These conditions include having sufficient funds for your whole family and enough living space. Please find more information about the requirements below. Please note that marrying after you have already entered Germany may result in a longer visa process of your spouse.

What are the visa requirements for my spouse and/or my children?

If your spouse intends to enter for purposes of study as well, the same conditions as for your stay apply.

If this is not the case and you family members will come to Germany as accompanying family members your income has to be sufficient for your whole family.

Please note: cases are always decided on an individual basis at the Germany embassy of your home country. Actually, there is no exact information for accompanying spouses (formal requirements). Each case will be treated differently in the embassies. It is an individual decision made by the embassy. The same applies later on for the residence permit issued by the German authorities.

Non-EU/EEA citizens have to be able to support themselves and their family without assistance of public funds. The residence permit for family reasons can be refused if the person whom family members intend to follow is reliant on welfare benefits for the sustenance of the family. Moreover all family members must have a sufficient health insurance and enough living space. Please find more information about each requirement here:

Living Space

Sufficient living space is deemed to be 12 sqm of living area for every family member over six years old and 10 sqm of living area for each family member under six years old, as well as the adequate possibility of using ancillary rooms (kitchen, bathroom, WC).

Health insurance

Your family members must have sufficient health insurance. That means in most cases they have to sign up for a German health insurance with unlimited coverage. As international PhD students can only be insured with a private insurance in most cases a co-insurance free of charge for your family members is not possible (only possible if insured with a public insurance - please find more information here). Therefore you should expect a monthly contribution of approx. € 200 for each family member if you are insured with a private insurance.

Proof of financial resources

For the calculation of the family’s financial requirements, the current standard rates used are those of the “Unemployment Benefits II” pursuant to the second book of the Social Security Code (SGB II); rent and ancillary costs will be added in any case, as well as the costs for health insurance.

The estimated costs for accompanying spouses are as follows:

• Costs of living: ca. 420 €/month = 5040 €/year
• Health insurance: ca. 200 €/month = 2400€/year (health insurance coverage sufficient to be issued a residence permit in Hamburg)
• Total: 7440 €/year (assuming that the rent is already covered)

The exact amount is always an individual case and can be learned from the responsible German embassy/consulate.

The formal living substance requirements for the visa application may differ to the realistic sum that is needed for living in Hamburg. You can check the estimated living expenses for Hamburg here.

Please note that a scholarship is usually not enough for a couple or a family - it is only sufficient for 1 person. You will need additional financial resources in case you come to Germany with a spouse and/or children.

Further requirements

Basic communication skills in German (A1) may also be required by law for spouses. However, this does not apply to everyone, e.g. if your spouse can prove that he/she is in possession of a college degree and therefore will presumably integrate easily.

For the exact visa regulations for family members please refer to the website of the German mission in your home country.

I have a child/children who will come with me to Hamburg. Where can I find information about child care?