Visa Regulations for International Students
Depending on overseas students’ nationality, they may require an entry visa and a residence permit in order to study at Heidelberg University. A number of different cases are described below.
EU/EEA Nationals
Overseas students from member states of the EU (European Union) or countries within the EEA (European Economic Area - Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway) do not require a visa nor a residence permit to study in Heidelberg.
NON-EU NATIONALS/CITIZENS OF COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE EEA
Overseas students from Andorra, Australia, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, Switzerland, the United States of America, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland do not require an entry visa. They may apply for a residence permit within 90 days of their arrival in Germany. The immigration office located in the student’s place of residence in Germany will be responsible for issuing the residence permit.
Overseas students from all other countries must arrange an entry visa for Germany before leaving their country of origin by contacting the Germany embassy or consulate in their home country. Before the German embassy can issue an entry visa, the student must provide proof of admission (letter of admission from the University), or a certificate of application, as well as proof of adequate funding for the totality of the period of study in Germany. A certificate of application can be retrieved from the online application portal heiCO after completing a study application. To do so, please log into your applicant account with your access data.
The following visas cannot be changed into a residence permit for study purposes in Germany: tourist visa, Schengen visa, business visa.
