If you plan to study at Lancaster University Leipzig in Germany and you are not an EU/EEA citizen, you will need to apply for a student visa from the respective German mission in your country (responsible for the area of your residence) before travelling.
We will provide you with additional guidance on your application once you have received an Unconditional Offer from us. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact us at admissions@lancasterleipzig.de .
Please note that visa applications can take up to 90 days to process, so it is important to apply as early as possible.
Students from the following countries currently do not require a visa for entering Germany (last updated March 2021): Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, USA, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino. You need, however, to apply for a student residence permit upon arrival.
For more information visit the German Federal Foreign Office.
You will need to provide a number of documents to support your visa application. Examples of what you will need to provide are below, however, we recommend checking the website of the relevant German mission in your country as requirements may vary.
Documents required are likely to include:
Satisfactory travel health insurance (see below)
Sufficient evidence of financial means (see below)
Evidence of acceptance into your chosen university/degree (your Offer Letter)
Evidence of your academic and language qualifications
The German mission in your country will then forward the visa application to the immigration authority in Leipzig. The German mission in your country can only then issue the visa for entry once the relevant authority in Leipzig has given its approval. As application processing times can vary, particularly in busy periods, we recommend submitting your visa application as early as possible once you have obtained the Letter of Acceptance from the Lancaster University Leipzig.
A list of German missions (where you will submit your documentation) can be found on the German Federal Foreign Office.
You will need to prove that you are able to finance your living expenses for the duration of your studies with us in Germany.
This is usually done by paying a security deposit into a specific blocked bank account in Germany, or by depositing an annually renewable bank guarantee at a bank in Germany.
You will be expected to demonstrate funds for one year (covering living costs).
From 1 January 2023, the annual requirement that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa will increase to 11,208 euros.
The blocked account may only permit the withdrawal of a certain amount per month (for students currently 934 euros).
Most international students use a blocked account to fund their studies in Germany. The money you transfer to a blocked account cannot be accessed until you enter the country. You can open a German blocked account from your home country with the following providers: Fintiba, Coracle or Expatrio.
It takes minutes to have your Blocked Account open and ready for transfer.
International applicants must have sufficient travel health insurance which will cover the travelling to Germany and the stay until a German health insurance has been obtained. This must cover the following services in Germany:
Please check the insurance requirements on the webpage of your nearest German Embassy. In most cases. If you use Coracle for opening your blocked account, you may also book a public health insurance with them and receive a travel insurance for your visa application for free!
If you are an EEA national, or from a country that has concluded a Social Security Agreement with Germany, you are exempt from the health insurance requirement upon production of proof of health insurance in their own country.