The winter semester at German universities lasts from October to March, the summer semester from April to September. The application deadlines depend on which semester the program you have chosen starts in. As Deutsche Welle notes, most programs in Germany start in the winter semester.
As a rule, applications for bachelor's programs are accepted from the beginning of June to July 15 (for the winter semester) and from the beginning of December to January 15 (for the summer semester). Application deadlines for master's programs vary greatly, for example, depending on whether there is a competition of certificates. Therefore, information should in any case be clarified on the website of the university and the specific program.
It is better to start searching for a suitable educational institution and field of study in advance – about a year before the planned enrollment. Information about universities and specialties can be found on specialized search portals.
Foreign applicants in Germany will be required to confirm knowledge of German and/or English (depending on the specialty) at least at the B2 level. It is necessary to pass a language exam and obtain a certificate, for example, TestDaF. One of the educational centers organizing German language courses is the Goethe-Institut. If you start learning German from scratch, studying to the B2 level takes about 720 academic hours or two years. If you already speak German, expect that preparing for and passing the exam takes about six months.
When applying for a visa to study in Germany, you will have to confirm that you have sufficient funds for studying in Germany. This can be done, for example, by providing a bank statement.
If you decide to apply for a scholarship, you need to adhere to the deadlines set by the specific scholarship program. The most popular among our students are scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD. As explained by DAAD, applications for all programs of this scholarship fund are submitted about a year before the start of studies. At the time of application, you do not need to be enrolled in a German university, but you must meet all the requirements for applicants – for example, present a certificate of passing a language exam. Deadlines change every year, they should be clarified annually at the end of summer.
Admissions committees at German universities require not only original documents but also their certified translations. You should start collecting the necessary package of documents two to three months before the deadline. Depending on the faculty and university, documents need to be sent directly to the university and/or through the uni-assist service. According to this service's own recommendation, documents should be uploaded to uni-assist.de at least eight weeks before the end of the application period. Document processing takes from three to six weeks.
To obtain a visa, you will need a package of documents sent to the German university, an invitation from the university, proof of financial solvency, and health insurance. A more precise list of documents can be found on the website of the German embassy. The processing time for applications is six to eight weeks.
From the moment you receive the invitation to study, you should think about where you will live in Germany. The chances of spontaneously finding an affordable room or apartment upon arrival are zero, so it is better to do this while still at home. On average, finding housing takes one and a half to two months.