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GERMAN LANGUAGE

EXPLAINED: How do I get a language study visa or permit for Germany?

A language study visa or permit could let you study German in Germany intensively for anywhere from three months to a year. It’s relatively unbureaucratic to apply for, but expect a fair few restrictions.

Published: 15 May 2023 11:43 CEST
Updated: 14 July 2023 10:21 CEST
Omar Fattouh teaches a German language class in Damascus on January 24th, 2023.
Photo: LOUAI BESHARA / AFP

If you’re looking to both improve your German and potentially check to see if it might be interesting to live and work in Germany down the line, the language study visa and permit may be for you.

What’s the difference between the language study visa and the permit?

The visa allows you to stay in Germany for up to three months for the purposes of studying German. You apply for it from a German mission abroad.

The permit allows you to stay for anywhere from between three months to a year for language learning, and you’re required to apply for it from your local immigration office after arriving in Germany.

Who needs this visa and permit?

Not everyone necessarily needs the visa, depending on your nationality.

Plenty of German courses in Germany last for less than three months and nationals of countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Israel and Japan can already visit for up to three months as a tourist with no visa.

Anyone who doesn’t have a visa-free right to travel to Germany for up to three months can apply for this visa from a German mission abroad.

Any non-EU/EEA or Swiss national who wants to stay in Germany to learn German for more than three months needs the language study residence permit.

Nationals who have a visa-free right to enter Germany for up to three months may be able to enter without the visa, but will still need to visit their local immigration office to apply for a residence permit if they plan on staying longer than three months.

“Applications for issuance and extension” is written on a display stand with applications for residence permits. Any non-EU national planning to stay in Germany for longer than three months typically requires one. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jonas Walzberg

Someone who isn’t entitled to visa-free travel to Germany would have to apply for the visa before arriving and apply again for the residence permit for language learning within three months of arriving—if they intend to stay longer than three months.

With the language study residence permit, you can stay longer than three months—potentially up to a full year. Officials will typically grant it up until the end of the month that your language course finishes.

The language courses applicants are expected to enrol in and complete also need to have at least 18 hours a week of lessons.

READ ALSO: COMPARED: Germany’s Chancenkarte vs. Austria’s Red-White-Red card for skilled non-EU workers

What do I need to apply for this visa or permit?

The documents needed to apply for either the language study visa or residence permit are essentially the same.

You’ll need to find an accredited German course and typically register and pay the course fee. At least part of this fee may be non-refundable in many cases. The language school should then be able to issue you a confirmation of when your course is, that you’ve registered and paid, and how long your course will last. You’ll typically need this confirmation to apply.

Along with your application forms, you’re also going to need two recent passport photos, proof that you’re either reserved or booked accommodation, and a passport that has at least two free pages and is valid for at least three months beyond the end of your stay. Your passport also cannot be any older than ten years.

German language course

Internationals take part in a German course at a language school in Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

You’ll also need to prove financial resources and insurance coverage. You’ll need to provide proof of health, travel, and accident insurance that covers you for the entire length of your stay in Germany if something goes wrong.

You’ll also need to prove that you have the financial resources to cover you during your stay in the prorated amount of €11,208 per year. You can submit a number of documents for this, such as a fixed deposit statement from a blocked account, bank statements from the last three months, a guarantee from your German hosts or your parents—if they can provide their salary slips or bank statements, or a scholarship award certificate.

READ ALSO: How to open a blocked account in Germany

If you’re an employee, you may need an official letter of leave from your employer that is signed and stamped.

If you need the visa, you may have to write a letter of motivation for attending the German course and prove your accommodation for the entire stay.

To apply for the residence permit to stay for longer than three months, you won’t typically have to submit the letter of motivation – but be prepared to have most of the other documents ready.

You’ll need to provide evidence that you’re attending the course, such as your certificate of registration or agreement with the language school.

To prove your accommodation, you’ll typically need your registration certificate—or Anmeldung—from your nearest Bürgeramt and possibly your rental contract.

What can’t you do under a language study visa or permit?

Under a language study visa or permit, you cannot study at a university for any qualification other than bettering your German language skills.

You also cannot typically convert your status into one that will let you work or study at a German university for a degree without first returning to your home country, or in the case of some nationalities applying for a new residency status.

READ ALSO: Germany or Austria: Where is it easier to get an EU Blue Card?

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GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

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