It’s important that you apply for a student visa before you come to Germany. It has to be valid for the whole time period of your stay in Germany. If you come here without a student visa, you will only have a tourist status. Without a student visa, it's not possible to attend lectures or to be awarded with credits! 

Note: A tourist visa cannot be changed to a student visa later on!

As the visa application process can take up to 3 months, it's important that you apply for your student visa as soon as you have been accepted as an exchange student by DHBW Karlsruhe.

Information regarding visa regulations in Germany can be found here.

To apply for a student visa, contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country. You can find their contact details on the Federal Foreign Office's website along with a list of required documents, e. g.

• Valid passport
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Letter of acceptance from the university

If you decide to extend your stay for a further semester while you are here, you have to immediately make an appointment with the Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Office) in Karlsruhe to extend your residence permit. Please select “Persönliche Beantragung Aufenthaltserlaubnis/Niederlassungserlaubnis (Verlängerung/Änderung/ Neubeantragung)“.  The “Ausländerbehörde” (Immigration Office) is located in the same building as the “Bürgerbüro”.
Address: Stadt Karlsruhe, “Bürgerservice und Sicherheit”, Kaiserallee 8