Applying for a German student visa from Bangladesh is very doable, but it rewards people who start early and get the order of steps right. The two things that trip applicants up most are the blocked account and the appointment wait at the German Embassy in Dhaka — both need planning months ahead. Here is the full process, step by step, for the student visa and the Ausbildung visa.
Student visa vs Ausbildung visa: which are you applying for?
Both are German national (category D) long-stay visas applied for in Dhaka, but they rest on different foundations. A student visa is based on a university admission letter and requires proof of funds, normally a blocked account of €11,904 for the first year. An Ausbildung visa is based on a signed training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag): With a signed Ausbildungsvertrag, your training salary usually counts toward proof of funds. You typically only need to block the GAP between your net stipend and ~€992/month — sometimes nothing at all. TODO(client): confirm the current embassy practice.
One more practical difference: an Ausbildung never needs APS, and Bangladesh currently has no dedicated APS office for university applicants either — verification runs through uni-assist and document attestation instead. Confirm the current rule for your case before you rely on it.
The step-by-step process
- Secure admission or a training contract. Get your university admission letter, or sign an Ausbildungsvertrag with a German employer. Everything else depends on this.
- Get your German (or English) proof. Ausbildung needs B1–B2 German; German-taught degrees usually need C1; English-taught degrees accept IELTS/TOEFL. Arrange the test early — slots fill up.
- Open a blocked account. Fund about €992 per month (€11,904 for the year). Providers such as Expatrio, Fintiba or Coracle are commonly used; the account confirmation is a core visa document.
- Attest and translate your documents. Educational certificates need attestation from the relevant board/authority, and certified translations where required. Run your file through uni-assist if your university asks for it.
- Book your embassy appointment — early. Dhaka slots can be scarce in peak season. Book as soon as your admission and blocked account are in hand; do not wait for every last document.
- Attend, submit and give biometrics. Bring the full document set, pay the €75 visa fee (plus about €38 VFS service fee where applicable), and be ready for questions about your study plan and funding.
- Wait for processing, then collect. Decisions typically take 8–12 weeks after submission. Once approved, collect your visa and plan travel and enrolment.
Documents you will need
- Valid passport (plus older passports if you have them)
- Completed national visa application form(s) and declarations
- Admission letter or signed Ausbildungsvertrag
- Blocked account confirmation (~€11,904)
- Attested academic certificates and transcripts
- Language certificate (German B1/B2 or C1, or IELTS/TOEFL)
- CV and motivation letter / statement of purpose
- Health insurance valid for entry
- Biometric passport photos
Exact requirements vary by visa type and can change — always cross-check the current checklist on the German Embassy Dhaka website before you assemble your file.
The blocked account
The blocked account (Sperrkonto) is how you prove you can cover living costs. For a student visa the amount is currently about €992 per month, or €11,904 for the first year — roughly ৳1,523,712 at current rates. You deposit the sum, and it is released to you in monthly portions after you arrive. For an Ausbildung, your training salary usually counts toward this, so the blocked amount is often much smaller or zero. The subsistence figure is set by the German authorities; verify the current amount on the Federal Foreign Office visa pages.
Appointment wait times and processing
Be realistic about time. There are two separate clocks. The first is the appointment wait — during busy intake periods, slots at the Dhaka embassy can be booked out for weeks or even months, and this is outside your control. The second is processing after you submit, which is typically 8–12 weeks for Bangladesh but can run longer if your file needs follow-up. Together, these mean the honest end-to-end timeline is several months, not weeks.
How early should you start?
Aim to begin six to nine months before your intended intake. Work backwards: pick your start date, subtract processing time, subtract a realistic appointment wait, then subtract the weeks needed for admission, attestation, the language test and funding your blocked account. That backward plan is the difference between a calm application and a missed intake.
| Stage | Start this far ahead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Language + admission | 9+ months | Test slots and admission deadlines are fixed |
| Attestation + blocked account | 4–6 months | Attestation and account funding take time |
| Book appointment | 3–5 months | Dhaka slots can be booked out |
| Submit & processing | 8–12 weeks | Decision after biometrics + submission |
Get your file right the first time
The most common reason an application drags is a document problem found late — a missing attestation, a translation that does not match, or funds that fall short. Two free tools help you avoid that: build your exact list with our document checklist, and confirm whether APS applies to you with the APS checker (for Bangladesh, the answer is usually no — but it is worth confirming for your path).