Administrative services A-Z

If you are a third-country national and would like to attend a general school in Germany, you can apply for a residence permit to attend school. As a rule, school attendance is possible from the 9th grade onwards.

A third country is a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In addition to the European Union (EU), the EEA also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

You will receive a residence permit for the duration of your planned school attendance if the requirements are met.

The granting of a residence permit requires, among other things, that attending school is the main purpose of your stay. Part-time schooling is not possible.

You must

• attend a public or state-recognized school with an international orientation or
• attend a private school.

The school must prepare students for

• international qualifications,
• qualifications from other countries or
• state-recognized qualifications, for example the International Baccalaureate (IB)

As a rule, your living expenses, including adequate health insurance cover without recourse to public benefits, must be secured while you are attending the school.

If you have not yet reached the age of 18 at the time of the student exchange, your parents or legal guardians must consent to your stay in Germany.

Responsible in the state of Brandenburg is the immigration authority of the district/independent city

The residence permit is issued for the duration of the planned school attendance, for example until the educational measure has been completed and the corresponding final certificate has been issued.

Responsible in the state of Brandenburg is the immigration authority of the district/independent city

• § 16f Absatz 2 Gesetz über den Aufenthalt, die Erwerbstätigkeit und die Integration von Ausländern im Bundesgebiet (Aufenthaltsgesetz - AufenthG)

• You are not allowed to work while you have a residence permit.
• During your stay to attend school, you will generally only receive a residence permit for another purpose if you are legally entitled to do so (e.g. to join your family or to study).
• Following your stay to attend school, you will only receive a residence permit for another purpose if you have a legal entitlement (e.g. to join family or to study).
• The procedure is usually carried out in German

• Information for international skilled workers on the German government's "Make it in Germany" portal

Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI)