Germany is recently working to improve the process of issuing visas for Nigerian citizens who want to study in Germany.
In this regard, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, pointed out that Germany is not against the arrival of Nigerians. She also revealed that at least 4,000 Nigerians are already studying and working in Germany,
In addition, the German Academic Exchange Service awards at least 1,000 scholarships per year.
I know we are not yet in a position to issue the visas for the students on time, but we are working on that. We are not interested in preventing people from coming to Germany.
The requirements for a German student visa for Nigerians include:
- An acceptance letter from a German university or preparatory school
- Sufficient funds to cover the stay in Germany, such as a blocked account, a scholarship or a sponsor
- Student health insurance
- International Students Planning to Study in Germany Must Have Knowledge of German Language
Considering that many courses in Germany were taught in English, she added that international students needed to have some knowledge of the German language.
The German Ambassador further explained that university studies in Germany were either free or not very expensive compared to other countries with English as the official language.
According to German authorities, international students are highly interested in studying in the country mainly because German universities are high-class and internationally recognized.
There were many programs to support German culture and language training in Nigeria, the most famous being the Deutsche Institute. Gunther also stressed that the institute was mainly concerned with language courses as well as relevant language tests.
Moreover, at least 80,000 Nigerians live and work in Germany, contributing significantly to its economic growth.
Germany Registered a Record Number of International Students for 2022/23 Academic Year
Germany continues implementing new phased measures in the newly passed legislation, the Skilled Immigration Act. The act aims to increase the number of foreign workers, especially skilled workers, in Germany and addresses persistent labor market gaps in the country.
The measures came into force on 1 March 2024, including several important new rules for international students. Germany reported a record-high foreign enrollment for 2022/23.
The number of international students reached 367,578 that year, up five percent from the previous year, with enrollments from outside the EU, particularly students from India and China, driving much of this growth.
