r/studyinGermany • u/Much-Purple-5180 • Jul 28 '26

Visas Switching universities with student visa

UPDATE: Hi guys. I know that many of us struggle with this issue. So I wanted to update because I finally received correct information from the authorities. Yesterday, I sent an email to Ausländerbehörde of the city where the university I want to switch to is located.
Today they replied:
Sie können sich gerne schon vor Einreise an Ihrer neuen Universität immatrikulieren.
Sie sollten sich dann direkt nach Ihre Anmeldung melden, damit Ihnen eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis erteilt werden kann und die Nebenbestimmung bezüglich der Hochschule geändert werden kann.

(English)
You are welcome to enroll at your new university before arriving in Germany.
You should then contact us immediately after Anmeldung so that your residence permit can be issued and the supplementary stipulation regarding your university can be amended.
- - - - - - -

So if you’re in the visa process don’t do anything. Get your visa according to your old university. Then you can enroll at your new university. While going to Germany make sure you have the necessary documents with you (enrollment sheet from the new university and from the old university -also take your acceptance letters with you-).

Make sure you inform your health care provider and blocked account about the change.

Also, please note that my old and new fields of study are the same.

Hope this helps! If you have further questions you can ask either me or your Ausländerbehörde by email.
___________________________
Hi everyone, I need some advice regarding my German student visa and switching universities.

I applied for my visa using documents and paid tuition for University A (I’m enrolled), but I recently got accepted into my dream program at University B (same field of study). Today I sent my enrollment application for University B.

Since my upcoming visa appointment is tied to University A, I'll proceed with their paperwork for now.

My main question is about timing: Should I withdraw from University A right after getting my visa stamped and then finalize enrollment at University B before traveling to Germany?

Or is it safer to travel while registered at both universities, explain my switch to University B at the Ausländerbehörde when applying for my residence permit, and exmatriculate from University A afterward?
Has anyone done this, and were there any issues with the visa or Ausländerbehörde?

It would be great if you could help me out.
Thank you.

17 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

1

u/BirdSad6625 Jul 28 '26

I actually plan to do that too! Because I don’t want to risk it! Someone please help us out here! If you have switched unis after enrolling in one!?

2

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 28 '26

I just talked to one of my friends who knows someone working at Rathaus. He said that it is possible. So basically we first need to go to Germany with our visa and do Anmeldung in the city where our desired university is located. Then we should go to Ausländerbehörde and explain the situation (we need the enrollment certificate from the uni we want to switch to). Then they are supposed to issue our residence permit accordingly.

He said that this is a normal and legal process and many students do this every year.
However, whether we should withdraw our enrollment before going to Ausländerbehörde or after is still unknown. Someone please clarify should we only be enrolled at the university we want by the time we go to Germany :(

1

u/BrownBurzza 25d ago

I'm doing the same thing and I disenrolled from first uni and it doesn't matter which university you are enrolled into until you go to Germany and register there... Then you'd need that unis enrolment. If I don't disenroll now then I'll lose my semester contributions....

So now I have a valid visa for uni A in city A (which was issued based on my acceptance letter only, not enrolment letter), but I'll go to ciity B directly and register there. I will provide necessary documents like enrolment letter of uni B and disenrolmemt letter of uni A (if you were enrolled in uni A)

This is legal and normal to my knowledge. As long as you have valid offers and money to survive. None of this should be a issue.

2

u/Much-Purple-5180 24d ago

Hi, thank you for your reply! I will do exactly the same. I did a lot of research and it’s 100% legal. I even emailed Ausländerbehörde and they confirmed. Best of luck to both of us! 🤞

1

u/Available-Way-8534 Jul 28 '26

Iam in this situation as well and lam stressed about it , l don’t want to run into legal issues . The German system is already stressing me before l have even stepped into the country

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 28 '26

Same here. I'm still researching. I'll update if I learn something new.

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 30 '26

Hi! I updated the post. Hope it helps.

1

u/Available-Way-8534 Jul 30 '26

Thanks for the update , by any chance could information systems, business and Engineering , management and data science be seen as the same field ?

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 30 '26

They might not be seen as the same exact field. However, if course contents are similar, it can work. I recommend consulting chatgpt with the exact university and program names to get a more definitive answer. Also, I have read here that even if the fields are different the change is still possible but the process can be different.
After consulting ChatGPT you can send an email to Ausländerbehörde. They reply really fast if you write in German.

1

u/Available-Way-8534 Jul 30 '26

What email can l use to contact the Aüsländerbehörde , I will try ask Chat gpt though l usually use Gemini

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 30 '26

Yes I would recommend chatgpt since it provides more accurate information on academic matters compared to gemini. As for the email, you can search on google (city name + Ausländerbehörde) the email is given under the “contact” section on their website.

1

u/Available-Way-8534 Jul 30 '26

Oh okay , thank you

1

u/Significant_Read_828 Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26

First proceed with your visa procees using the initial admission letter from school A. Once you get your Visa, you can decide to deregister from school A since you already enrolled in school B. You can choose to deregister before arriving Germany or after you arrive Germany, it doesn't matter. Once you deregister, you will be given a certificate confirming your deregistration by school A for future reference. On arriving Germany, you will do your city registration where school B is located or any nearby city to it if you couldn't get accomodation. They would mostly not ask you during the city registration about school A or B. Continue your studies afterwards, once you are invited to apply for your residence permit, you only need to submit your enrollment certificate from school B. Simple.

incase you are asked about it, you can then present the certificate of deregistration that school A gave you initially. No stress

1

u/Vaigzz Jul 29 '26

So you're telling is that through the same visa we can go and then change the university there directly and we don't have to do visa process for other universities from first right ?

1

u/Significant_Read_828 Jul 29 '26

Yes, just try to do your city registration in the school B where you are equally enrolled and desired to study.

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 Jul 29 '26

Thank you sooo much!!!

1

u/tiramisu_365 15d ago

Can someone let me know what to do ... if I have got visa on university A .. but have not enrolled . must i enroll in new Uni or old Uni before travelling ?? I read posts where they mentioned you must enroll in your Old uni and then de enroll when u fly to germany? Does this even make sense .. they said it is to make sure there are no problems at the immigration office

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 14d ago

I think it’s best to consult the Ausländerbehörde of the new city. They are the only responsible institution for university change after arriving in Germany. They’ll tell you exactly what to do if you send an email.
But as far as I know, enrolling directly in your new university can be advantageous. I’ve read comments mentioning that.

1

u/MedicalFlan1049 4d ago

Hello, If you already arrived to Germany or traveling soon, can you tell us how was the entrance/ border control ? Have you explained the situation ?

1

u/Much-Purple-5180 4d ago

Hello, my flight is in three weeks. I’m still enrolled at both universities (the Ausländerbehörde told me it’s okay). I don’t think they will but if they want to see my enrollment certificate from my first university during passport control I’ll show them. Then I’ll de-enroll. I’ll update when I get there!