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Travora Student · 2027 intake

Study in Germany from Congo-Brazzaville

There is no centralized procedure like Campus France: a student living in Congo-Brazzaville applies university by university (often through uni-assist, €75 for the first choice), then applies for a national student visa. The German Embassy in Brazzaville does not issue any visas: the long-stay visa must be requested at the German Embassy in Kinshasa, in person, by appointment booked online, which means crossing the Congo River and DRC entry formalities that need to be checked. The visa fee (€75) is paid in euros, in the exact amount, at submission. The standard proof of funds is a blocked account of €11,904 for one year (€992 per month, i.e. 7,808,512 FCFA); the Kinshasa information sheet, dated 2017 but updated on this amount, only requires it "at the express request of the embassy". The Congolese bac often leads to the Studienkolleg (preparatory college; country-specific anabin rule not read) and most bachelor's programs require German at C1 level. Appointment and processing times in Kinshasa: not published; apply at least 3 months before the semester (October 2027).

Updated October 12, 2026 · Reliability: medium · 37 sources

Known cost before departure
98,394 – 137,751 FCFApartial
excluding funds and tuition
Required funds
650,709 FCFA / month
€992 / month
Processing time
Not published for Kinshasa.
Interview
No
German Embassy in Kinshasa (in-person submission)
Before the visa

Admission route

Apply through uni-assist (standard procedure or VPD) for most public universities, or directly on the institution's portal (private schools, many master's programs in English, doctorate with a supervisor's agreement). A bac holder without a validated year of university often has to go through the Studienkolleg (apply through the university or uni-assist, German B1 at least, entrance test). No APS procedure for Congo.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Admission procedure fees

  • Uni-assist, first choice (per semester)[1]€75≈ 49,197 FCFA
  • Uni-assist, each additional choice[1]€30≈ 19,679 FCFA
The visa application

Where to apply

Where to file
Kinshasa; the German Embassy in Brazzaville (within the French Embassy compound) only provides emergency assistance and "Keine Erteilung von Visa" (no visas issued)
Authority
German Embassy in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Appointment
Online appointment (link on kinshasa.diplo.de); since January 1, 2025, all missions are connected to the online consular portal (Auslandsportal): application uploaded, pre-checked, then appointment. In-person submission at the embassy for applicants of a nationality other than the DRC (embassy document, January 2021).
Tip
Apply for the student visa at least 3 months before the semester starts (Kinshasa); appointment waiting time in Kinshasa not published. Appointments are free; do not use any intermediary.
Processing time
Not published for Kinshasa. Benchmarks: 2 to 6 weeks in Abidjan; may take several months according to the ministry; priority for students before the semester.[10][15][29]
Interview
No · German Embassy in Kinshasa (in-person submission) · No formal interview mentioned in the consular information sheets; the officer may ask questions at submission and request additional documents.[9][15]
Book an appointment / apply online

Sources for filing[7][8][9][10][11]

In order

The steps

  1. 1

    Check university access with the Congolese bac[5][12][13]

    When: at least 12 months before the start of classes (October 2027)

    Check anabin (KMK), the DAAD database or uni-assist's "Check Hochschulzugang" tool: direct access, access limited to certain programs, or Studienkolleg followed by the Feststellungsprüfung (assessment exam). The anabin entry for the Congolese baccalauréat could not be read on October 12, 2026 (dynamic database). One or two validated years of university in Congo may replace the Studienkolleg, depending on the assessment.

  2. 2

    Learn German and get a certificate[4][14][15]

    When: as soon as possible

    Bachelor's in German: DSH-2, TestDaF 4x4, Goethe C2, telc C1 Hochschule; Studienkolleg: B1 at least; programs in English: IELTS or TOEFL depending on the institution. No test centers found in Congo-Brazzaville (departures/cg.json); there is a Goethe-Institut in Kinshasa (fees not read).

    • Language certificate (Goethe, TestDaF, IELTS…)amount not found

      No center or fee accessible from Brazzaville found (October 12, 2026).

  3. 3

    Apply through uni-assist or the university portal[1][2][16]

    When: from January to May 2027Duration: 4 to 6 weeks

    My assist account, one form per choice, uploaded documents (diplomas, transcripts, language proof, CV). Submit at least 8 weeks before the deadline; usual deadline for the winter semester: July 15 (often earlier for master's programs and Studienkollegs: April 15, May 31). Result in 4 to 6 weeks. Payment only on the uni-assist portal.

    • Uni-assist, first choice[1]€75≈ 49,197 FCFA
    • Uni-assist, additional choice[1]€30≈ 19,679 FCFA
  4. 4

    Receive the admission[4][9][15][17]

    When: May-August 2027

    Zulassungsbescheid (admission letter) from the university, conditional admission ("Bedingte Zulassung") or invitation to a Studienkolleg entrance test; the Kinshasa information sheet also accepts a uni-assist confirmation as proof of enrollment.

  5. 5

    Prepare local documents[9][18][19][20]

    When: June-July 2027

    No apostille in Congo: Congolese documents (birth certificate, diplomas) are legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cost and processing time not found. The Kinshasa information sheet does not specify the language of documents; the Yaoundé embassy accepts German, English and French without translation. Three copies of the complete application are required in Kinshasa.

    • Legalization at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs[18]amount not found

      Cost not found (October 12, 2026); legalization requirement for this visa not confirmed by the Kinshasa information sheet.

  6. 6

    Fund your stay: blocked account, scholarship or sponsor[9][15][21][22][23]

    When: as soon as you are admitted

    Reference amount: €992 per month, €11,904 for the first year (7,808,512 FCFA), in a blocked account opened online with a provider (the ministry recommends none). The Kinshasa information sheet first lists the declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) made at the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' office) or a scholarship, and the blocked account "only at the express request of the embassy"; this document is marked "Stand: Septembre 2017" (as of September 2017): be ready to open a blocked account. The amount could increase for the 2027 intake (BAföG reform under way).

    • Blocked account provider fees and international transfer[21]amount not found

      Varies by provider; no official fee schedule.

  7. 7

    Take out health insurance[9][15][24][25]

    When: before filing

    Insurance covering the period before enrollment ("incoming"), then a German public health insurance fund at the student rate (€146.29 per month in 2026 from age 23); simple travel insurance is refused for studies (Abidjan). The Kinshasa information sheet requires health insurance without specifying the type.

    • "incoming" insurance before enrollment[15]amount not found

      Price not recorded.

  8. 8

    Prepare the application and book an appointment[8][9][10]

    When: at least 3 months before the semester (July 2027 at the latest for October)

    Signed long-stay form (or online consular portal), 2 biometric photos, passport valid for at least 6 months at submission, proof of enrollment, CV, cover letter, diplomas and school certificates, funding, proof of accommodation, proof of German or enrollment in an intensive course of at least 18 hours per week, insurance, employment status and income of the applicant or parents, three copies of the application. Online appointment.

  9. 9

    Cross the Congo River to Kinshasa[7][26][27][28]

    When: day of the appointment (and of collection)

    Submission is in person in Kinshasa. The agreement on the movement of people between Congo and the DRC (signed in Kinshasa on June 3, 2014, ratified by Congolese law no. 49-2014) distinguishes two cases. Nationals who live in the border zone (50 km, or "localités frontalières juxtaposées" (adjacent border towns), which seems to mean Brazzaville and Kinshasa although the text does not name them) enter with a passport or national ID card and an individual laissez-passer (pass), for 72 hours maximum. Everyone else (for example a resident of Pointe-Noire) is a "voyageur transnational" (cross-border traveler): passport and entry visa. Yet a 2019 response from Canada's IRB quotes the Kinshasa airport website: "Nationalités exemptées de visa : … Congo Brazzaville …" (visa-exempt nationalities), and the press announced in 2015 a visa exemption for cross-border travelers. Current rule, price of the laissez-passer, of a possible DRC visa and of the crossing (boat or plane): not found on an official source on October 12, 2026; check with the DRC Embassy in Brazzaville before booking the appointment. The passport is needed anyway to submit the visa; plan one round trip for submission and, unless the mission says otherwise, another for collection (collection arrangements not found).

    • DRC laissez-passer or visa, Brazzaville-Kinshasa crossing[26]amount not found

      Amounts not found on an official source (searched on October 12, 2026).

  10. 10

    Submit the application at the embassy in Kinshasa[8][9][10]

    When: day of the appointment

    Originals and copies, biometrics, payment of the visa fee: €75 in euros, in the exact amount (not in CFA francs or Congolese francs). Free for holders of publicly funded scholarships, depending on the program.

    • National visa fee[9][10]€75≈ 49,197 FCFA

      Paid in euros, exact amount.

  11. 11

    Decision[10][15][29][30]

    When: August-September 2027

    Processing time in Kinshasa not published; Abidjan states 2 to 6 weeks and the ministry warns it may take several months. Student applications are in principle processed as a priority before the semester. If refused: no more remonstration (administrative appeal) since July 1, 2025, only an appeal to the Berlin administrative court or a new application.

  12. 12

    Arrival in Germany[31][32][33][34]

    When: September-October 2027

    Address registration (Anmeldung) within 14 days, health insurance fund, university enrollment (Semesterbeitrag of €100 to €350), checking account and monthly release from the blocked account, then residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde before the visa expires (€100).

    • Residence permit, first issue (after arrival)[31]€100≈ 65,596 FCFA
The application

Required documents

  • Passport[9][26]

    required

    Valid for at least 6 months on the date of submission, signed; copies of the data pages and previous Schengen visas.

    Local specifics: Also essential to enter the DRC if the border laissez-passer is not used.

  • Long-stay visa application form (or online application on the consular portal)[9][10]

    required

    Fully completed and signed.

  • Two recent biometric photos[9]

    required

  • Proof of enrollment at the German university[9][17]

    required

    Admission, conditional admission or uni-assist confirmation; invitation to a Studienkolleg test.

  • Curriculum vitae[9]

    required

  • Cover letter[9]

    required

  • School certificates and diplomas, proof of previous studies or internships[9][18]

    required

    Local specifics: Legalization at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs possible; requirement not specified in Kinshasa.

  • Proof of accommodation[9]

    required

    Invitation letter, student housing or lease.

  • Health insurance[9][15]

    required

    Travel insurance is not enough for studies.

  • Employment status and income of the applicant or their parents[9]

    required

  • Visa fee: €75 in euros[9]

    required

    Exact amount at submission.

Depending on your profile

  • Blocked account of €11,904 (€992 per month)[9][15][21]

    In Kinshasa, "only at the express request of the embassy" according to an old information sheet; standard at other missions.

  • Declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung)[9][35]

    Issued by the Ausländerbehörde of the sponsor living in Germany.

  • Scholarship certificate[9]

    If applicable.

  • Proof of German or enrollment in an intensive course of at least 18 hours per week[9][15]

    If applicable (Abidjan: 20 hours per week).

Before departure

Detailed fees

  • Uni-assist, first choice[1]€75≈ 49,197 FCFA

    Non-refundable; a direct application may have other fees.

  • Uni-assist, each additional choice[1](depending on profile)€30≈ 19,679 FCFA
  • National visa fee (in euros in Kinshasa)[9][10][15]€75≈ 49,197 FCFA

    Elsewhere in West Africa, collected as 50,000 FCFA; in Kinshasa, in euros, exact amount.

  • Language certificateamount not found

    No center or fee found from Brazzaville.

  • Blocked account provider and transfer fees[21]amount not found
  • "incoming" insurance[15]amount not found
  • Legalization at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs[18]amount not found
  • Crossing and DRC entry formalities (two round trips likely)[26]amount not found
Known subtotal98,394 – 137,751 FCFA

excluding blocked funds (€11,904, 7,808,512 FCFA); min = 1 uni-assist choice + visa (€150); max = 3 uni-assist choices + visa (€210), at the fixed rate of 655.957.

Items with no published official amount (not counted)

  • language certificate
  • blocked account fees
  • "incoming" insurance
  • legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Brazzaville-Kinshasa crossing and DRC laissez-passer or visa
For the visa

Funds to prove

650,709 FCFA / monthi.e. €992 / month

€11,904 for the first year, fixed rate 655.957.

Amount pegged to the maximum BAföG rate, unchanged for 2026; the BAföG reform adopted by the Cabinet on August 12, 2026 could raise it for the 2027 intake. In Kinshasa, the blocked account is only required "at the express request of the embassy" according to an information sheet marked 2017: to be reconfirmed with the embassy.[9][15][22][23]

Accepted proof

  • blocked account (Sperrkonto)
  • scholarship certificate
  • declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung)
2027 intake

Timeline

  1. May 20, 2027to be confirmed

    uni-assist advice: submit at least 8 weeks before the deadline[2]

    same period every year

  2. July 15, 2027to be confirmed

    usual application deadline (winter semester)[2]

    same period every year; earlier for master's programs and Studienkollegs

  3. July 2027to be confirmed

    visa application at least 3 months before the semester starts[8]

    rule of the Kinshasa embassy (January 2021 document)

  4. October 1, 2027to be confirmed

    start of the winter semester[22]

    same date every year

Specifics Congo-Brazzaville → Germany

Differences and pitfalls

What differs from the general rule

  • Submission in another country: long-stay visa at the German Embassy in Kinshasa; the Brazzaville embassy issues no visas and short-stay visas go through the French Embassy in Brazzaville.
  • Visa fee paid in euros, in the exact amount, in Kinshasa, not in CFA francs (50,000 FCFA in Abidjan and Lomé).
  • Kinshasa information sheet: blocked account "only at the express request of the embassy" and intensive course of at least 18 hours per week (20 hours in Abidjan); old document (marked 2017), to be reconfirmed.
  • No external service provider (VFS) mentioned: submission at the embassy.
  • No apostille in Congo; no German test centers found in Congo-Brazzaville.

Pitfalls to avoid

Believing the German Embassy in Brazzaville issues visas[7][11]

It only provides emergency assistance; long-stay visas are handled by Kinshasa.

Leaving for Kinshasa without checking DRC entry requirements[26][27][28]

The Congo-DRC agreement requires a laissez-passer (pass, 72 hours maximum) for border residents and a passport with a visa for everyone else; public sources contradict each other on the visa exemption. Check with the DRC Embassy in Brazzaville, keep a valid passport, and plan the time and cost of two crossings (submission and collection).

Showing up without euros[9]

In Kinshasa, the €75 is paid in euros, in the exact amount, at submission.

Blocked account: unreliable provider or outdated amount[15][21][23]

The ministry recommends no provider; the confirmation must state the total amount and the monthly sum. The amount may increase for the 2027 intake.

Private Studienkolleg without a recognized exam[3]

Check that the target university accepts this Studienkolleg's Feststellungsprüfung before paying.

Entering on a short-stay visa to "regularize" later[37]

A Schengen visa cannot be converted into a student permit: you would have to leave and reapply from your country of residence.

No remonstration if refused[30]

Since July 1, 2025, only a court appeal in Berlin or a new application is possible: make the first application as strong as possible.

Figures

Statistics

student visas issued to Congolese nationals (Brazzaville) (2014)
15 in 2012, 14 in 2013, 22 in 2014[29]
national "study" visas processed in Kinshasa in 2025 (DRC and Congo) (2025)
No official figure found: Column unreadable in the ministry's PDF (destinations/de.json).

Travora does not issue visas.

Travora is not affiliated with any embassy, consulate or service provider (Campus France, TLScontact, VFS Global, BLS…). Rules and amounts change: check the official website before any payment or filing. Page updated October 12, 2026.

Checked on

Sources

  1. [1]Bearbeitungskosten — uni-assist e.V., accessed October 12, 2026
  2. [2]Fristen und Bearbeitungszeit — uni-assist e.V., accessed October 12, 2026
  3. [3]Studienkollegs: Gut vorbereitet ins Studium — DAAD, accessed October 12, 2026
  4. [4]Studienkolleg der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt — Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, accessed October 12, 2026
  5. [5]Check Hochschulzugang — uni-assist e.V. (avec le DAAD, d'après anabin/KMK), accessed October 12, 2026
  6. [6]Zertifikat der Akademischen Prüfstelle (APS) — Universität des Saarlandes, accessed October 12, 2026
  7. [7]Deutsche Auslandsvertretungen: Kongo, Republik — Botschaft Brazzaville — Auswärtiges Amt, accessed October 12, 2026
  8. [8]Informations générales (visas) — Ambassade d'Allemagne à Kinshasa, accessed October 12, 2026
  9. [9]Documents à présenter pour un visa d'études (mention « Stand : Septembre 2017 », montant du compte bloqué déjà porté à 11 904 €) — Ambassade d'Allemagne à Kinshasa, accessed October 12, 2026
  10. [10]Visa für Deutschland — Auswärtiges Amt, accessed October 12, 2026
  11. [11]Republik Kongo – Deutsche Auslandsvertretung — Auswärtiges Amt, accessed October 12, 2026
  12. [12]A guide for international applicants (Status: December 2025) — Hochschule Düsseldorf, accessed October 12, 2026
  13. [13]Abschlüsse nachweisen — Make it in Germany, accessed October 12, 2026
  14. [14]uni-assist Tabelle zur Kategorisierung von Sprachnachweisen Deutsch (Stand 02.2026) — uni-assist e.V. et hautes écoles membres (copie TU Ilmenau), accessed October 12, 2026
  15. [15]Visa à des fins d'études – liste des documents (Mise à jour : octobre 2025) — Ambassade d'Allemagne à Abidjan, accessed October 12, 2026
  16. [16]Info country by country – Cameroon — uni-assist e.V., accessed October 12, 2026
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  18. [18]Légalisation de documents du Congo-Brazzaville — NetherlandsWorldwide (ministère néerlandais des Affaires étrangères), accessed October 12, 2026
  19. [19]Status table — Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — HCCH (Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé), accessed October 12, 2026
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  21. [21]Blocked account (Sperrkonto) — Federal Foreign Office, accessed October 12, 2026
  22. [22]Visum zum Studieren — Make it in Germany (portail du gouvernement fédéral), accessed October 12, 2026
  23. [23]FAQ BAföG-Reform – Im Kabinett beschlossen (12.08.2026) — Bundesregierung, accessed October 12, 2026
  24. [24]Beitragsübersicht Studierende – Was müssen Studierende beachten? — Techniker Krankenkasse, accessed October 12, 2026
  25. [25]Krankenversicherung für internationale Studierende (30.04.2025) — TU Darmstadt, accessed October 12, 2026
  26. [26]Journal officiel de la République du Congo n° 6-2015 (5 février 2015) : loi n° 49-2014 du 31 décembre 2014 autorisant la ratification de la convention sur la circulation et l'établissement des personnes et des biens entre le Congo et la RDC (signée à Kinshasa le 3 juin 2014), texte de la convention — Secrétariat général du Gouvernement, République du Congo, accessed October 12, 2026
  27. [27]Congo et RDC : les transfrontaliers exonérés de visa (29 septembre 2015) — Afrik.com (presse), accessed October 12, 2026
  28. [28]République démocratique du Congo : procédures d'entrée et de sortie à l'aéroport international de N'Djili, Kinshasa (2017-juillet 2019), réponse COD106323.F du 10 juillet 2019 — Commission de l'immigration et du statut de réfugié du Canada (via ecoi.net), accessed October 12, 2026
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  31. [31]§ 45 AufenthV – Gebühren für die Aufenthaltserlaubnis, die Blaue Karte EU… — lexmea.de (reproduction du texte légal, import 20.09.2024), accessed October 12, 2026
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  33. [33]Visum und Aufenthaltserlaubnis — Universität Stuttgart, accessed October 12, 2026
  34. [34]Ausbildungs- und Lebenshaltungskosten — DAAD, accessed October 12, 2026
  35. [35]Merkblatt zur Verpflichtungserklärung für langfristige Aufenthalte (Januar 2026) — Stadt Leipzig, Ausländerbehörde, accessed October 12, 2026
  36. [36]Bearbeitete nationale Visa 2025 (Berlin, 14.01.2026) — Auswärtiges Amt, accessed October 12, 2026
  37. [37]Je veux étudier en Allemagne, que faire maintenant ? (document non daté, chiffres anciens) — Ambassade d'Allemagne à Abidjan, accessed October 12, 2026
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