Visa & intake timeline planner

Start about a year before your intended start date. Language is the bottleneck: reaching B1–B2 German takes months, and it must be done before you apply. Document attestation, admission or an Ausbildung contract, the blocked account, and the visa each add weeks — so a 9–12 month runway is realistic.

The Winter semester (starting around October) is the main intake, with most application deadlines around 15 July. The smaller Summer semester (starting around April) has deadlines around 15 January. Always confirm the exact date on your university's page, as they vary.

Once your file is submitted, processing typically runs about 8–16 weeks from Pakistan and 8–12 weeks from Bangladesh. The bigger delay is usually getting an appointment, which can be booked out for months — so apply for a slot as early as possible.

Most Ausbildung positions begin on 1 August or 1 September, with some February starts. Employers open applications up to a year ahead, and the strongest application window is roughly November to February for a same-year start.

You can often still apply, but your options narrow and the plan gets tight. If milestones show as overdue, focus on language and documents immediately and consider the next intake — or message us to see what's still realistic for your target.