Study mobility
Erasmus study at a German university. Up to 90 days is short-stay Schengen; beyond 90 days it is a national (D) study visa and the Auslandsportal process.
GERMANY · ERASMUS VISA
Germany Erasmus visa: study or traineeship?
Erasmus mobility can take the form of study or a traineeship; the right application route depends on the purpose and the duration. This guide separates Erasmus study mobility from Erasmus traineeship mobility and shows the short-stay (Schengen) versus long-stay (national) split based on the 90-day rule.
Prepared for students travelling to Germany under Erasmus from Türkiye. Conditions vary with the type, duration and funding of the mobility.
GERMANY / DEUTSCHLAND
First determine the type and duration of the mobility.
Short answer
There is no single 'Erasmus visa'; the application is determined by the type and duration of the mobility. Study or a traineeship of up to 90 days goes through a short-stay Schengen (C) visa, while study beyond 90 days requires a national (D) visa and is handled exclusively via the Auslandsportal. For Erasmus traineeship mobility, an EU-funded traineeship requires an invitation letter/Erasmus certificate, and in that case consent from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) is not required. This page helps you choose the right route; the full set of internship documents is on the internship page.
- A single 'Erasmus visa'
- No — type and duration decide
- ≤90 days
- Short-stay Schengen (C)
- >90 days study
- National (D) — Auslandsportal
- Erasmus traineeship
- Erasmus certificate; no Employment Agency consent
- Funding
- Grant / Sperrkonto / Verpflichtungserklärung
- Portal
- digital.diplo.de/studium (long-stay)
Erasmus takes two forms
Study mobility and traineeship mobility follow different routes.
Traineeship mobility
A traineeship under Erasmus. For an EU-funded traineeship the invitation letter/Erasmus certificate is central. For the full set of internship documents see the internship page; this page does not repeat it.
Not on this page
All types of non-Erasmus internships and school group trips are on separate pages. This page focuses on the Erasmus framework.
Determine the right route
Is the duration over 90 days?
Study/traineeship of up to 90 days goes through short-stay Schengen; study beyond 90 days goes through a national (D) visa. The duration determines the application route.
Study or traineeship?
Study requires university admission and (if long-stay) the Auslandsportal; a traineeship brings in the invitation letter/Learning Agreement or the Erasmus certificate.
How do you show funding?
Means of subsistence can be shown with an Erasmus grant, a blocked account (Sperrkonto), or a Verpflichtungserklärung issued in Germany (for education-purpose stays).
Documents specific to Erasmus mobility
The following summarise the Erasmus scenario; the full internship documents are on the internship page and the common documents on the required-documents page.
study
- University admission / enrolmentAdmission or enrolment for Erasmus study; for long-stay study the application is filed via the Auslandsportal.
traineeship
- Invitation letter / Erasmus certificateFor an EU-funded traineeship, an invitation letter or Erasmus certificate (original + 1 copy, stamped and signed).
funding
- Proof of subsistenceAn Erasmus grant, a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a Verpflichtungserklärung.
common
- Passport, insurance, photoPassport; travel health insurance; biometric photo and the general documents in § 3.
For an EU-funded Erasmus traineeship, consent from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) is not required; for non-Erasmus internships it may be (see the internship page). Document lists can be updated by the official sources.
Points to watch in an Erasmus application
- Do not assume a single routeDo not treat Erasmus as automatically only Schengen or only a national visa; the type and duration determine the correct category.
- Long-stay study is via the portalA study application beyond 90 days is handled only via the Auslandsportal; registration on the portal alone is not a legally effective application.
- No guaranteeComplete documents do not mean approval; the mission decides.
Erasmus visa questions
Is there a separate visa for Erasmus?
There is no single 'Erasmus visa'. Depending on the type of mobility (study/traineeship) and its duration, a short-stay Schengen (C) or national (D) visa applies.
What is needed for Erasmus study longer than 90 days?
Study beyond 90 days requires a national (D) study visa and the application is filed only via the Auslandsportal (digital.diplo.de/studium).
Is Employment Agency consent needed for an Erasmus traineeship?
For an EU-funded Erasmus traineeship, consent from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) is not required. For non-Erasmus internships this consent may be needed; see the internship page for details.
How do I show funding?
Means of subsistence can be shown with an Erasmus grant, a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a Verpflichtungserklärung issued in Germany.
Sources and verification
The official pages below were checked on 3 November 2026.
- Internship / event visa (incl. Erasmus traineeship) Study and study-place search (Auslandsportal) Education-purpose stays and proof of subsistence
Elite Leader Consultancy · last official check: November 3, 2026
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