Visa/Residence: After your studies

Updated on 4 April 2025

  • If you want to work in Germany after graduating from UdK Berlin, you must change your residence permit even if it only expires after your graduation. This is because the purpose of your residence permit will no longer be fulfilled after graduation.

    We therefore recommend that you apply for a residence permit to seek for a job following a stay in Germany after your final exam. This permit is normally issued for 18 months from the date of your last exam and allows you to take up any form of employment. Please note that it cannot be extended beyond these 18 months for the purpose of seeking employment. A new residence permit can only be issued for a different purpose of stay (e.g. work, freelance, study, etc.).

    NEW! From 2 April 2025, you can submit your application directly online. Please do not send your documents via the contact form anymore!

    Good to know:

    • During your job search, you are allowed to carry out any kind of work (including internships and freelance work) or start your own business.
    • If you are interested in freelance work or in starting a business, please contact the Career & Transfer Service Center (CTC) of UdK Berlin. They offer free workshops, individual counselling and coaching for business start-ups for students and alumni of UdK Berlin (up to 5 years after graduation).
    • At the bottom of this page, you will find detailed information in a PDF presentation about possible residence permits after graduation.

  • Please proceed as follows:

    1. Compile documents - The application is currently only available in German.
    - A letter from your contact person at the Immatrikulations- und Prüfungsamt stating that you have successfully completed your studies at UdK Berlin and that your Urkunde will be issued soon. Please make sure beforehand that all study and examination achievements have already been registered in the campus administration portal my.udk!  Here you can find more information.
    - A complete list of the required documents can be found here (section "Erforderliche Unterlagen"):  https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324661/en/

    2. Start the online application
    Click on the following link, go to "Jetzt online erledigen" (section ‘Online processing’) and click on "Starten".

    3. Enter personal details, upload required documents and pay fees
    Before you can submit the application, you must pay the fees by credit card or PayPal.

    4. Print out the confirmation of your online application and keep it in a safe place. The confirmation certifies that your residence permit is still valid until your appointment at the LEA. This means that you can continue to study or work until then. Exception: Students who have entered the country without a visa are not allowed to work until their appointment at the LEA.

    5. Wait until the LEA contacts you and invites you for an appointment. The processing time can take up to 8 weeks. If you have not heard from them after 3 months, please contact us.

    PLEASE NOTE:
    You cannot travel abroad in the period between the expiry of your residence permit and your appointment at the LEA.     If you urgently need to travel within the next four weeks, please use the contact form ("Urgent appointment/Emergency") and upload your tickets, invitation, etc. in order to receive a fast appointment or a Fiktionsbescheinigung:
    https://www.berlin.de/einwanderung/en/about-us/contact/formular.1442964.en.php

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