Cover Letter for German Student Visa : Writing Tips and Tricks

If you are a student who is in the process of applying for a German visa, you must have come across the Cover Letter from the applicant explaining the exact purpose and duration of stay as one of the requirements in the checklist for a student visa including all the necessary documentation for the visa application.

Why is Cover Letter Important in Visa Application?

This Cover letter is quite a significant document as it can make or break for chances of visa acceptance. You can even consider it a chance to introduce yourself and your goals to the consulate. Since you are an international student who will be studying in Germany, authorities evaluate your credentials and your intentions clearly through the cover letter. Thus, a cover letter can help the authorities in determining your worth as a prospective student at a German university.

You might be interested in learning about the reasons for the rejection of a German Student Visa.

Cover Letter vs Statement of Purpose: Know the Difference!

You must realise that a cover letter is not a Statement of Purpose (SOP). So, don’t try to skip the work of formulating an impressive cover letter by using the same Statement of Purpose which helped you get an admit letter from a German university. Like an SOP, the cover letter also includes your goals, your reason for the selection of a particular university and why Germany is your preferred study destination. However, it is much more than an SOP as the cover letter mentions the duration of the stay, details of your financial resources, information about your sponsors and even details about your living arrangement. In short, a cover letter is a more informative and precise document.

How to write an impressive Cover letter?

For a well-crafted cover letter, you should include every essential information, giving the visa authorities a clear idea about your intentions and ensuring them that your presence in Germany would be beneficial to the country.

Beginning of the Cover letter

Like any letter, a cover letter should also start with the current date followed by the address of the receiver of the letter. So, for this cover letter, you should address it to ‘Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi’. The address will be followed by the 'Subject' of the letter and 'Greetings' like ‘Dear Sir/Ma’am.

Body of the Cover letter

In the body of the letter, you will include various paragraphs with each paragraph containing related information about your profile and your goals. While drafting your Cover Letter, please remember that it differs from explaining your future goals in SOP/Essay. The paragraphs should include the following details:

• Introduction: It should include the purpose of your visit to Germany. Since you are a student, mention the university you have been admitted to along with the exact course name and the date of joining this course.
• Basic Personal Information: In this paragraph, you should give the authority a peek into your background including the place where you belong and a few details about your family members.
• Educational Profile: This paragraph will include your academic history including what have you studied so far, from which colleges and universities and how much CGPA or percentage have you secured at each level. You can also include any short-term certifications or courses which you have pursued related to your intended course.
• Employment History: This paragraph is applicable only to those with work experience. Here, you will mention the companies you have worked for including your designation and role in brief. You should specifically mention your current work profile. Your plan for career progression is well-explained in the SOP/Essay, but in Cover Letter, it should be precise and to the point. 
• Reason for choosing a particular course and university: In this paragraph, your intention for pursuing a particular course will be mentioned. Your purpose should be well connected with your goals and how studying at a particular university will help you achieve those goals. Here, you should clearly state the features that enticed you to that university including the curriculum, faculty, infrastructure, career-related services or any other USP of the university.
• Why Germany: Since you are applying for a German visa, you should convince the authority that you have researched enough about the country and that you have made a well-thought-out decision of studying in Germany. Here, you should state the reasons for selecting Germany as your study destination along with what made the country a better choice as compared to other countries. Also, mention how earning a German degree will fit your career plans.
• Financial Standing and Resources: In this paragraph, you should give details about your family’s financial resources, convincing the visa authorities that you have enough funding for your tuition and living costs. You must include the exact amount of fees already submitted by you and how are you planning to submit the rest of the fee. Don’t forget to mention the details of the Blocked Account for Germany, which you must have opened after receiving an admit from the university. This blocked account will ensure that you are capable of supporting yourself financially at least during the first year of your study in Germany.
• List of Documents attached: This paragraph is for intimating the authorities about the documents you have attached to support your application. These documents include 10th and 12th Academic Transcripts, Offer Letter from the University, Medical Examination Proof, Student CV/Resume, Self-Declaration, Copy of Receipts to the University, and Financial Documents to support your education abroad.

Concluding the Cover Letter

You should conclude this letter by stating your specific career goals and how the approval of this visa will help in the realisation of your goals. You can also clarify any inconsistencies in your profile like gap years, a different course in Bachelors or a second Masters, mentioning that these inconsistencies will not impact your performance at a German University.

Signatory Closure

Like any other formal letter, give a signatory closure to your letter by thanking the authorities and mentioning details like your Full name, Email Id, Contact Number and Passport Number.

We hope, the Cover Letter is not a mystery to you anymore. All you need is to be precise in your approach so that you can keep this letter within the 1.5- 2 pages limit. Don’t forget to get your letters proofread or edited by the expert editors from Shiksha Apply and improve your chances of visa acceptance!