Hi there, I’m Thaakir Aricum and I recently went on exchange to TUM Germany. If you’re reading this, it means you have made (or are about to make) one of the best decisions of your life!
Pre-departure:
The three words that best describe this: admin, paperwork and a solid headache… But honestly, it’s worth every bit of effort you have to put in. The application process is quite lengthy and requires a lot of documentation, a video CV, recommendation letters and much more. Luckily the staff at SU International are extremely helpful. Ultimately though, the prep work and running around is your responsibility so make sure you get started ASAP. The visa application in itself is relatively simple, but getting everything that’s needed for the application can be nightmarish. The first thing to consider is time: Your visa takes a minimum two weeks to process and you usually only get confirmation from the university a month before the exchange starts, so the visa application window is pretty narrow. Before you apply for your German visa make sure that you have a recent police clearance, medical aid and proof of funds. If you receive a stipend / scholarship from the University you’ll be visiting, then there won’t be a visa cost (which usually costs around R1000).
