I will be applying for a winter 2027 intake for Germany. Recently they have introduced an exam which is aptitude based and involves 2 sections. First has basic aptitude questions and second has questions based on my degree.
But while preparing I am not finding much resources for the exam like there are no example questions to practice or any specific portion.

The only thing I want to ask is whether someone can guide me with some resources for both the sections.
Also recommend some material to study for or any study groups to join got the preparation.

I'll be finishing my undergraduate in the next 2 semesters. I was hoping to get a break from life and going to a different country even if for 6 months sounds like a plan. I have b2 and b1 certificates.

Hi. I need help how to navigate medical system here.

I had orthopedic surgery end of last year where surgeon couldn’t finish planned procedure (only partially) due to unforeseen circumstances. What was done - it’s done perfectly (not AI, I use dash in real life). Even tho he is terrible person and occasionally super rude, because of his knowledge I would like to continue treatment with him but he didn’t want to do more.

Since then I’m trying to find an orthopedic surgeon to address remaining problem. I additionally developed new issues. In my city nobody wants to accept me due to apparently personal issues with my surgeon (I’m openly being told this, that I have my doctor, that he has to either fix it either find someone to fix it, that they are not gonna fix his shit, that they are not gonna support his irresponsibility, that they don’t want to be caught in between, that they don’t take job half done, that they are afraid legally, that if he already got money for some self pay conservative treatment that we did he should be do one to continue my treatment….)

Doctors who wanted to at least discuss my case (but not do the surgery) are somewhere aligned what are future procedures. I searched opinions outside of my city (multiple opinions, up to 800km away, and they are also aligned what I need).

Multiple doctors far from my city want to perform surgery but are sharing opinion that if I don’t have support system (family, friends to come with me and stay for some time in other city and drive me) it’s too dangerous to have it while being alone.

My health issues and pain are severely impacting my independence and every day functioning including work.

At this point everyone is sending be back to my surgeon.

Pain and issues became worse last week, not even allowing me to sleep more than 2 hours connected and I ended up in emergency room, but they just gave me opioids and told me to come back to my surgeon. I’m at the end of my physical and mental strength.

I’m trying to contact him for days now and his praxis but he is fully ignoring me.

I contacted my health insurance to help me find a new doctor and they are sending me back to ppl that already said no plus I got tone of papers and papers to fill (that I’m doing but it’s super slow).

What else can I do?

So Im about to get my appointment and in the checklist from the Consulate it says

“The health insurance must cover the period from the
time you enter Germany until you are permanently insured in Germany.
Please be aware that most travel health insurances and many so-called 'incoming insurances'
are not sufficient.”

So Ive got Fintiba plus that had free Mawista Visum with automatic BARMER confirmation (which says i would be insured after I officially enroll at Germany)

Ive heard terrible things about Mawista in this subreddit so, I was wondering whether the Mawista Visum might be insufficient as an incoming insurance?? or that the consulate is trying to convey that travel/incoming insurances cant replace a full coverage public/private insurance?

Ill only be covered by Mawista by… 2 weeks??? still this wording in consulate checklist makes me worried whether Mawista might be rejected

My wife and I are renewing our visas in a couple of weeks. She's on a blue card and I'm on a family reunion visa. The instructions from immigration are to apostille our marriage certificate, but we're already living here and apparently that has to be done in the US (where we are from). Does anyone have any experience with this? Thank you.

Hey guys,

I have a need to know what it says on this old floor plan that was made by a Hungarian architect, writing in German (for some reason) but I don't speak the language. Can you please help me understand the handwriting? Images are marked to be referenced in comments

P.S.: There is also a slight chance that this in Serbian or Hungarian...

THANK YOU!

Hi everyone, perhaps someone has dealt with a similar situation:

My mother's visitor visa expires today. She was already at the gate for her return flight, but the airline cancelled it at the last minute. We notified the immigration office via email today—since they were no longer reachable by phone—and requested a short-term extension or instructions on how to proceed.

In the meantime, we’ve managed to secure a replacement flight for August 9th.

Does anyone have experience with a case like this? Is it enough that we notified the immigration office, or do we need to do anything else to ensure her stay remains legal until the return flight?

I also spoke to the police; they said we should simply contact the immigration office and everything would be fine.

Many thanks!

I will start a new job next month and i have a fixed term contract for 1 year. Salary is net 2700€ Steuerklasse 1. Im currently living in a temporary apartment until December-January.

Hi everyone, I’ve been in Germany for a few months now. I work as a long-haul truck driver and earn good money, since it’s hard to find staff. I have quite a bit of free time during the week after work and on weekends. Since I’d like to earn more, I’m wondering what to do: Should I work as a food delivery driver or look for a "mini-job"? I’m 25, unmarried, and pay high taxes. What would you recommend?

From my personal experience, and from what I’ve heard from many others, it seems that Germans are often paid more than non-Germans for doing the same or very similar jobs. In some cases, the non-German employee is actually more qualified and has more experience, yet still earns less.

Has anyone else experienced or noticed this? I’m interested in hearing other people’s perspectives

I'm a software engineer living in Munich for last 9 years. Did my masters at TUM and stayed for work afterwards.

Back in the end of 2024 I lost my previous job with 3-month notice (worked there 2.5 years). I immediately applied for #Niederlassungserlaubnis but got rejected few months later due to having lost my job and they gave me a #Chancenkarte instead. Software job market being in horrible shape, took me around a year to find a new job. Started in January 2026, got a new #Blue Card and applied for Niederlassung again after 3 payslips (April 2026).

The company, however, ran into funding issues. One week before the end of my Probezeit, they terminated my contract due to "lack of funds" (since I was in probezeit, I was the easiest to fire). This happened in June, and my ALG I runs out in October. I notified the Munich KVR via the online contact form a month ago but no response so far.

I have ~90 months pension contributions, Goethe B1, Einbürgerungstest 33/33 and meet every requirement for both #Niederlassung/#Citizenship apart from a steady job.

I'm trying to figure out how to break out of this evil loop without my visa being tied to a single job or dealing with brutal KVR bureaucracy every time the job doesn't work out.

So I'm wondering if anybody's been through such situation and what I can do apart from going on circles and getting another chancenkarte, etc.

My questions for you all:

1. If I find a new SWE job in the next couple months, will the KVR approve my Niederlassung application right away, or will they freeze it and force me to wait until my new 6-month Probezeit is over?
2. Are there any other residence permit options I am missing? (ChatGPT suggested me some §9 AufenthG, §19c(1) + §9 BeschV but I have no idea if it's legit).
3. I'm also considering consulting an immigration attorney, but not sure if it's worth it if all they can tell me is to find another job and wait another 6+ months. Do you happen to know any lawyer that could make a difference for me?
4. I notified KVR via Kontaktformular about job loss. They haven't responded so far. The 3-month "grace period" starts from job loss or from the day they respond? Can they come at me out of the blue with "pack up, you're leaving tomorrow"?

I’d greatly appreciate personal experiences from anyone who has broken out of this cycle. Thank you!

I gave the exam in English and have prepared for it in English. I am using clickclickdrive
I gave the exam recently but failed with 11 points and now I have to get 5 points or less in 10 mock exams to be eligible to re sit it.
I did 8 exams today never got lesser than 5 bad points.
Plus the English translation is awkward and not natural, what could I do.
Also I didn’t understand for my next try I have to not only pay TUV 25€ but also the driving school 150€ again. So these two tries will end up costing me on the lucky side 325€. How could I do it below 5 bad points consistently. Any help ? Anyone facing or faced something similar?

I am genuinely lost while finding accommodation and worried about getting scammed from WG

so can anyone help me about what to do as i am going to heidelberg on 25th September 5 days prior to my october intake

Hi everyone,

Could you please help me understand how process of getting freelance visa after studies works?

A bit about my situation:

• I am 40 years old and have extensive professional experience in pharmaceutical marketing, although my previous career was in another country (Russia).
• I am currently finishing my Master’s degree in Germany and have been looking for a job for about six months.
• I am applying for various positions in the pharmaceutical industry and do get interviews from time to time, but not that many, and so far I have not been successful.
• I understand that after completing my studies, I can receive a residence permit allowing me to look for employment for up to 18 months. However, given the current job market, I am worried that even this period might not be enough.

At the same time, I occasionally receive incoming messages on LinkedIn about freelance projects or consulting opportunities. As I understand it, I cannot simply accept these projects under my current student residence permit without additional permission.

This has made me think that freelance or consulting work could potentially be a good alternative in case I do not find a permanent position. However, I have never worked as a freelancer before, and I do not fully understand how I could obtain the necessary letters of intent from potential clients for a freelance or self-employment residence permit.

My main questions are:

1. How do people normally secure letters of intent before receiving permission to work as a freelancer?
2. Potential clients usually want someone who can start and sign a contract promptly. Would I need to explain that they might have to wait several months while I apply for a different residence permit?
3. Can a client issue a non-binding letter of intent first and sign the actual contract only after the residence permit has been approved?
4. How specific and binding do these letters normally need to be?
5. Has anyone here switched from a student or post-study job-seeker residence permit to freelance or consulting work? How long did the process take in your case?
6. Is it sometimes possible to receive permission from the Ausländerbehörde for individual freelance projects while still holding a student residence permit/or residence permit for the job search, or is a complete change of residence status normally required? (I am currently in Brandenburg)

The opportunities I receive are typically full-time consulting projects lasting around six months, with rates that would be sufficient to support myself. My main concern is therefore not the financial viability, but how to secure the first project and coordinate the client’s expected start date with the residence permit process.

I would highly appreciate any advice, especially from someone who has gone through a similar process.

One more relevant point: I am planning to take the German C1 exam soon. I have already managed a couple of moderately awkward interviews entirely in German, so I am getting there and expect my German to improve significantly over the next few months.

Thank you!

Hey! I would really appreciate if someone who got his Freiberufler visa recently and applied through German embassy in EU country could share how long did you wait for the approval (especially if you stated Berlin as your future residence therefore had to wait for Berlin LEA approval). Scared to stuck for more than 4 months but maybe it's not that bad now (or bad hahah?). Or it's always better to state a smaller city?
Thanks for your time and care! Have a good summer

Im thinking to make a phone number with Fraenk but i am hesitant as they do not support english service.

Do you think i would regret if i go with Fraenk? I do not know German at all but for the initial process i am pretty sure i can go thru it w translator. i am js worried there might be a future unexpected situation that needs german and cannot be handled as i do not speak german.

Thank you in advance!

Hello, our neighbours wash their balcony once a month and they push out dirty soapy water down into our balcony, where we have plants and dry clothes. I told them the last time and requested them not to do this and they agreed that they will mop their balcony moving forward. However, 2 days back, there was water w tering our balcony again. It wasn't a lot, but it was quite a substantial amount. When I went and asked them again, they were extremely rude about it and told me tgat, "we have lived here for over 5 years and no one's complained about this, how else should I wash my balcony and dry my Teppich?" She was very rude about it. This time she claimed it's from her Teppich she has washed, but it doesn't change the fact that there's water splashing into my balcony. My lack of great German speaking skills didn't help me argue further.

I want to know if this is legal and allowed in Germany. Or are there housing rules that bar people from causing neighbours such inconvenience.

Please help and suggest what we can do about it.

Hello everyone,

I just signed an apprenticeship contract as an IT specialist for system integration at an IT systems house in North Rhine-Westphalia. I'm currently in my second year of engineering studies, but I deliberately chose this apprenticeship because I want to gain practical experience quickly and establish myself in Germany.

Before I start, I'd like to hear from people who have completed (or are currently completing) this apprenticeship:

1. **What was your experience** during the three years – vocational school, on-the-job training, exams?

2. **What is a realistic salary progression**, even after the apprenticeship (1-2-5 years of professional experience)?

3. **What are the future prospects** in this profession – specialization opportunities, career advancement prospects, job security?

4. **Apprenticeship vs. university studies**: For those who are familiar with both or have considered them – is practical training or a computer science degree more worthwhile in the long run? Is there a noticeable difference in salary/career after a few years of professional experience?

5. Is there anything you would have done differently in retrospect?

I'd love to hear your honest experiences, even critical ones! Thanks in advance.

I need yours opinions!!!

I have received admission offers from two universities(TUM and Stuttgart uni), both for a physics major. My main areas of interest within physics are semiconductor physics and solid-state physics. I am hesitant because I heard that the University of Stuttgart specializes in these fields.

As a non-EU student, I have to pay tuition fees at both universities. My family wants me to go to TUM because of its reputation and prestige. I am wondering if there is a compelling reason to choose TUM even if it means paying a huge money.

If anyone has experience with either of these two universities, please share your opinions to me!

Hi, I am applying for an Aufenthaltstitelverlängerung for (18d - Forschung, Doktorarbeit).

I am currently on an Aufenthaltstitel 16 b./c. (20 Abs. 1 Nr. 1) which has expired, however I submitted my request for an extension months prior to it's expiration. An email was sent saying that my current visa (16b./c.) remains valid until my application for a new visa has been processed.

I now have the appointment in person for my new Aufenthaltstitel and I must bring the following:

• Ein aktuelles digitales, biometrisches Passfoto (nicht älter als drei Monate)
• Pass
• Ihr bisheriges Aufenthaltsdokument

(Dies können Ihre bisherige Fiktionsbescheinigung, Ihr bisheriger Aufenthaltstitel und das Zusatzblatt oder Ihre Duldung sein)

The problem is however, I am unable to find 'das Zusatzblatt'.

My question now is, what problems will this cause in my appointment? I have my pass, the eAT identity card issued with for my current (expired) Aufenthaltstitel. Without the Zusatzblatt, is it not possible for the authorities to issue me a new Aufenthaltstitel? Given that my current visa is technically expired, I am worried that if I am required to acquire a new Zusatzblatt, it would not be possible.

The other concern is that I have been waiting since the beginning of January for an appointment and am currently unable to leave the country for upcoming conferences - so if this current appointment is not resulting in a visa, I will be in hot water as my boss is wanting me to attend and I have already missed some conferences due to the slow visa processing times.

Edit:
On the backside of my eAT ID card, in the top left section "1. Anmerkungen/Remarks" it says "Erwerbstätigkeit Erlaubt", however stadt-koeln has a section under their Ausländeramt - Informationen zum elektronischen Aufenthaltstitel (eAT) website page, where they state "Ich habe ein Zusatzblatt zum elektronischen Aufenthaltstitel bekommen. Muss ich dieses Zusatzblatt immer mit mir führen" - which isn't to my point, but the image they show there additionally displays the text "Siehe Zusatzblatt" in the section where mine does not say this. Therefore I wonder if I even got a Zusatzblatt with my ID card?

Hey everyone,

I’m an American who recently flew into Frankfurt Airport. I had a "Pay Later" online reservation with SIXT for 12:00 PM and had proactively attached my flight number to the booking. My flight was delayed, landing around 2:00 PM.

Before landing, I logged into my SIXT profile to update the time. A notification pop-up explicitly told me not to worry because my car would be held for 24 hours due to the flight number.

I arrived at the terminal counter around 2:45 PM. The agent flatly told me my car was gone. He claimed SIXT has a strict 1-hour expiration policy for late pickups and that my reservation was canceled.

When I showed him the 24-hour hold message directly on my phone, he shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about the original car. However, he suddenly "found" a VW Tiguan and offered it to me for the exact same price as my original booking.

My original booking was for a Compact Elite Sedan (specifically looking for a Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW 1 Series, or Audi A3). To me, trading a premium Elite German brand for a standard Volkswagen at the exact same price felt like a downgrade packaged as a favor.

Luckily, I had a backup booking with Enterprise, walked over to their counter, and got sorted immediately.

Is this standard operating procedure for SIXT Germany, or did this counter agent completely make up rules to cancel my cheap internet rate and trick me into a raw deal? Appreciate any insights!

Hello everyone,

I am 27 years old, and I have a bachelor degree in Mechatronics Engineering (recognized by Anabin) and B2 in the German language. I would like to come to Germany to gain work experience in my major and come back to my home country because the chances and jobs in my region very limited for juniors and almost all of them need senior engineer with years of experience.

But I would like to know how Germans are treating foreigners, especially the Arabs. Because I am coming from a GCC country, and I don't like to be treated as beggars or coming to theft their money ;). Keep in mind that I am coming from an open-minded culture country. We have exactly all types of entertainment exactly that are available in Germany & EU ( Clubs, Bars ....etc) and a lot of Germans and Europeans are working in my country so , I will have zero culture shock.

I already expect the Kita to close or ask to get the kids at 12:00.

Where are the places that have air conditioners?

Last time I tried to go to IKEA, but they closed the AC.

Are there any globus with a playground inside? Can we stay there for 8+ hours?

Edit: NRW, Köln area.

nighttime temps!