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Estimate your full timeline to Germany — German learning, application, visa, and relocation — based on real 2026 BAMF / DAAD figures.
Target for this path: B1.
months
Average scenario: 20 months
A realistic month-by-month migration timeline to Germany, calibrated to your starting point: current German level, target route (Ausbildung or Studium), and how many hours per week you can study. Most candidates underestimate the language phase by 6 to 12 months — this tool shows you what is actually achievable. German missions currently issue Ausbildung visas in roughly 6 to 12 weeks; the rest of the timeline is mostly language study and document collection.
The output shows a personalised week-by-week plan: when to start the language course, when to take your B1 or B2 exam, when to begin Ausbildung applications or university applications, when to open a Sperrkonto, and when to book the consulate appointment. It surfaces the most common bottlenecks (Goethe exam slots that fill up 2 months ahead, ZAB processing time of 8 weeks, Anmeldung waiting lists in big cities) so you can plan around them. Use it 6 to 18 months before your target departure date to set realistic milestones — and to know when each piece of paperwork actually needs to start.
12 to 18 months for Ausbildung (you need B1), 18 to 24 months for Studium (you need B2 or C1). Faster is only possible if you can study 20+ hours per week with a structured course.
Almost never. Over 95% of Ausbildung programmes are taught in German. The exceptions are some IT and hospitality programmes in Berlin and Hamburg, and they rarely accept candidates without at least B1 German.
About 2 to 3 months before your consulate appointment. Earlier ties up money for no reason; later risks missing the visa application deadline.