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Your journey estimate

Your journey: PhD in Germany · starts Jan 2027 · from Mumbai

Already behind for 22 steps

22 steps are already past the usual date. We have moved them to the next few days so you can start straight away: begin with the ones marked Critical. This is only about calendar dates. It says nothing about your chances with any authority.

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Calculated on from our journey rules. Nothing about you is saved.

We understood

A PhD in Germany, starting Jan 2027, flying from Mumbai.

Fix anything that’s wrong. We would rather ask than guess.

  • We read “winter intake” as January.

You wrote: “PhD in Germany from Mumbai, winter intake”

Change your answers
What is the purpose of your plan? read from your question
Trips and holidays can go to any country. Other plans cover the UK, Australia, Canada and Germany.
A month is enough. If you leave it, we pick a default and say so.
Used for the sample fare only.

Or say it in your own words:

Your journey at a glance

59Stepsacross 13 stages
18Documentsto collect or keep ready
6Servicesyou may want help with
25 Oct 2026Start bya few days from today
10 weeksTime you haveuntil course start on 01 Jan 2027
Dec 2026Busiest month24 steps due

Timeline

What do I need to do, and by when?

These 27 steps matter most: the critical ones, the official ones and the ones where a service can help. Dates are counted back from Jan 2027. 59 steps in all.

  1. Phase 1 of 4

    Get ready

    to · 18 steps, 17 already past the usual date

    Your offer, your money and your paperwork.

    • by
      Accept your offer before it expires Critical Usual date passed: 24 Aug Admission
    • by
      Get your admission notice (Zulassungsbescheid) Critical Usual date passed: 03 Sep Admission · DAAD: Requirements for studying in Germany (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Collect your sponsor’s financial papers Critical Usual date passed: 13 Sep Finance
    • by
      Pay your tuition deposit or first instalment Critical Usual date passed: 23 Sep Finance
    • by
      Open your blocked account (Sperrkonto) for your German visa Critical Usual date passed: 23 Sep Finance · Make it in Germany: Finances for studying (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Check your passport is valid, with space to spare Critical Usual date passed: 04 Aug Documents
    12 more steps in this phase
    • by
      Check your application portal and inbox every few days High Usual date passed: 04 Aug Admission
    • by
      Get your offer letter and save it Critical Usual date passed: 14 Aug Admission
    • by
      Confirm your supervisor and research plan Critical Usual date passed: 03 Sep Admission
    • by
      Make a simple budget: tuition, rent, food, travel, one-off costs High Usual date passed: 24 Aug Finance
    • by
      Ask your bank about TCS on your overseas payments High Usual date passed: 28 Sep Finance · Income Tax Department of India (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Collect marksheets, transcripts and degree certificates Critical Usual date passed: 24 Aug Documents
    • by
      Keep your English test report (or waiver) ready Critical Usual date passed: 24 Aug Documents
    • by
      Check if your documents need certified copies or translations Critical Usual date passed: 03 Sep Documents · DAAD: Requirements for studying in Germany (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Keep your SOP and CV handy High Usual date passed: 23 Sep Documents
    • by
      Get photos that meet the official photo rules High Usual date passed: 23 Sep Documents
    • by
      Check if your visa asks for a police clearance certificate High Usual date passed: 23 Sep Documents · Passport Seva (Ministry of External Affairs) (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Scan everything and keep a paper set Medium Documents

  2. Phase 2 of 4

    Get approved

    to · 7 steps, 4 already past the usual date

    The official visa step and your health cover.

    1 more step in this phase
    • by
      Save your insurance certificate Medium Insurance

  3. Phase 3 of 4

    Get set

    to · 16 steps, 1 already past the usual date

    A place to stay, flights, a working phone and money abroad.

    • by
      Shortlist places to stay Critical Accommodation Usual date passed: 03 Oct Accommodation
    • by
      Book your first stay Critical Accommodation Accommodation
    • by
      Book your flight High Flights Flight
    • by
      Plan how you will carry money abroad High Forex & money Forex & money · Reserve Bank of India (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Get a forex card or an international debit card Medium Forex & money Forex & money
    • by
      Get an eSIM for landing day Medium eSIM Connectivity
    • by
      Put your documents in your hand luggage Critical Pre-departure
    • by
      Final check: passport, visa, ticket, charger High Pre-departure
    8 more steps in this phase
    • by
      Check your phone is unlocked and eSIM-ready Medium Connectivity
    • by
      Sort prescriptions and medicines Medium Pre-departure
    • by
      Save your e-ticket Medium Flight
    • by
      Keep your Indian number working for OTPs High Connectivity
    • by
      Check baggage limits and weigh your bags Medium Flight
    • by
      Pack for the weather and the first week Low Pre-departure
    • by
      Save emergency and university contacts Medium Pre-departure
    • by
      Spend time with your people Low Pre-departure

  4. Phase 4 of 4

    Land and settle

    to · 18 steps

    Arrival, enrolment and setting up life there.

    11 more steps in this phase
    • by
      Activate your university account and email High University onboarding
    • by
      Choose modules and check your timetable High University onboarding
    • by
      Check in and photograph the room Medium Arrival
    • by
      Read your residence permit’s work rules High Arrival · Make it in Germany: Planning your arrival (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Book orientation or welcome week sessions Medium University onboarding
    • by
      Get a student travel pass Medium Local setup
    • by
      Open a local bank account High Local setup
    • by
      Say hi to the international students’ office Medium University onboarding
    • by
      Collect your student ID card Medium University onboarding
    • by
      Save your nearest Indian mission’s contact details Medium Local setup · Ministry of External Affairs, India (official page, opens in a new tab)
    • by
      Plan part-time work, after checking your limits Medium Local setup

Workload

Which months are busiest?

Steps due each month, all 59 of them. Plan your free evenings around the longest bars.

  1. Oct 2026 22 steps
  2. Nov 2026 6 steps
  3. Dec 2026 24 steps busiest
  4. Jan 2027 7 steps

Documents

Which documents will I need?

18 documents, each listed once with the first step that asks for it. Official pages say exactly what they accept.

  • Offer letter

    First needed for: Get your offer letter and save it

    Have it by

  • Statement of purpose

    First needed for: Confirm your supervisor and research plan

    Have it by

  • Admission notice (Germany)

    First needed for: Get your admission notice (Zulassungsbescheid)

    Have it by

  • Bank statement

    First needed for: Collect your sponsor’s financial papers

    Have it by

  • Sponsor income proof

    First needed for: Collect your sponsor’s financial papers

    Have it by

  • Sponsor letter / affidavit

    First needed for: Collect your sponsor’s financial papers

    Have it by

  • Tuition payment receipt

    First needed for: Pay your tuition deposit or first instalment

    Have it by

  • Blocked account confirmation

    First needed for: Open your blocked account (Sperrkonto) for your German visa

    Have it by

  • Passport

    First needed for: Check your passport is valid, with space to spare

    Have it by

  • Marksheets & degree certificates

    First needed for: Collect marksheets, transcripts and degree certificates

    Have it by

  • English test report

    First needed for: Keep your English test report (or waiver) ready

    Have it by

  • CV / resume

    First needed for: Keep your SOP and CV handy

    Have it by

  • Passport-size photo

    First needed for: Get photos that meet the official photo rules

    Have it by

  • Police clearance certificate

    First needed for: Check if your visa asks for a police clearance certificate

    Have it by

  • Health / travel insurance certificate

    First needed for: Prepare the embassy’s visa document checklist

    Have it by

  • Accommodation confirmation

    First needed for: Book your first stay

    Have it by

  • Visa / permit decision

    First needed for: Collect your visa and check the details

    Have it by

  • Flight ticket

    First needed for: Save your e-ticket

    Have it by

Services and budget

Which services will I probably need, and what might they cost?

Demo Sample prices from our demo partners — not a quote. They show how prices would look; nothing here can be booked or paid for from this page.

  • Insurance

    Around : Arrange German-recognised health insurance

    No sample price for this service yet.

  • Accommodation

    Around : Shortlist places to stay

    No sample price for this service yet.

  • Flights

    Around : Book your flight

    Demo price ₹60,396 to ₹90,945

    Sample one-way economy fares for 1 traveller, Mumbai (BOM) to Frankfurt (FRA), around 25 Dec 2026 (9 demo offers, taxes and demo fee included).

  • Forex & money

    Around : Plan how you will carry money abroad

    No sample price for this service yet.

  • eSIM

    Around : Get an eSIM for landing day

    No sample price for this service yet.

  • Airport transfer

    Around : Arrange your airport pickup

    No sample price for this service yet.

Services budget outline (demo-priced services only)

₹60,396 to ₹90,945

For one traveller, adding up 1 demo-priced service. Sample prices from our demo partners — not a quote. Official fees are not in this figure.

How StudentFlow services work

Official fees

What about visa, permit, health and test fees?

Government and test-centre fees are set by the authorities and change. So we never show an amount here. Each card links the official page for the current figure.

No surprises

What did we assume?

Anything you did not tell us is listed here, so you can change it.

  • Every date is counted back from Jan 2027. A month on its own is treated as its first day.
  • We assumed you are at the start (applied, no offer yet, tuition unpaid), travelling alone, with no education loan and no scholarship. Steps that depend on those appear when you save your plan and answer a few questions.
  • We count every step from the beginning. If you have already done some, they are ticked off when you save your plan.
  • Due dates come from our journey rules. We do not predict how long any official application takes.
  • Sample prices from our demo partners — not a quote. Official fees are set by the authorities, so we link their pages and never show an amount.

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Guides

Read next

Plain-English guides for your plan, each with its official source.

Money & proof of funds Germany

Germany blocked account (Sperrkonto) explained

A blocked account is a common way to prove financing for a German student visa. Here is how it works and what to check with official sources first.

Verified Visas & permits Germany

Germany student visa from India, explained

Studying in Germany starts with admission, then proof of financing, insurance and a national visa (D). Here is the route, including the APS certificat...

Verified Arrival Germany

Germany: Anmeldung and your residence permit

Two official steps shape your first weeks in Germany: registering your address (Anmeldung) and getting your residence permit. Here is how to prepare.

Verified Health insurance Germany

Health insurance for students in Germany

Health insurance is mandatory for enrolment and your visa in Germany. Here is statutory versus private cover, and what universities ask for.

Verified

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