Germany: Opening the Door to Higher Education for Refugees

The free online information session on 24 March will connect asylum-seekers, refugees and newcomers from Africa with one of Berlin’s leading student advisory services to help them navigate the city’s higher-education system.

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For many asylum-seekers and newly arrived migrants in Berlin, the path to university education can seem daunting — complicated by unfamiliar bureaucracy, language barriers and uncertainties about legal status.

To help clarify this path, the German-African Initiative for Development and Integration (GAIDI) gUG will host a free online information session on Tuesday, 24 March 2025, aimed at guiding refugee students and prospective students through the opportunities and requirements of studying in Germany.

The event, titled “Initial Orientation for Refugee Students and Prospective Students — Study Opportunities, Legal Framework Conditions and Advisory Services,” is organised under YANA Berlin, GAIDI’s integration project that supports asylum-seekers, refugees and newcomers from Africa in the German capital.

“Many of the people we work with arrived with academic qualifications and strong ambitions,” GAIDI says. “Often, what they need most is reliable information and guidance.”

Guidance for Aspiring and Continuing Students

The session is intended for newcomers who were already studying before arriving in Germany and wish to continue their education, as well as those hoping to begin university studies for the first time.

Participants will receive practical guidance on university admission requirements, preparatory options such as German language courses and Studienkolleg, and the residency regulations that allow students to remain in Germany during their studies. The programme will also address the recognition of foreign academic qualifications.

Expert Insights

The keynote address will be delivered by Kerstin Greif of the studierendenWERK BERLIN, the public student services organization of the state of Berlin.

StudierendenWERK BERLIN provides services to students at more than 20 universities and other tertiary institutions in the city. Its International Student Counselling Berlin has long supported students with refugee backgrounds as they navigate Germany’s higher-education system.

Greif’s presentation, which will be delivered in German with English and French translations, will address the needs of students seeking to continue interrupted studies and those entering higher education for the first time.

Education as a Path to Integration

Berlin is home to more than 30 higher education institutions in Berlin, many of which offer preparatory and bridging programmes for students with refugee backgrounds. Yet questions about residence permits such as Aufenthaltsgestattung or Duldung, financial support and recognition of foreign qualifications often leave prospective students uncertain about their options.

The 24 March information session aims to address these concerns directly in an accessible online setting.

For many newcomers, initiatives like this are more than just information sessions. They represent an important step towards ensuring that educational opportunity is not limited by the circumstances of one’s arrival.

Sola Jolaoso

EVENT DETAILS
Event: Initial Orientation for Refugee Students and Prospective Students in Berlin’s Higher Education System
Date: Tuesday, 24 March 2025, 4 PM (Berlin Time)
Format: Free online session
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81463506534?pwd=25brNUXyQaBxJffKplQzqwZ8r2PVMi.1
Meeting-ID: 814 6350 6534
Passcode: 677291
Speaker: Kerstin Greif, International Student Counselling, studierendenWERK BERLIN
Organiser: GAIDI gUG, as part of the YANA Berlin integration project
Contact: Tel./WhatsApp: 0176 84980470 / Email: info@gaidi.de