UK school groups will soon be able to travel to Germany without a visa

It will be simpler for UK school groups to visit Germany — thanks to a new agreement between the UK and German governments that will allow visa-free group travel.

New Rules Open the Door for German School Trips & Exchanges

Currently, students without a UK or EU passport must apply for a visa to join a school trip to Germany. Under the proposed system, visas will no longer be required, reducing costs and simplifying border arrangements for school groups. 

The pledge to make it easier for young people from the UK and Germany to visit each other’s countries was part of the Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation Treaty, signed on 17 July 2025 by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Due to come into force by the end of 2025, the aim is to boost opportunities for linguistic, cultural, and academic experiences — and increase school exchanges between the two countries.

While the exact process is yet to be confirmed, it is expected to involve a single group name list, similar to the visa-free arrangement already in place for school trips to France.

These announcements follow other recent relaxations for educational trips to Europe. Earlier this year, for example, the UK and French governments introduced a fast-track border process at Dover, specially designed to help school groups speed through the port.

Keep Up to Date with Changing EU Travel Rules For Schools

While this agreement is a major step forward, other new EU travel requirements — such as the EES and ETIAS systems — will apply to school groups from October 2025. You can read our full guide on EES and ETIAS Frequently Asked Questions.

There's Not Been A Better Time to Plan Your German School Trip!

Voyager offers a range of German school trips, including our uniquely immersive German residential to Hellenthal, which can be reached by ferry. Discover all our itineraries here: German school trip destinations.

Get in touch with our German destination experts today and start planning your next trip.