Questions about image properties
What requirements must the photo for a student ID card meet?
A photo for the student ID card must be up-to-date, show the person frontally with a neutral or slightly friendly expression and be evenly lit from the front. The background should be light and neutral. No shadows, no other people, no filters or AI-generated images. Glasses are permitted as long as the eyes are clearly visible. The photo must be in color, sharp and in portrait format with sufficient space around the head and shoulders.
General requirements
- Current photo (usually not older than 6 months)
- Only the person photographed - no other persons, no objects
Image composition & pose
- Frontal shot of the face, looking directly into the camera
- Neutral or slightly friendly facial expression
- Head and shoulders fully visible
- Enough space around the head (no tight cropping)
Lighting
- Uniform, frontal illumination
- No shadows on the face or background
- No strong light sources from behind or the side
- No reflections on skin or glasses
Glasses, accessories & clothing
- Glasses allowed, but:
- no reflections
- Eyes clearly visible
- No sunglasses, caps, hats or scarves
- Discreet clothing (no dress code, but professional appearance recommended)
Background
- Light, neutral, calm (white, light gray, beige)
- No patterns, furniture, windows or depth-of-field “bokeh backdrops”
Technical requirements
- Format: mostly 4:3 or 3:4, portrait format preferred
- Resolution: at least 600 × 800 px
- File: JPG
- Color photo
Not allowed
- AI portraits or AI-enhanced facial area (expressly prohibited at many universities)
- Photos of printed passport photos
- Selfies with wide-angle distortion
- Filters, retouching, beauty filters