What you need to prepare – Overview for international students

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There are a few things to consider when you start your studies in Germany, and we would like to give you a few recommendations on what you should take care of before you arrive.

First, we have two general tips to help you get ready:

It is a good idea to start preparing early. This means getting information about what you need to do and starting to gather the right documents and qualifications.
As a rule of thumb, it is easier to come to Germany to study if you live in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland. If you are from another country, you will have to deal with a bit more paperwork. In any case, DAK-Gesundheit will be happy to welcome you.

If you are an international student and would like to study in Germany, this is an overview of what’s important for you.

University entrance qualification

Check if your qualifications are sufficient for studying in Germany. Your school or the university of your choice should be able to advise you. Another good way is to check the Anabin database (in German). For a guide in English on how to use the database, please visit https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/search?tx_solr%5Bq%5D=anabin#filter54998

If you are from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland, and meet the requirements to study in your home country, you will most likely also be able to study in Germany.

German language skills

For an international course in English, knowledge of German is not required – but it is helpful for everyday life. If your classes are in German, you will need to have a certain level of language proficiency, which can be certified by the TestDaF or DSH language test.

Visa

Whether you need a visa depends on the country you are from, the length of your stay and the purpose of your visit. Learn more about the visa options and how to get a visa.

Proof of financing

There are several ways to prove that you have the necessary financial means to live and study in Germany. Funding can be demonstrated by providing information about your parents' financial situation, by a letter of commitment from a person with sufficient assets or income, by placing funds in a blocked account (so called “Sperrkonto”) in Germany or by depositing a bank guarantee with a German bank that must be renewed annually.

Application to a university

Apply for the study program of your choice either via uni-assist.de, the Foundation for Admission to Higher Education (“Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung”) or directly at the university. The respective sites will also inform you about their requirements for enrollment (“Voraussetzungen für die Immatrikulation”).

These typically include:

An officially authenticated copy of the university entrance qualification certificate
A transcript of subjects and grades (officially translated and certified)
An officially authenticated copy of all previous university certificates (if available)
A passport photo
A copy of the passport (pages containing name and photo)
Authenticated copies of language certificates

Application deadlines

Please note the date by which your application must be received by the university. This may vary as the deadlines are not the same everywhere, so you should check with the university in question.

Start of studies in the winter semester: application deadline usually late May to mid-July
Start of studies in the summer semester: application deadline usually early December until mid-January

Living in Germany

Be sure to start looking for housing before you leave for Germany. It is best to apply for a room in a hall of residence as soon as you receive your admission letter. Or you can find a room in a shared apartment. But this is usually much easier after you arrive in Germany. ). Finding a place to live in Germany can take some time and effort. So please be prepared and do not get frustrated if it takes longer than expected. We are confident that you will find a place to live.

Health insurance

To study at a university in Germany, health insurance is mandatory (private or public).

There is a public health insurance for students at a low rate, but you must meet certain requirements to qualify: You have to be under 30 years of age and need to study at a state or state-recognized university.

If you do not meet these requirements, you may be able to take out voluntary insurance if you have already had statutory health insurance for a certain period in Germany or Europe. Sometimes you can also be covered for free by your parents' or spouse's family insurance, but they must live in Germany.

Students under the age of 30

If you are a student under the age of 30 and your university is state or state-recognized, you can take out student insurance with us at a low student rate. It doesn't matter whether you come from the EU or a non-EU country.

Become a member

Students over 30 years

If someone from abroad (whether from the EU or Non-EU) comes to Germany to study and is over 30 years of age, insurance at the student rate is not possible.

Note for students from the EU/EEA, Switzerland or contracting states
Students from the European Union, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, or Türkiye can, under certain conditions, remain insured through their home country. Please ask your health insurance provider in your home country to provide you with an international health insurance card (EHIC - European Health Insurance Card).
Contact us with your EHIC, your address in Germany, and your admission letter or certificate of enrollment from the university. Once we have received all the necessary documents, we will confirm your insurance status and send it to the university (M10).

Insurance status confirmation for university (M10)

The prerequisite for enrollment is the M10 notification from the health insurance company to the university. You can apply for membership with DAK-Gesundheit as soon as you have been admitted to the university. We will then check your documents and notify you immediately if we need additional information.

Once you are a member, we will send the M10 notification to your college or university, even if you do not yet have a place of residence in Germany. You can find out whether the notification has been received by contacting your university directly. Please note: As soon as you are in Germany, we will need your local address.

If you have private health insurance, any statutory health insurance company can send the M10 notification to the university.

Helpful links

The official page of DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) gives all the latest information on what you need to prepare and consider – no matter where you are from.