Insurance and Visa

You are responsible for ensuring that you have adequate insurance cover during your studies or internship abroad. Sufficient health insurance is obligatory, and we strongly recommend a health insurance that also covers return transportation in the event of illness or death as well as a valid liability and accident insurance abroad.

Please obtain information about your existing insurance cover in Germany well in advance and, if necessary, purchase additional insurance for the host country. Clarify with your health insurance company the modalities in the host country in the event of illness (e.g. co-payment, country-specific co-payments, repatriation, etc.). For study visits outside Europe, proof of adequate health insurance must often be presented when entering the country or applying for a visa or even already with your application at the host university. Some European universities also require proof of insurance.

Europe: Ask your health insurance company to issue you with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC is often printed on the back of your national health insurance card. You can find more information here.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a combined health, accident, liability and baggage insurance especially for Erasmus+ program participants and students with a DAAD scholarship (e.g. PROMOS). For more information and registration forms, please contact the DAAD insurance office. If you already have accident insurance and/or personal liability insurance (e.g. through co-insurance with your parents), this insurance package may not be necessary. Information can be found here.

For studying at some of Leuphana's partner universities (e.g. UQ in Australia, USA), it is compulsory to take out local private health insurance. These insurances do not always cover all costs. It may therefore be advisable to take out additional insurance.

If necessary, you should also take out travel health insurance for the period between arrival or departure and the start/end of your studies.

In countries with national health services (e.g. UK), benefits can be claimed by everyone.

EU citizens generally have the right to stay and study or work in other EU countries. If the stay abroad is less than three months, all they need is a valid identity card. If you are staying abroad for more than three months, you generally need to register with the local authorities. To do this, you must prove

• that you are enrolled at a local university,
• that you are able to support yourself and have an income above the local social assistance rate,
• and that you have adequate health insurance.

For study visits to all countries outside the EU, you generally need a student visa to enter the country. The host universities usually provide information on the exact regulations, but of course the Federal Foreign Office and the respective embassies or consulates will also provide information. You must apply for a student visa at least two months, for the USA at least four months, before the start of your studies. You will need a passport valid for at least the duration of your stay and a confirmation of your study place from your host university, a proof of insurance required in the host country and, as a rule, proof of sufficient financial resources and, depending on the country, further proof, e.g. required vaccinations.

Study periods in Europe: International full-time students with a valid residence permit for Germany may study in another EU country for up to 360 days, provided that their German residence permit is valid for the entire duration of their stay, they hold a valid passport and have health insurance for the host country, and they have sufficient financial means to cover their living expenses in the host country (REST Directive). Some Member States require a separate notification to be submitted to the relevant authorities; an overview of the procedures can be found here (download section). A residence permit from the other Member State is not required. International full-time students should contact their host university immediately after being nominated to clarify whether and how the REST Directive is implemented in the host country and which documents need to be submitted and where.

Study stays outside the EU: International full-time students from non-EU countries holding a student visa may leave the country for a maximum of 6 months based on the residence permit issued by the Lüneburg authorities, provided they obtain prior approval from the Foreigners’ Registration Office. After this period, the residence permit expires and, in the event of a subsequent entry, a new visa must be applied for at a German embassy abroad. The conditions for the granting of the residence permit remain unchanged; that is, valid proof of financial means must also be provided for the duration of the stay abroad.