Entry and Insurance

Depending on their country of origin, people wishing to enter the Federal Republic of Germany are subject to different entry requirements. Please inquire about visa regulations concerning your country of origin as soon as possible, however, at the latest after completing the online application at Mobility Online.

Entry

Important notice: Whether you need a visa or not is determined by your nationality. It does not matter in which country you study, i.e. where your home institution is located. If you study in a different country than your country of origin and have a residence permit for this country, you still need to apply for a student visa for Germany. Please inquire about visa regulations concerning your country of origin as soon as possible.

  • Students from countries requiring visa

    Depending on their country of origin, people wishing to enter the Federal Republic of Germany are subject to different entry requirements. Every exchange student is responsible for their visa application themselves.

    Students from countries requiring visa (indicated by a Yes without further figures next to your nationality) have to apply for a student visa in their country of origin, or the country of their home institution, before entering Germany.

    You are not allowed to study in Germany on a tourist visa. It is not possible to exchange a tourist visa for a student visa once you have entered Germany. That means that you would have to go back to your home country in order to apply for a student visa.

    Your visa application will require your official letter of admission by the University of Mannheim. Please contact the responsible German embassy or consulate in your country of origin or the country of your home institution and apply for a student visa immediately after receiving your letter of admission.

    You can find more information on visa on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

  • Students who don’t need visa/residence permits

    EU citizens and EFTA citizens (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) do not need a student visa. After enrollment, they need to register at the Residents' Registration Office.

    Citizens from the following countries do not need a student visa either, they need to apply for a German residence permit at the respective Foreigners’ Registration Office in Germany:

    Australia • Canada •  Israel • Japan • New Zealand • South Korea • United Kingdom • USA

    As long as there is no intention to take up any gainful/paid employment before or after your studies, citizens from the following countries do not need a student visa. However, they need to apply for a German residence permit at the respective Foreigners’ Registration Office in Germany (indicated by a [4] next to your nationality):

    Andorra • Brazil • El Salvador • Honduras • Monaco • San Marino

    Your country is not listed? Then you need a visa.

    Disclaimer: We are continuously checking the contents of the information materials published by the International Office. However, we do not assume liability for these contents. All materials are for general information purposes only and cannot be binding for every individual case. The information provided is not necessarily complete, comprehensive or up-to-date. We do not give legal advice nor legally binding information. Neither can we substitute for information given by experts in individual cases.

  • Arrival and departure dates

    Our fall semester begins on 1 August and ends on 31 January. Our spring semester begins on 1 February and ends on 31 July. Yet, you don’t need to arrive until the Welcome Week or, if you are participating, before the International Summer or Winter Academy starts.  

    Our Welcome Week serves to ease you into your new environment here in Mannheim. During a variety of events, you will get to know other students. You have to arrive in Mannheim in time for enrollment

    The examination period ends before Christmas (fall semester) or by the middle of June (spring semester), respectively. After your last examination, you may return to your home institution. The following list contains the official semester details, the lecture period, and the regular and alternate examination dates.

Insurance

  • Health insurance

    Proof of health insurance coverage with a statutory health insurance provider or exemption from compulsory insurance is compulsory for on-campus students. Your insurance status will then be transmitted to us electronically by the statutory health insurance provider.

    Please make an appointment with a representative of a statutory health insurance provider to take out public health insurance or to request an exemption.

    Do you have or plan to take out German statutory health insurance coverage?

    • Then please request the “Meldegrund 10 für die Universität Mannheim” from your statutory health insurance provider. With this confirmation, the health insurance provider reports to the university that you are insured with the health insurance provider.

    Do you have a European/Global Health Insurance Card (EHIC/GHIC)
    OR AT-11
    OR have you taken out private health insurance?

    • Then you have to request to be exempted from compulsory insurance by a statutory health insurance provider and also request the “Meldegrund 10 für die Universität Mannheim”.  If you were previously insured with a statutory health insurance provider, please contact this health insurance provider, otherwise contact any statutory health insurance provider of your choice.

    Please request the “Meldegrund 10 für die Universität Mannheim” as soon as possible after receiving our enrollment preparation email, so that we receive your proof of health insurance coverage as early as possible. Without this proof, enrollment is not possible.

    Please note:

    •  Submission of your health insurance card/EHIC or certificate of membership is not sufficient.
    • We strongly recommend international students from non-EU countries to take out statutory health insurance. Otherwise you may have to advance all payments for a doctor's visit/hospital stay or treatment. The invoices can amount to big sums easliy (depending on the illness and on the scope and duration of treatment, it can be several thousand euros!).
    • If you have international/private insurance, you will be responsible for all treatment costs up front and reimbursement by your insurance company may take several weeks. This might result in financial problems. We want to inform you that international/private insurances do not have the same coverage as German statutory insurances. The following benefits are often not included with international/private insurances:
      • Inpatient and outpatient treatment in a foreign country for chronic illnesses
      • Accidents that occur under the influence of alcohol, or are otherwise caused by negligence
      • Dental procedures
      • Routine prenatal care
    • Your decision against a membership with a German statutory health insurance is irrevocable. As long as you are a student in Germany you cannot enter a German statutory insurance paying the reduced student rate if you have not done so from the beginning.
    • Statutory health insurance in Germany costs approximately €125 per month (student rate by all statutory health insurance companies). The health insurance coverage begins on the day of enrollment. For the spring semester, however, health insurance coverage begins no sooner than 1 February. Thus, if you arrive earlier than 1 February, we strongly recommend to purchase a travel insurance (only!) for the time until then.
    • Statutory student health insurance ends after your 30th birthday. In this case, you need to purchase a private health insurance.
    • For your information, we summarized the standard health insurance benefits in the following document: Health insurance benefits.
  • Travel insurance

    For the duration of your travel to Germany and your first days here, taking out a travel insurance policy is recommended. Your home institution might be able to assist you in choosing a travel insurance provider.

  • Private liability insurance

    We strongly advise international students to take out private liability insurance. Private liability insurance covers typical everyday damages to other people's property (for example damages to a car caused by a bicycle accident or damages caused when practicing sports etc.). When taking out private liability insurance in your home country, please check in advance whether the insurance provider will answer for damages caused during your stay abroad.

Contact

Nadja Kindinger

Nadja Kindinger (she/her)

Team Coordinator, Advisor for International Exchange Students
University of Mannheim
Division II – Student Affairs
International Office
L 1, 1 – Room 110
68161 Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 181-1153
Fax: +49 621 181-1161
E-mail: kindingermail-uni-mannheim.de
Office hours:
Working from home every Monday and Friday as well as Thursday in even calendar weeks; on these days you can reach me via email only.