may enter Germany without a visa. Please find detailed information on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.
either need to apply for a visa themselves, or obtain a confirmation of the German BAMF, which is provided by TUM. This is a EU directive. If you already have a permit related to this Directive 2016/801/EU, you can ignore the following part and enter Germany with this permit. Please check with your home university about this requirement.
Please contact the German Embassy in your country of study as soon as you begin to think about applying for an exchange at TUM, in order to determine if you need to apply for a visa or if TUM needs to apply for the BAMF confirmation.
- Visa application is necessary? Please follow the instructions from the local German Embassy.
- BAMF confirmation is necessary? Please follow the instructions you will receive from TUM G&A Office.
Important advance information for students who need a BAMF confirmation
In order to apply for a BAMF confirmation, TUM needs several documents, among others: a valid residence permit for the purpose of studying (no long term, short term, family visas, etc.) in your country of study, a valid passport, health insurance for Germany, and proof of ability to pay living costs (at least € 992 per month). All documents must be issued in German or English.
- Check that these documents are valid as soon as you begin to think of applying for an exchange at TUM. Please also determine if you can afford living costs (scholarship, sponsor, blocked account statement, declaration of the earning capacity and financial circumstances of your parents and their commitment, educational loan). They must all be valid for the entire time you are at TUM.
- Should they expire before, immediately apply for new ones in advance of applying for your stay. Only with a new permit or passport (confirmation that you have applied for a new passport etc. will not be accepted), valid for the time you are at TUM, can we apply for your BAMF confirmation.
- Applying for a new ID can take a couple of months. In some countries, you can only apply for a new passport after the old one expires. E.g. if it expires in September, you can only apply for a new one in September and will receive the new one in November or December. Only then can TUM apply for the BAMF confirmation, which you would receive in January, as the entire BAMF process can take six or more weeks. However, winter semester begins in October and courses end no later than mid-February.
- Please consider application processing time when planning your exchange. Without the BAMF confirmation, you will not have legal permission to enter Germany for studying and will not be allowed to start studying at TUM.
- It is the responsibility of each student to obtain all necessary documents for the BAMF confirmation from TUM Global & Alumni Office. We will do our best to inform students about the status of their application and any necessary steps in mid-July for the winter term and mid-December for the summer term. If you do not receive the information by e-mail, please contact us immediately.
- For general questions, please check with your home university first. The EU directive mentioned above requires that your home university be kept up to date.
require a visa from the diplomatic representation of the Federal Republic of Germany in their home country to enter Germany. Such a visa must be applied for at least two months in advance because students need the letter of admission from TUM, which you will receive approximately one week after the application deadline.
- Do you need a visa? Overview of visa requirements / exemptions
- What is a Schengen visa, and who can apply? Information on the Schengen visa
Note: Make sure to apply for a „Visa for Study Purposes“ (no research, no business and no internship visa) as you will be enrolled as an exchange student at TUM. The most common one is the “Student Schengen Visa” (short term if staying less than 90 days) or a regular Student Schengen Visa. For more information, see “Visa-Navigator” by the Federal Foreign Office and contact the German embassy of your home country.
No study stay on a tourist visa
Please do not enter Germany on a tourist visa because it cannot be changed later to a visa for study purposes and you will have to return to your home country. Please obtain information from the German diplomatic mission in your home country with regard to the documents you require. Always state the exact purpose of your stay (e.g. student exchange program), to receive the correct visa (Visa for Study Purposes).
Note: Make sure to apply for a „Visa for Study Purposes“ (no research, no business and no internship visa) as you will be enrolled as an exchange student at TUM. The most common one is the “Student Schengen Visa” (short term if staying less than 90 days). For more information, see “Visa-Navigator” by the Federal Foreign Office and contact the German embassy of your home country.
Important: Please only purchase your arrival ticket upon receipt of the TUM admission letter and wait until your visa application (if necessary) was successful. Please be aware that TUM is unable to expedite your visa procedure in Munich.
2. Enroll at TUM
In order to enroll as Practical Project Student (PPS) at TUM, please follow the instructions in the TUM admission letter and complete the three steps within the given deadline:
- Obtain health insurance
- Transfer the semester fee
- Upload a photo in TUMonline.
- Get your TUM Student Card
The official notification about your enrollment at TUM will be sent to you after the completion of the three above mentioned steps. Afterwards, your student card will be printed and sent to the TUM Global & Alumni office where you can collect it on the specified dates.
3. Obtain health insurance
In Germany, all students are obliged to have health and long-term care insurance, i.e. one must prove sufficient health insurance coverage and pay a contribution to the long-term care insurance in order to be entitled to enroll at a German school of higher education. Enrollment is only possible after receipt of verification of coverage. Presentation of an insurance policy from the home country (in the form of a insurance card or an insurance policy) is not sufficient for enrollment; likewise, a travel insurance policy will not be accepted. After you have received the TUM Admission Letter, please arrange your health insurance for enrollment and contact a German statutory insurance provider (see contact list below) as described in the following for either:
- receive an exemption letter from a German statutory insurance provider or
- take out a health insurance policy for students with a German statutory insurance provider. Please note, health insurance contributions are due from the first day of enrollment, even if you arrive later in the semester.
⇒ The German statutory insurance provider will send the confirmation electronically to TUM.
- Please wait for your TUM registration number (“Matrikelnummer”). You will receive it after your TUM admission letter.
- Make a copy of your insurance card, scan it and send it via e-mail to one of the statutory health insurance companies (contacts see below).
- The insurance company will check the copy of your insurance card.
- If the document is correct and recognized for enrollment at TUM, the insurance company will send you an e-mail or letter confirming that everything is correct. The insurance company will then forward your data directly to TUM for enrollment. This service is free of charge.
- After receipt of the above mentioned confirmation e-mail or letter, please forward it immediately to the TUM e-mail address that you can find in your TUM admission letter, stating your name and TUM registration number (“Matrikelnummer”). We will confirm the receipt.
If you need to see a doctor, please present your EHIC / own insurance. The doctor will invoice any treatment costs directly to the health insurance company if the treatment is covered. Please ask the doctor directly if the treatment is covered.
- If you live in a country with which Germany has a social security agreement (= successor states of the former Yugoslavia, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Turkey):
Please send a copy of your insurance policy to one of the German national health insurance companies.
Simply follow the description for EU/EWR citizens and replace the EHIC with your own insurance.
- Travel insurance policies will not be accepted.
- With regard to other insurance in your home country, please note that practically no international health insurance policies are recognized in Germany for enrollment at an institute of higher education, as the level of coverage is too low.
If you want to discuss an exemption from mandatory health insurance – even though chances of success are very low: Please contact one of the statutory health insurance companies in order to clarify this. If the insurance from your home country cannot be accepted for enrollment – which is usually the case –, you need to obtain a statutory health insurance in Germany (see Students who are not insured in their home country).
Should you receive an exemption, it will be valid for the entire duration of the studies – and sometimes beyond – and cannot be revoked. As in the majority of cases the insurance coverage granted in the home country will not be the same as in Germany, an exemption can be disadvantageous. The application for exemption has to be made with one of the statutory health insurance companies at the place of residence/studies. An officially certified translation of the insurance policy issued in the home country must be submitted to the statutory insurance company.
If you receive an exemption, you will not be insured by a German health insurance company, which means that you will initially have to pay all the costs incurred in case of illness – which can be very expensive. Therefore, you have to prove to the Foreigners’ Office that the health insurance company in your home country will reimburse you or accept 100% of the medical service rates charged, which is seldom the case. Otherwise, it is possible that your visa will not be issued.
must obtain insurance from a statutory health insurance company of their choice in Germany.
- Please wait for your TUM registration number (“Matrikelnummer”). You will receive it approximately shortly after the receipt of your admission letter.
- Arrange a health insurance with a German national health insurance company. You can find online forms for this on the health insurance companies’ websites (addresses see below).
- If everything is fine and accepted for enrollment at TUM, the insurance company will send you an e-mail or letter confirming that everything is okay and that the company will forward your data directly to TUM for enrollment.
- After you received the just mentioned confirmation e-mail, promptly forward it to the TUM e-mail address that you can find in your TUM admission letter, including your name and TUM registration number (“Matrikelnummer”). We will confirm the receipt.
- In case you need an official proof of insurance coverage in Germany (e.g. for your visa application, the residence permit, etc.), please directly discuss this with the insurance company, as TUM does not get or issue these confirmations!
Costs: The monthly student tariff is currently €110. The contributions to national German health insurance companies are the same everywhere. However, it is worth comparing the payment options and the insurance coverage.
If you need to see a doctor, please present your German insurance card. The doctor will invoice any treatment costs directly to the health insurance company if the treatment is covered. Please ask the doctor directly in advance if the treatment is covered.
Exceptions from the mandatory health insurance policy
Students who have reached the age of 30, are not obliged to have health insurance to enrol at TUM. However, according to the German law on aliens, you have to be insured during your time in Germany. There are special regulations for several EU countries, so it may be best to contact one of the statutory insurance companies.
General information about health insurance in Germany
You can find the addresses of the statutory health insurance companies in the Yellow Pages and online. It is up to you which insurance company you choose. A selection of statutory health insurance companies including their contacts are listed below. Students will be offered a personal advisor. Please only contact one provider and await a response.
AOK | ||
| Contact in Munich | ||
| Michael Burghardt | Landsberger Str. 150 – 152, 80339 Munich Tel.: 089 – 5444-1979 E-Mail: muenchen.studenten(at)service.by.aok.de AOK website for international students Application for confirmation of health insurance Information and registration form for international students | |
| Contact in Freising | ||
| Monika Stocker-Dietenhofer | Wippenhauserstr. 6, 85354 Freising Tel.: 0049.8441-857 232 | |
| AOK website for international students | ||
Application for confirmation of health insurance Information and registration form for international students | ||
BARMER | ||
| Contact in Munich / Freising | ||
| Robert Auzinger | Grillparzerstr. 14, 81675 München Tel.: 089 - 375 089 701 | |
DAK Gesundheit | ||
| Munich Center – Student-Office | ||
| Ramona Wetzstein | Nymphenburger Str. 13, 80335 Munich Tel.: 0151-74 315 993 Consultation hours by arrangement | |
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | ||
| Contact in Munich | ||
| Stefanie Behnke | Elisenstr. 3, 80335 Munich Tel.: 040 – 460 651 04-713 Consultation hours by arrangement | |
| Contact in Garching | ||
| Alexander Vicari | Elisenstr. 3, 80335 Munich Tel.: 040 – 460 651 04-715 Consultation hours by arrangement | |
4. Transfer the semester fee on time
With your TUM admission letter which you will receive shortly after the application deadline, we will provide you with important information regarding enrollment at TUM including instructions on how to transfer the semester fee. Please make sure to state your full name, your TUM registration number (MTK) and the semester in the subject line of the transfer, otherwise the amount cannot be allocated.
Please note: Your enrollment at TUM only becomes valid once the semester fee has been transferred on time and verification of a German statutory health insurance policy has been submitted and a passport-style picture was uploaded in TUMonline.
5. Optional but highly recommended: additional insurance coverage
At TUM, enrolled students have an accident insurance and journey to/from the university accident insurance (page only available in German). We highly recommend that you additionally take out a private accident insurance for your free time activities (activities outside of the university). It is up to you whether you take out an insurance and which provider you choose.
In addition to the health insurance required for enrollment, the purchase of liability insurance is highly recommended, especially, but not only, for working in a lab. Therefore, please contact your project supervisor and clarify if you are already insured through your affiliation with the lab / project team. If not, please purchase liability insurance that includes lab work at universities for students (laboratory insurance).
You may also need it in case you e.g. accidently break a piece of furniture in a rented room or cause a car accident as a pedestrian. Since in Germany anybody who injures a person or damages someone’s property is held liable, you would have to pay the damages yourself. Liability insurance helps here. Your supervisor may even have a recommendation for insurance.
6. Calculate your cost of living
Living in Munich is expensive. According to recent calculations, at least € 1,200 per month (incl. rent, leisure time activities not included) is needed to live in the Bavarian state capital, though you only have to provide evidence of € 992 for the visa application. The aforementioned monthly amount has to be guaranteed for the duration of the entire stay.
Costs you have to expect when living in Munich:
- Health and long-term care insurance
- EU citizens and countries with which Germany has a social security agreement:
free of charge
- All others: ca. € 120
- Rent
- Dormitory: ca. € 350 - 450
- Private housing market (room in a shared apartment):
ca. € 500 - 800 - Food
ca. € 500 - License fee for public broadcasting
€ 18,36 - Additional costs for public transport, e.g. the "discounted Deutschlandticket"
Only if you subscribe for an additional "Deutschlandticket".
- Semester fee
For enrollment at TUM, all students (including exchange students) need to pay the semester fee which is no tuition fee but fee of the Student Union.
Students of campus Munich, Garching and Weihenstephan
Students of campus Straubing
Students of campus Heilbronn
7. Organize your trip to Germany
Arrange your journey to TUM well in advance and also keep in mind that travel involves unavoidable CO2 emissions. By acting in an environmentally conscious way, your personal carbon consumption can be reduced. On our Thinking green! info page, we give you tips on how to keep your carbon footprint as low as possible and are also happy to share pictures of your experiences with green means of travel.
8. Get to know the university
In addition to the main campus in Munich, TUM has further campuses in Garching, Freising, Straubing, and Heilbronn. These are home to the Schools and the most important research institutes.
9. Seek accommodation
Make sure you find accommodation in Munich or nearby as early as possible, as living here can be very expensive. On the website of our Accommodation Service you will find a video with numerous tips.
10. Public transportation: subscribe to the discounted "Deutschlandticket", if needed
Enrolled students in Bavaria can purchase a “discounted Deutschlandticket" (Ermäßigungsticket) by subscription of € 38.00 per month which includes all local and long-distance public transportation within Germany. The regular price is € 58.00 per month. The ticket must be ordered in the subscription no later than the 25th of the month for the following month and is automatically renewed for the following month. Notice of termination must be given no later than the 10th of the month for cancellation for the following month.