Students in Germany who want to find a psychotherapist quickly run into long search results, unanswered calls and the term waiting time. This guide walks you through the steps from the first search to the first consultation, so you know what you can do and when.
Short answer: You can contact practices directly or use the central appointment service on the number 116117. For the psychotherapeutic consultation hours, the German Psychotherapy Guideline provides for up to six units for adults, with a total of up to 150 minutes per illness episode. The appointment services are meant to arrange consultation appointments within four weeks under § 75 para. 1a SGB V (Last updated: November 2026).
The most important points in brief
- According to the Federal Ministry of Health, no referral is required for the consultation hours.
- There are three common routes: contacting practices directly, arranging an appointment through the 116117 service and getting orientation from the counselling service at your university.
- The consultation hours serve to clarify your situation. If needed, two to four probatory sessions follow before a guideline therapy begins.
- Waiting times differ considerably by region. Current figures for your area are available from the responsible regional association of statutory health insurance physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung, KV) and from the appointment service.
- Acute treatment needs follow a separate time limit: under § 75 para. 1a SGB V, the waiting time for psychotherapeutic acute treatment is limited to two weeks.
How do you find a psychotherapist?
In practice, the search happens in several stages. You can call practices yourself, ask for a referral through the appointment service or first use the offer at your university. Which route suits you depends on how urgent your concern is and how flexible your timetable is. Always ask for a consultation appointment and not only for a place in therapy. The consultation hours are the step described in law as the entry point, where it is clarified whether there is a suspicion of a mental illness.
| Route | What it offers | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Direct enquiry to a practice | An appointment in the consultation hours or a place on a waiting list | If you are flexible and can call several practices |
| Appointment service 116117 | Arranging a consultation appointment, within four weeks under § 75 para. 1a SGB V | If you want someone else to handle the search |
| University counselling | First orientation and pointers to suitable services | If you are unsure where to start |
| General practitioner | Clarifying physical causes and discussing the need for treatment | If you first want to rule out a physical cause |
The appointment service 116117 can be reached around the clock. The arrangement is therefore not tied to office hours, which helps especially if you have moved to a new city and do not know the local practices. The article Psychotherapy through the 116117 appointment service explains the process in detail.
How do you recognise a suitable practice?
A practice needs more than free slots. It also has to fit your concern. Check whether the practice offers the procedures that could help with your symptoms, whether it runs consultation hours and probatory sessions, and how it handles insurance questions. A short check in advance saves you an appointment that later turns out not to fit.
- Ask whether the practice offers a psychotherapeutic consultation and how long one unit lasts.
- Clarify whether the practice treats statutory insurance members, private patients or both.
- Note whether you will be placed on a waiting list and how the practice informs you about it.
How long does it take until a place becomes free?
Waiting times are the issue that concerns most students. They depend on the region, on demand and on whether you are looking for a consultation appointment or a therapy place. A reliable national figure for 2026 is not available for this guide. For that reason, we describe waiting times qualitatively here and refer you to the bodies that publish current regional data.
In practice, ask several practices about consultation appointments, waiting lists and the period for which you would be scheduled. Note the date, time, name and result of every call. This keeps you oriented if you need to enquire again. A separate article covers the handling of several waiting lists at once: Waiting on several lists for psychotherapy: what is allowed (in German).
What happens in the first consultation?
In German law, the first meeting is called the psychotherapeutic consultation (Sprechstunde). It serves for advice, for making a diagnosis and for recommending the next steps. The guideline sets the scope precisely. For adults, up to six units per illness episode are provided, and each unit lasts at least 25 minutes. For insured persons up to the age of 21 or with a learning disability, up to ten units apply. The table below summarises the key figures.
| Feature | Adults | Up to age 21 or with intellectual disability |
|---|---|---|
| Units per illness episode | Up to 6 | Up to 10 |
| Total scope | Up to 150 minutes | Up to 250 minutes |
| Minimum length per unit | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Requirement for further treatment | Consultation of at least 50 minutes | Consultation of at least 50 minutes |
The figures are based on the Psychotherapy Guideline (Psychotherapie-Richtlinie) in the version of 21 August 2025, which entered into force on 11 November 2025. The illness episode covers the current calendar quarter and the three following ones. For that reason, clarify in the first conversation how many units have already been used.
Which questions should you clarify by phone?
A short phone call saves time. These points help you judge the appointment before you settle on a practice:
- Whether the practice offers a psychotherapeutic consultation and how long one unit lasts.
- Whether the practice takes patients with your health insurance fund or private tariff.
- How long the waiting time for a consultation appointment is and whether a waiting list is kept.
- Whether acute treatment is available if your concern is urgent.
Write the answers down. If a practice does not offer consultation hours, ask for a pointer to another service. Many practices know the referral routes in their region.
What applies to costs and health insurance?
Whether and to what extent psychotherapeutic treatment is covered depends on the type of your health insurance and on the contract. Statutory insured persons receive benefits through contracted practices, and privately insured persons receive them under their tariff conditions. The article PKV and psychotherapy: what is covered (in German) explains the differences in detail. It is best to clarify cost questions before the first appointment, so that the billing does not dominate the first conversation. A general overview is also available in Private Health Insurance and Psychotherapy: Costs.
When should you not wait for an appointment?
If you see a risk to yourself or to others, do not wait for an appointment. Call the emergency number 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. If you need acute treatment that cannot wait for a regular appointment, the appointment service refers you to acute treatment. Under § 75 para. 1a SGB V, the waiting time for it is limited to two weeks. The article Psychotherapy as acute treatment describes this in more detail.
If the search for a practice is very stressful, changing to another provider can also make sense. The steps are explained in Changing psychotherapist: when it is possible (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral for the psychotherapeutic consultation?
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, no referral is required for the consultation hours. You can contact psychotherapists directly or use the appointment service.
How long does the first consultation last?
Under the guideline, one consultation unit lasts at least 25 minutes. For adults, up to six units per illness episode are provided, totalling up to 150 minutes. Whether you need one unit or several is decided by the practice together with you.
Can I enquire with several practices at the same time?
You can ask several practices about appointments. How waiting lists are handled depends on the individual case and on each practice. Say openly where you have already enquired, so that no double booking arises.
Do I have to decide on therapy after the first consultation?
No. The consultation serves to clarify. A guideline therapy usually begins only after probatory sessions. The guideline provides for at least two and at most four of them. During this phase you check whether the treatment suits you.
Is the first consultation confidential?
Psychotherapists are bound by confidentiality. The article on confidentiality in university counselling (in German) describes how far this duty reaches for university services. Ask openly in the first consultation what happens to the information you give.
What to do next
- Make a short list of practices near you and note which consultation hours they offer.
- Call the appointment service on 116117 if you want it to arrange the appointment for you.
- Write down the date, the result and the stated waiting time for every enquiry.
- If you have no appointment after a few weeks, change the service or ask your university for orientation.
Related reading
- Mental health at university: where to find help
- Psychotherapeutic consultation: what it is and how to book it
- Psychotherapy through the 116117 appointment service
- Psychotherapy as acute treatment
- Private Health Insurance and Psychotherapy: Costs
Sources: Psychotherapy Guideline (Psychotherapie-Richtlinie), version of 21.08.2025, in force since 11.11.2025 (in German), Federal Ministry of Health: entry Psychotherapeutische Sprechstunde, status 08.01.2026 (in German), Section 75 SGB V, Terminservicestellen, gesetze-im-internet.de (accessed November 2026, in German)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
