Study abroad in Canada: the European Health Insurance Card is not valid there, and the social security agreement covers only pension insurance. According to the immigration authority IRCC, a programme of up to six months needs no study permit, but you need an eTA when flying. The University of Alberta cites 7,500 to 12,000 Canadian dollars per semester.
Study abroad in Canada at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC is not valid, the agreement covers only pension insurance | European Commission, DVKA |
| Visa | Study permit only for programmes over six months; eTA (7 CAD) when arriving by air | IRCC, German Federal Foreign Office |
| Local health insurance | Example University of Alberta: mandatory UAHIP, 53 CAD per month | University of Alberta |
| Living costs | 7,500 to 12,000 CAD per semester (example Alberta, four months) | University of Alberta |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Possible, responsible office: Studierendenwerk Thüringen | German Student Services (DSW) |
All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.
How are you insured in Canada?
EHIC and social security agreement
Canada is not part of the EU or the EEA. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid there, as the European Commission limits it to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. According to the German liaison body for health insurance abroad (DVKA, supplementary agreement as of 1 December 2003), the German-Canadian social security agreement covers, on the German side, pension insurance, the supplementary miners’ pension scheme and old-age security for farmers, and on the Canadian side the Old Age Security pension and the Canada Pension Plan. Health insurance is not included.
For statutorily insured students this means you pay treatment costs in the host country yourself at first, or through insurance taken out locally or abroad. According to the Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, German cover does not apply outside the EU, and a private travel health policy is advised for full cover in case of illness. Whether your German insurance continues during the semester depends on your enrolment and your insurer, so get it confirmed in writing. If you have private insurance, see Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German) and, for countries outside the EU, Private health insurance for students outside the EU (in German).
Healthcare and local insurance
The German Federal Foreign Office describes the health system as state-run and notes that doctor appointments are hard to get, while treatment is expensive and often has to be paid in advance, apart from initial emergency care. Many Canadian universities require their exchange students to take out their own health insurance. The University of Alberta, for example, requires the University of Alberta Health Insurance Plan at 53 Canadian dollars per month. Your host university will tell you which insurance it requires and how it relates to your German cover.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The German Federal Foreign Office advises travel health and repatriation insurance that also covers a medical flight back to Germany. Without it, travellers bear the costs themselves. The federal portal names higher co-payments abroad and repatriation costs as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. What you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Canada?
That depends on the length of the programme. According to the Canadian immigration authority IRCC, no study permit is needed for study programmes of up to six months. For longer programmes, you need a study permit before entry. Check the IRCC page and your host university before you fix your programme.
Separately, you need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) when arriving by air. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, it costs 7 Canadian dollars and should be applied for early through the official government website, as unofficial sites charge much higher fees. Tourist, business or transit stays of up to six months are visa-free. Entry is not guaranteed, as the border officer decides. Visa applications from Germany go to the Canadian embassy in Vienna.
- Valid passport
- eTA when arriving by air
- For programmes over six months: study permit, to be applied for before entry
- Admission by the host university and the proof the authority requires
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Canada (page as of 7 October 2026). It names large wildfires in British Columbia and north-western Ontario with possible road closures and poor air quality, as well as heightened security checks at entry. Read the current travel and safety advice before you leave.
What does a semester in Canada cost?
Tuition fees
The University of Alberta waives tuition fees for exchange students under a valid partnership agreement, and you pay them to your home university. Whether this also applies to your host university depends on your university’s agreement. Ask your international office.
Living costs
The University of Alberta cites 7,500 to 12,000 Canadian dollars for a four-month semester with shared on-campus housing. A shared on-campus room costs 1,100 to 1,500 dollars per month, a single room 1,400 to 2,000 dollars and shared off-campus flats 1,100 to 2,000 dollars. Food off campus is 400 to 800 dollars, the university health insurance 53 dollars per month and the transit pass 182.50 dollars per semester. Not included are travel to Canada, visa fees and leisure. The figures apply to this university, and other cities may differ.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
Canada is not on the European Commission’s list of Erasmus+ programme countries. Whether your university offers funding for Canada depends on the partner institution and your university’s programmes, so ask your international office. For more on the programme, see Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for part of a degree abroad. According to the German Student Services, the Studierendenwerk Thüringen is responsible for Canada. According to the leaflet (as of January 2026), you need a permanent residence in Germany, funding starts at the earliest in the month of application, and you should apply online about six months before you start. It includes a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year, and for study outside the EU and Switzerland possibly a monthly foreign-country supplement. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
Worked example: According to the University of Alberta, a four-month semester comes to 7,500 to 12,000 Canadian dollars in living costs, around 1,875 to 3,000 dollars per month. The 7 dollar eTA, travel and your home university semester fee are added. Convert the amounts into euros at the current exchange rate. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
Steps before you leave
- Ask the host university whether its programme lasts longer than six months and whether you need a study permit.
- Apply for the eTA through the official government website before you fly.
- Ask the host university which health insurance it requires.
- Check whether proof of vaccination or health is requested.
- Ask your insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance if your cover does not include repatriation and treatment that can wait.
- If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the responsible office (the Studierendenwerk Thüringen) about six months before you start.
- Ask your international office about funding and the host university fees.
Frequently asked questions
Does my EHIC work in Canada?
No. The card is valid only in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The social security agreement with Canada covers only pension insurance.
Do I need a visa or study permit for Canada?
According to IRCC, no study permit for programmes of up to six months, but yes for longer ones. When arriving by air you need an eTA.
How much does the eTA cost?
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, 7 Canadian dollars. Apply only through the official government website.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Canada?
Under a partnership agreement, you pay the fees to your home university, according to the University of Alberta. Ask your university about its agreement.
Do I need my own health insurance in Canada?
Many universities require it, and the University of Alberta asks for 53 Canadian dollars per month. Ask your host university.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for Canada?
The Studierendenwerk Thüringen.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, Canada: travel and safety advice (page of 7 October 2026)
- DVKA, social security agreement between Germany and Canada (supplementary agreement as of 1 December 2003, in German)
- IRCC, Study in Canada without a study permit (page researched in October 2026)
- University of Alberta, estimated expenses for exchange students (page with details for autumn 2026)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- European Commission, Erasmus+: programme countries (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, leaflet on cover abroad (undated, in German)
- German federal portal, health insurance abroad (last updated 6 December 2022, in German)
- German Student Services, Auslands-BAföG leaflet (as of January 2026, in German)
Sources accessed on 25 October 2026 unless stated otherwise.
Related guides
- Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Semester abroad in the USA (in German)
- Semester abroad in Australia (in German)
- All countries for your semester abroad (in German)
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
