Study abroad in Poland: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers medically necessary treatment, but not repatriation. The German Federal Foreign Office names no visa requirement for German citizens. The University of Warsaw gives an overall budget of 3,000 to 5,000 zloty a month, undated.
Study abroad in Poland at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC applies, repatriation is not covered | European Commission (EHIC FAQ), German Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | No visa requirement named, registration may be requested after three months | German Federal Foreign Office, European Commission (Your Europe) |
| Tuition fees | Erasmus+ students are exempt from fees for tuition, registration and examinations, small fees may apply | European Commission (Erasmus+) |
| Living costs | Overall budget 3,000 to 5,000 zloty a month (undated page) | University of Warsaw |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW: Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau | German Student Services (DSW), leaflet January 2026 |
All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.
How are you insured in Poland?
EHIC and your statutory health insurance
Poland is an EU member, so the EHIC applies there. According to the European Commission, treatment follows the law of the host country. For students, the card replaces the form E-128 and gives access to treatment that is necessary given the length of your stay. The Commission states that the card has nothing to do with repatriation. The German Federal Foreign Office names the EHIC explicitly as the document for statutorily insured travellers.
Ask your statutory health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement. Also check that the card is valid until the end of your stay. If you have private health insurance, the basics are covered in our guide Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German).
The Federal Foreign Office also notes that in many countries bills must be settled before discharge from hospital. It does not say this specifically for Poland, but plan for a possible advance payment.
What does your German insurer pay?
Treatment is billed under the rules of the host country. Abroad, higher co-payments can apply, which is a cost risk. Keep all receipts. If you pay for treatment first, the German federal portal says your insurer reimburses only what comparable treatment would have cost in the insuring state, minus an administrative deduction.
Inpatient treatment in the EU requires prior approval from your insurer, as does treatment that also needs approval in Germany. For planned outpatient treatment, the federal portal advises checking with your insurer in advance.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The card does not replace travel health insurance. Repatriation to Germany is not covered. The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises insurance with repatriation cover for the whole stay and suggests asking your health insurer whether an air ambulance flight to Germany is covered. The federal portal names repatriation and higher co-payments abroad as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Poland?
No. The German Federal Foreign Office names no visa requirement for German citizens in Poland. Accepted travel documents are a passport, a provisional passport, an ID card, a provisional ID card and a children’s passport. Travel documents must be valid for the entire length of your stay.
According to the European Commission, the host country may not require registration during the first three months. After that, Poland may require you to register your residence. For stays longer than three months, the Commission names three conditions: enrolment at a recognised institution, comprehensive health insurance and sufficient resources. Keep these documents ready:
- A valid ID card or passport
- Proof of enrolment at the host university
- Proof of comprehensive health insurance
- Proof of sufficient resources, the Commission names no fixed minimum amount
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Poland (page as of 24 October 2026). Since July 2025, Poland has carried out border controls at the German and Lithuanian borders, which can cause waiting times. Petty crime such as pickpocketing mainly occurs in cities, tourist centres and on public transport. Since April 2025, photography of military and strategically important sites is prohibited.
For direct entry from Germany, the Federal Foreign Office states that no compulsory vaccinations apply. Hepatitis A is recommended, and depending on the indication FSME and hepatitis B. Standard vaccinations recommended by STIKO, especially against measles, should be up to date.
What does a semester in Poland cost?
Tuition fees
As an Erasmus+ student, you are exempt from fees for tuition, registration and examinations at the host university. The Commission also names fees for access to laboratories and libraries as covered. Small fees, for example for insurance or membership of a student union, may still apply. We have not verified their amount, so ask your host university.
Living costs
The University of Warsaw gives its figures in zloty, which we reproduce unchanged. Overall budget: 3,000 to 5,000 zloty a month. Student residence: 480 to 1,100 zloty, shared flat from 1,600 zloty, food from 700 zloty, phone and internet from 25 zloty, study materials 150 to 300 zloty, leisure from 300 zloty. For a monthly public transport pass the page gives 110 zloty, or 55 zloty at the reduced student rate. The page carries no date and addresses students in general, not exchange students in particular. Convert at the current exchange rate and ask your host university for its budget.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
Your university sets the Erasmus+ grant. The Commission describes it as a contribution to travel and daily living costs, with the amount depending among other things on living costs, the number of applicants and the distance between countries. It names no fixed amount. For more, see Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for study abroad. A permanent residence in Germany is required. Funding starts in the month of application, at the earliest with the start of the study abroad. According to the leaflet, the application should ideally be made six months before you start. Within the EU, the leaflet of the German Student Services (as of January 2026) does not require a prior year of study in Germany. According to the DSW assignment, the Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau is responsible for Poland. The leaflet names a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
Worked example: For a five-month Erasmus+ semester, an overall budget of 3,000 to 5,000 zloty a month comes to 15,000 to 25,000 zloty. Convert this at the current exchange rate. Small fees, whose amount we have not verified, are extra. Travel and travel health insurance are not included. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
Steps before you leave
- Ask your statutory health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement.
- Check that your EHIC is valid until the end of your stay and order a new card in good time if needed.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance with repatriation cover, and ask whether an air ambulance flight is covered.
- Ask your insurer whether planned treatment needs prior approval.
- If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application about six months before you start.
- Ask your international office about the Erasmus+ grant and all fees at the host university.
- Ask a doctor to check your measles and hepatitis A protection.
- Keep your ID card or passport, proof of enrolment and proof of insurance ready for a possible registration after three months.
Frequently asked questions
Does my EHIC work in Poland?
Yes, for medically necessary treatment under the rules of the host country. Treatment that can wait until you return and repatriation are not covered.
Do I need a visa for Poland?
No. The Federal Foreign Office names no visa requirement for German citizens. After three months, Poland may require you to register.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Poland?
Not as an Erasmus+ student for tuition, registration and examinations. Small fees, for example for insurance, may apply.
What are living costs in Poland?
The University of Warsaw names an overall budget of 3,000 to 5,000 zloty a month. The page is undated and addresses students in general.
Does my health insurer pay for repatriation?
The European Commission says the card has nothing to do with repatriation. Travel health and repatriation insurance covers this risk. Ask your insurer about the scope of cover.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for Poland?
According to the DSW assignment, the Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau is responsible.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, Poland: travel and safety advice (page as of 24 October 2026, in German)
- European Commission, Your Europe: Studying in another EU country (last changed 30 September 2026)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- European Commission, Erasmus+: studying abroad (last updated 18 December 2025)
- 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)
- University of Warsaw, Living costs (undated)
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)
- Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German)
- Study abroad in Lithuania
- 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.
