Study abroad in India: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not apply there, and we have not found a social security agreement that covers health insurance. You need a visa for entry, which you apply for before travelling. We do not state a tuition figure. The DAAD sets a monthly scholarship rate of 800 euros for students as a benchmark.
Study abroad in India at a glance
| Point | Information (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The European Health Insurance Card does not apply, travel health and evacuation insurance is recommended | European Commission, Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | A visa or e-visa is needed before entry, there is no visa on arrival | Federal Foreign Office |
| Tuition fees | No verified amount, fees depend on the exchange agreement | Host university |
| Living costs | 800 euros per month as a benchmark for students | DAAD, scholarship rates list (undated) |
| Study grant abroad (BAföG) | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW assignment: Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim | German Student Services Network (DSW), leaflet (January 2026) |
All information is general guidance and not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative in each case.
How are you health insured in India?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreements
India lies outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. The European Commission describes the area of validity of the European Health Insurance Card as the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. India is not on this list. Your card from your statutory health insurance fund therefore does not serve as proof of cover for treatment there.
We have not found a social security agreement with India that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. Ask your statutory health insurance fund in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU, and get the answer confirmed. The guide PKV für Studierende im Nicht-EU-Ausland (in German) summarises the basics for statutory insurance members outside the EU.
Health care in India
There are no compulsory vaccinations for direct entry from Germany. The Federal Foreign Office recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations. Standard vaccinations, especially measles, should be up to date. The page also names chikungunya, dengue, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies as individually advisable.
The Federal Foreign Office notes that treatment at large clinics in India often requires a considerable advance payment before treatment begins. Many countries require bills to be settled before discharge, and according to the page this applies particularly at large clinics in India. Ask your insurer before you leave how it settles bills directly in an emergency.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance. According to the page, the cover should include an air rescue flight to Germany. Mountain rescue costs are generally paid first by the traveller. Which benefits you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. Background information is in the guide Auslandskrankenversicherung für Erasmus, USA und Work and Travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for India?
Yes. The Federal Foreign Office names a visa for German citizens that you apply for before entry at an Indian diplomatic mission or as an e-visa. There are no visas on arrival. The e-visa must be applied for at least four days before entry. The e-visa is excluded for provisional passports. The page lists the passport, the provisional passport and the children’s passport as admissible travel documents, identity cards are not admissible.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, tourist visas are generally valid for 365 days and allow up to 90 days per visit, usually with multiple entries. The page gives no details on study visas or visas for longer stays. It names business, employment and entry (X) visas, for example for volunteer work. Whether you need a visa for study in India, and which one, is decided binding by the diplomatic mission of the country. We do not restate a rule of our own, because we have not found an official statement on it.
If you stay more than six months, or if your visa carries a corresponding condition, you must register with the FRRO or FRO within 14 days. Before every entry you complete a digital e-arrival form, and a health declaration is also required. Keep these documents ready:
- Passport, provisional passport or children’s passport, not an identity card
- Visa or e-visa, with the e-visa applied for at least four days before entry
- Digital e-arrival form and health declaration
- Proof of travel health insurance with evacuation cover, as the Federal Foreign Office recommends
According to the Federal Foreign Office, a partial travel warning applies to India (page status 24.10.2026). Travel to Jammu and Kashmir is warned against, and travel to Manipur is strongly advised against. Travel to the immediate border area with Pakistan is also advised against. The page also names terrorist threats, which particularly affect New Delhi and tourist sites, and protests in New Delhi that can lead to curfews or restrictions on mobile internet.
What does a study abroad semester cost in India?
Tuition fees
Which fees apply at the host university depends on the exchange agreement of your home university. We do not name a general amount, because we have not found an official statement on it. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept a place.
Living costs
The DAAD sets a monthly scholarship rate of 800 euros for students in India. This is a benchmark, not a budget. The DAAD scholarship rates list carries no date, so the currency of the figure cannot be read off it. Living costs differ considerably between cities, so ask the host university what it budgets for exchange students.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study grant abroad (BAföG)
Your university decides whether it offers Erasmus+ funds for a study period in India. The International Office provides information. More on planning is in the guide Erasmus und Auslandssemester planen (in German).
A study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) is possible for a partial study period abroad. According to the DSW assignment, the responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. The leaflet (status January 2026) requires a permanent residence in Germany, and funding starts at the earliest with the month in which the application is made. Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, a foreign allowance may be added. Under the BAföG foreign allowance regulation it is a percentage of the need that the Federal Foreign Office sets. We have not found a euro amount for India. All details are in the guide Auslands-BAföG: Voraussetzungen, Höhe und Zuschläge (in German).
Worked example: For a study stay of five months, the DAAD benchmark of 800 euros per month gives 4,000 euros for living costs. Tuition, visa, insurance and flights are not included, because we have no verified amounts for them. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
How to prepare before you leave
- Have your health insurance fund confirm in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU.
- Take out travel health and evacuation insurance that covers an air rescue flight to Germany.
- Apply for your visa or e-visa in good time, the e-visa at least four days before entry.
- Complete the digital e-arrival form and the health declaration before entry.
- Ask the Indian diplomatic mission which visa you need for your studies, and check whether you must register after six months.
- Clarify your vaccinations: hepatitis A and typhoid, standard vaccinations according to the STIKO schedule and further vaccinations according to your individual risk.
- Check the travel warning for your destination region, especially Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and the border area with Pakistan.
- Ask the International Office about fees, insurance requirements and the host university’s budget.
- Submit the study grant abroad application about six months before the start if you receive funding. The required details are in the guide Auslands-BAföG: Voraussetzungen, Höhe und Zuschläge (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in India?
No. The European Commission names the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the area of validity. India is not among them. We have not found an agreement covering health insurance for India.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes, you apply for it before entry, either at an Indian diplomatic mission or as an e-visa. For study, the diplomatic mission decides binding, and we do not restate a rule of our own.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in India?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your home university. We do not name a verified amount. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept a place.
How high are living costs in India?
The DAAD sets 800 euros per month for students as a benchmark, with no date on the scholarship list. It is not a budget, so ask the host university what it expects for exchange students.
Is there a travel warning for India, and does insurance pay for the air rescue flight?
The Federal Foreign Office names a partial travel warning for Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and the border area with Pakistan (page status 24.10.2026), but no warning for the whole country. The page mentions the air rescue flight in connection with evacuation insurance, which you take out yourself.
Which office is responsible for the study grant abroad for India?
According to the DSW assignment, it is the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. The assignment appears in the leaflet of the German Student Services Network (status January 2026).
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, India: Travel and safety advice (page status 24.10.2026)
- European Commission, FAQ on social security: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- DAAD, scholarship rates for students and graduates (undated)
- BAföG foreign allowance regulation, section 2 (undated)
- German Student Services Network, leaflet on study grants abroad (status January 2026)
Sources retrieved on 25.10.2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related reading
- Health insurance during a study abroad semester: What applies? (in German)
- Study Abroad in Japan: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026
- Study Abroad in South Korea: Insurance, Visa, Costs
- All countries for your study abroad semester at a glance (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.
