Study abroad in Tanzania: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not apply there, so you need private travel health insurance. For entry, the German Federal Foreign Office lists a visa for German citizens, which you can apply for in advance as an e-visa. Whether a study stay has its own rule is for the embassy to say. We have no verified tuition figure, and the DAAD gives a reference rate of 875 euros for students.
Study abroad in Tanzania at a glance
| Item | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | EHIC does not apply, travel health insurance is needed | European Commission, EHIC FAQ (undated) |
| Visa and travel document | Visa required, e-visa or visa on arrival for currently 50 US dollars, study not mentioned | Federal Foreign Office (status 25.10.2026) |
| Tuition fees | No verified official figure, the exchange agreement of your university decides | No official source verified |
| Living costs | DAAD reference rate: scholarship rate of 875 euros for students, no period given | DAAD scholarship rates (undated) |
| Study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW allocation: Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg | German Student Services (DSW), leaflet (status January 2026) |
All information is general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative in each case.
How are you health insured in Tanzania?
The European Health Insurance Card does not apply in Tanzania
The EHIC applies in the EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The FAQ of the European Commission on the card names no African state, so Tanzania is not included. Your statutory health insurance card therefore does not serve as proof of cover in Tanzania, and treatment follows the local rules. A doctor may demand full payment or advance payment.
We have not found a verified social security agreement with Tanzania that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. Ask your health insurer in writing before you leave how your cover continues during the stay. The basics for statutory insured students are in our guide Health insurance during a study abroad semester: What applies? (in German).
The Federal Foreign Office notes that doctors and hospitals often demand payment before discharge, or payment in advance. An unpaid bill can lead to a refusal to let you leave the country. Plan enough money for treatment until your insurer reimburses the costs.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The EHIC never replaces travel health insurance. According to the European Commission, the card does not cover repatriation to Germany after a serious illness or accident. For Tanzania, the Federal Foreign Office advises travel health insurance that includes an air ambulance flight to Germany, and medical evacuation insurance. Ask your insurer whether the cover includes the air ambulance flight. Background is in our guide Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Tanzania?
For German citizens, the Federal Foreign Office lists a visa as required. It advises applying for an e-visa in advance, processing takes at least ten working days. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa on arrival. It is not guaranteed, and waiting times are possible. The fee is currently 50 US dollars, payable by credit card or in cash in US dollar notes of 50 or 100 dollars.
Whether you need a visa for study, and which one, is for the embassy of the country to say, and that answer is binding. We do not repeat a rule of our own, because we have no official statement on study that we could verify. The travel and security information of the Federal Foreign Office for Tanzania names the entry rules for German citizens and does not mention study.
For entry, the Federal Foreign Office lists these points:
- Passport or temporary passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the end of the trip when you enter. Identity card and temporary identity card are not accepted.
- E-visa or visa on arrival with a fee of currently 50 US dollars.
- Entry insurance of the NIC, which must be proven since 1 October 2026. It costs currently 44 US dollars per person and is valid for up to 92 days.
- Travel health insurance with an air ambulance flight to Germany, as the Federal Foreign Office advises.
For Zanzibar, the page additionally names a separate ZIC insurance, also at 44 US dollars.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for the entire country (status of the page 25.10.2026). The page does advise against unnecessary travel to the southern part of the Mtwara region, which borders Mozambique, and to the islands and the coastal area south of Kisiju. It also names a terror risk across the whole country, high and rising crime with kidnappings for ransom, and calls for government-critical protests on 29 October 2026.
What does a study abroad semester in Tanzania cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees the host university charges depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general amount, because we have not verified an official figure. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept an offer.
Living costs
We do not name a verified monthly amount for living costs. Ask your host university for its budget for exchange students.
The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 875 euros for students in Tanzania. This is a reference figure, not a budget. The DAAD list carries no date and gives the amount without a period.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG)
Tanzania appears on the list of the European Commission under third countries that are not associated with the programme, in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The list names these states only for certain actions and under certain conditions. Ask your International Office whether an exchange with Tanzania can be funded that way. More in our guide Planning a study abroad semester: application, Erasmus and funding (in German).
Study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) is possible for a partial period of study abroad. According to the DSW allocation, the responsible office is Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg, Amt für Ausbildungsförderung. The leaflet names this office for Africa and Oceania except Australia and does not allocate individual countries. It requires permanent residence in Germany. The application should be made about six months before the start. Funding begins with the month of the application and at the earliest with the start of study. The leaflet covers tuition fees up to 5,600 euros, for one year at most. It does not state an amount for the travel allowance or the health insurance supplement. More in our guide Study grant abroad: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German).
For training outside the EU and Switzerland there is a monthly supplement under the BAföG Foreign Supplement Ordinance (BAföG-AuslandszuschlagsV). The amount is a percentage that the Federal Foreign Office sets. The amounts per country are not in the ordinance text, so we do not name a euro sum for Tanzania.
Worked example
The only fixed amounts verified so far are the entry fees: 50 US dollars for the visa and 44 US dollars for the entry insurance, 94 US dollars together. Convert them into euros at the current daily rate. Living costs, host university fees, flights and travel health insurance are not included. The total is a guide, not a promise.
How to prepare before you leave
- Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during the study abroad semester, before you sign the study agreement with the host university.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance that includes an air ambulance flight to Germany and medical evacuation.
- Apply for your e-visa at least ten working days before departure. Check that your passport is valid for six months beyond the end of the trip.
- Register for the NIC entry insurance, which must be proven since 1 October 2026 and currently costs 44 US dollars.
- Ask your university which fees the exchange agreement covers, and ask the host university for its budget for exchange students.
- File the study grant application (Auslands-BAföG) with Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg about six months before the start, if you are eligible.
- Get advice on vaccinations. The Federal Foreign Office names hepatitis A and polio, and depending on your situation hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid. Standard vaccinations should be up to date, especially measles.
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Tanzania?
No. The European Commission names the EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as its area of validity. Tanzania is not among them. You therefore need private travel health insurance with repatriation cover.
Do I need a visa for Tanzania?
The Federal Foreign Office lists a visa as required for German citizens. An e-visa or a visa on arrival costs currently 50 US dollars. Whether you need a different visa for study is for the embassy to say, and that answer is binding.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Tanzania?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general fee, because no official figure is verified. Ask your university before you accept the place.
How much money do I need for living costs in Tanzania?
We do not name a verified monthly figure. The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 875 euros for students as a reference figure, without a period. Ask your host university for its budget.
Is there a travel warning for Tanzania?
According to the Federal Foreign Office there is no travel warning for the entire country (status of the page 25.10.2026). The page does advise against unnecessary travel to the southern part of the Mtwara region, and to the islands and the coastal area south of Kisiju.
Who is responsible for study grants abroad (Auslands-BAföG) for Tanzania?
According to the DSW allocation, it is Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg, Amt für Ausbildungsförderung. The leaflet names this office for Africa and Oceania except Australia and does not allocate individual countries.
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Tanzania: travel and security information (status of the page 25.10.2026), link
- European Commission, FAQ on the European Health Insurance Card (undated), link
- European Commission, Erasmus+ programme countries and third countries (status of retrieval 25.10.2026), link
- DAAD, Scholarship rates for students and graduate doctoral candidates (undated), link
- German Student Services (DSW), leaflet Study grant abroad (status January 2026), link
- Federal Ministry of Justice, BAföG Foreign Supplement Ordinance (last amended 15.07.2022), link
Sources retrieved on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related
- Health insurance during a study abroad semester (in German)
- Study grant abroad: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German)
- Private health insurance for students outside the EU: 5 tips (in German)
- Study abroad in Egypt: health insurance, visa, costs (in German)
- All countries for your study abroad semester (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.
