Students can find a family doctor (Hausarzt) fastest by looking for a practice near home or the university and calling beforehand to ask whether it takes new patients. For specialist appointments, the appointment service on 116117 helps. If you are new to a city, settle the doctor question before your first infection, so that nobody has to search for long when you fall ill.
Key points in brief
- Find a practice before you fall ill, and ask whether it accepts new patients.
- The appointment service 116117 is available around the clock by phone, online or app.
- You usually need a referral for specialist appointments. It is not required for eye doctors, gynaecologists, family doctors and paediatricians.
- Check your vaccination status with your vaccination record and discuss it with your family doctor.
- In an emergency, the emergency number counts, not the appointment search.
How do you find a family doctor in a new city as a student?
Start by searching near your flat. A short walk matters when you are lying in bed with a fever. Look at practices in online directories or on a map, read the information on the practice website and call. Some practices take no new patients, while others offer online appointments.
Ask fellow students, the student council or flatmates about their experiences. Students who have lived in the city for longer often know practices with flexible hours or short waiting times. At your first visit, bring your health insurance card, your vaccination record and, if you have them, reports or medication lists.
How does changing your doctor work?
If you want to change doctor because you have moved or do not feel well looked after, simply register with the new practice. For existing reports, you can ask the old practice for copies, so that the new doctor knows your medical history. The introductory conversation is also a chance to see whether you get on.
How do you get a specialist appointment?
A specialist appointment usually runs through your family doctor’s practice: they issue a referral, with which you arrange an appointment yourself. If you cannot find one, the appointment service can help. It can be reached on 116117.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When is 116117 available? | Around the clock, by phone, online or app |
| How quickly will I get an appointment? | The service offers a specialist appointment within one week, and the waiting time may not exceed four weeks |
| Do I need a referral? | Yes, except for eye doctors, gynaecologists, family doctors and paediatricians |
| Can I ask for a specific doctor? | No, there is no entitlement to a particular practice |
The Federal Ministry of Health summarises the rules in a leaflet. Do not be discouraged if your first call to a practice does not work out. Try several practices and use the appointment service in parallel.
How do you check your vaccination status?
Take out your vaccination record and show it at your first visit to the family doctor. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) issues recommendations, and recommended vaccinations are covered by statutory health insurance. Which vaccinations make sense for you is decided together with your doctor. It depends on your age, your medical history and your plans, such as a semester abroad.
If you cannot find your vaccination record, ask your parents or former practices for documents and raise the matter with your family doctor’s practice.
Which preventive check-ups make sense for students?
Which preventive examinations are relevant for you depends on your age and sex. Ask at the family doctor’s practice which services your health insurer covers, and note the appointments. Dental check-ups belong here too. If you are new in town, find a dental practice for preventive care straight away.
Health is not only about doctor visits. Healthy eating at university (in German) and a regular sleep pattern (in German) prevent many complaints, but they do not replace medical checks if symptoms persist.
What should you do with acute symptoms or in an emergency?
For mild complaints, call the family doctor’s practice and ask for a short-notice appointment. For severe pain, breathlessness, suspected heart attack or stroke, serious injuries or unconsciousness, dial the emergency number. This also applies if you are unsure whether it is serious enough.
If constant stress or anxiety, for example before exams, weighs on you, raise it at the practice. The articles on reducing stress at university (in German) or dealing with exam anxiety (in German) can also help. This guide is general information and does not replace medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a family doctor as a student?
Search for practices near your flat, ask fellow students about their experiences and call to ask whether new patients are accepted. Bring your health insurance card and your vaccination record. It is best to sort this out early in the semester, before you urgently need a doctor.
How does the appointment service 116117 work?
The appointment service is available around the clock by phone, online or app. It offers a specialist appointment within one week, and the waiting time may not exceed four weeks. You usually need a referral. You have no entitlement to a particular practice.
Can I change my doctor?
Yes, you can register with another practice if you move or are dissatisfied. Ask the old practice for reports and vaccination documents, so that the new doctor knows your medical history.
How do I check my vaccination status?
Show your vaccination record at the family doctor’s practice. There it will be discussed which vaccinations are missing or should be refreshed. Recommended vaccinations from the STIKO are covered by statutory health insurance.
How to get started now
- Find a family doctor’s practice nearby and ask whether it accepts new patients.
- Collect your vaccination record, reports and medication list in one folder.
- Save 116117 and the practice’s number in your phone.
- Ask your health insurer which preventive services apply to you.
Related reading
- Healthy living as a student: nutrition, exercise and everyday life (in German)
- Mental health at university: how to stay stable (in German)
- PKV with pre-existing conditions: what students need to know (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
