Students who need psychotherapy in Germany usually start with a psychotherapeutic consultation (psychotherapeutische Sprechstunde) under statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV). How long you wait depends on whether the case is acute and how quickly the central appointment service (Terminservicestelle) can find a slot. This guide explains the steps, the cost question for statutory and private insurance, and how to get help faster.
Short answer: Adults with statutory insurance can use up to six psychotherapeutic consultations per illness, each at least 25 minutes. For acute needs, the wait for a treatment appointment must not exceed two weeks. The central appointment service on 116117 must arrange consultations within four weeks. Last updated: October 2026, Federal Ministry of Health.
The Most Important Points
- The consultation is usually the first step. It clarifies whether a mental illness is present and gives a recommendation for treatment.
- You need no referral for the consultation. The appointment service 116117 is reachable around the clock.
- For acute needs, the wait for a treatment appointment must not exceed two weeks.
- With reimbursement (Kostenerstattung) you must inform your insurer in advance. For benefits in kind through approved therapists, that step is not required.
- In private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV), reimbursement depends on your tariff. Health questions when you apply also matter.
How Does the Psychotherapeutic Consultation Work?
The consultation serves to clarify the situation. It includes counselling, a first diagnosis and a recommendation on how to continue. It requires personal contact. Only afterwards, if needed, does further treatment follow, and that requires a consultation of at least 50 minutes.
The scope is limited by law. The table shows the rules as the Federal Ministry of Health describes them.
| Step | Scope | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Psychotherapeutic consultation (adults) | up to 6 appointments per illness, at least 25 minutes each, up to 150 minutes in total | Federal Ministry of Health, as of 8 January 2026 |
| Consultation up to age 21 or with intellectual disability | up to 10 appointments, up to 250 minutes in total | Federal Ministry of Health, as of 8 January 2026 |
| Acute treatment afterwards | up to 24 individual sessions, up to 600 minutes in total | Federal Ministry of Health, as of 8 January 2026 |
| Appointment arrangement by the appointment service | consultation appointment within 4 weeks | Federal Ministry of Health, as of 8 January 2026 |
These rules apply to statutory insurance. If you have private insurance, check scope and reimbursement with your insurer. A separate guide on this is available: PKV and psychotherapy: what is covered (in German).
How Can You Get an Appointment Faster?
The fastest route is usually the appointment service. It can be reached by phone on 116117, and also via the website 116117.de and the app 116117.app. You do not need a referral. The appointment service must arrange consultation appointments within four weeks.
With acute symptoms, every week counts. If acute treatment is needed, the wait must not exceed two weeks. Describe the situation briefly on the phone so the service can judge how urgent it is.
- Call the appointment service on 116117 or use the website 116117.de.
- Book a consultation and note the place and time.
- After the consultation, ask for the recommendation in writing and clarify whether acute treatment is needed.
- If the wait is too long, ask the appointment service specifically for an earlier slot.
Who Pays for Therapy, the Insurer or Private Insurance?
In statutory health insurance, treatment is usually provided as a benefit in kind. You visit an approved therapist, and your insurer pays directly. If you choose reimbursement, you must inform your insurer before you use the service (section 13 (2) SGB V).
Reimbursement for a therapist you choose yourself is possible only within narrow limits. The insurer must not have provided an urgent service in time, or must have wrongly refused it (section 13 (3) SGB V). Psychotherapists must also meet the requirements of section 95c SGB V.
In private health insurance, reimbursement depends on your tariff. What is common there and which points to check are explained in our guide on psychotherapy in PKV (in German).
What Applies When Therapy Starts Without a Consultation?
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, therapy can also begin without a prior consultation. This applies, for example, after inpatient or rehabilitation treatment for a mental illness, or when you change therapists during ongoing therapy.
Probatory sessions (probatorische Sitzungen) serve to get to know each other and to check whether the therapy fits. The number of sessions is set by the Psychotherapy Guideline of the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss). Ask your therapist before you start which steps apply to you.
What Does Therapy Mean for Later Insurance?
Psychotherapy is no obstacle to statutory health insurance. However, applications for private health insurance or disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung) include health questions. What you must state and how it matters is explained in our guide on disability insurance health questions for students.
It is important to answer honestly and completely. Whether a treatment is relevant depends on the individual case, the timing and the insurer. There is no blanket answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral for the consultation?
No. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the psychotherapeutic consultation requires no referral. You can register directly through the appointment service or the practice.
How long will it take to get an appointment?
For acute cases, the wait for a treatment appointment must not exceed two weeks. The appointment service must arrange consultations within four weeks. The actual wait can vary by region and practice.
Do I have to inform my insurer before the first appointment?
Only if you choose reimbursement. Then you must inform the insurer before using the service (section 13 (2) SGB V). For benefits in kind through approved therapists, this notice is not required.
Does the insurer pay for a therapist without a statutory approval?
Only under the conditions of section 13 (3) SGB V. The therapist must also meet the requirements of section 95c SGB V. Check with your insurer in advance, before you sign a contract.
Will the therapy appear in my insurance record?
That depends on the individual case and on the applications you make. There is no blanket answer. In later insurance applications you must answer health questions truthfully.
What Should You Do Now?
- In case of acute symptoms, call the appointment service on 116117 and book a psychotherapeutic consultation.
- Decide whether you want benefits in kind or reimbursement, and inform the insurer in advance if you choose reimbursement.
- Ask for the recommendation after the consultation and clarify whether acute treatment is needed.
- Note which information you will need for later insurance applications before you apply.
Related Reading
- Switching health insurance as a student (in German)
- Health insurance for students: duties, options, special cases (in German)
- Health Insurance for International Students in Germany
Sources: Federal Ministry of Health, Psychotherapeutic consultation (as of 8 January 2026, in German); Social Code Book V, section 13 reimbursement (in force, in German text).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
