Study abroad in Colombia: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is intended for the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Colombia is not among them. You need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Whether you need a visa for your studies is for the Colombian embassy in Berlin to decide. The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 825 euros for students in Colombia.
Study abroad in Colombia at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC is not intended for Colombia. The German Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance with medical evacuation | European Commission, German Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | Not needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days. For study, the Federal Foreign Office refers you to the embassy in Berlin | German Federal Foreign Office |
| Travel document | Passport or provisional passport, ID card not accepted | German Federal Foreign Office |
| Living costs | DAAD scholarship rate of 825 euros as a guide, not a budget. The list names no period | DAAD, scholarship rates (undated) |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Responsible office according to German Student Services: Studierendenwerk Bremen, telephone 0421/2201-0 | 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 Colombia?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreement
The EHIC does not apply in Colombia. The European Commission’s FAQ names the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the countries for which the card is intended. Colombia is not listed, so you cannot rely on the card there. We found no proven social security agreement with Colombia that covers health insurance, so we do not name one.
Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing what cover it gives you in Colombia before you sign the learning agreement. The basics for privately insured students are in our guide Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German).
Health care and vaccinations
The German Federal Foreign Office’s page on Colombia notes that treatment costs in many countries must be paid or advanced before discharge. Unpaid bills can lead to a refusal to leave the country. For direct entry from Germany, no vaccination is compulsory. The Federal Foreign Office recommends hepatitis A and yellow fever, but not yellow fever for trips only to Bogotá, San Andrés or Providencia, or to areas above 2,300 metres. Depending on your risk, chikungunya, dengue, hepatitis B and rabies are added, along with the STIKO standard vaccinations.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance for Colombia. The cover should also include air ambulance flights to Germany. What you need depends on your policy, your university and the length of your stay. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German). Students with private health insurance outside the EU can also read PKV for students in non-EU countries (in German).
Do you need a visa for Colombia?
For tourist stays of up to 90 days you need no visa with a German passport. Whether and which visa you need for study is for the Colombian diplomatic mission to say, and its answer is binding. We do not give our own rule, because we found no official statement on it. The German Federal Foreign Office’s travel and safety advice for Colombia sets out the entry rules for German citizens (page as of 25 October 2026):
- Passport or provisional passport. The ID card and provisional ID card are not accepted
- The document must be valid for the planned length of stay on arrival. The page reports cases in which travellers with less than six months’ validity were refused entry
- Online registration in the Check-Mig system within 72 hours before entry and again before departure. Show the confirmation to your airline before departure
- The border authority initially grants up to 90 days. An extension by a further 90 days from Migración carries a fee and is not a right
The Federal Foreign Office issues a partial travel warning for Colombia (page as of 25 October 2026). It warns against travel to the border areas with Venezuela in the departments of Norte de Santander and Cesar. Travel to Arauca, Vichada, Guainía, Guaviare, Caquetá, Putumayo, Huila, Cauca, Valle del Cauca and Chocó is strongly advised against, with exceptions named on the page. Parts of Meta, Nariño, Tolima, Antioquia, Córdoba and Bolívar are also affected. Since April 2026 there has been a series of bomb and drone attacks, mainly in Norte de Santander and Cauca. According to the page, peace talks with armed groups ended in September 2026.
What does a semester in Colombia cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees the host university charges depends on your home university’s exchange agreement. We do not name a general amount, because we found no official statement on it. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept a place.
Living costs
We found no official or university figure for living costs in Colombia. As a guide, the DAAD’s scholarship list sets a scholarship rate of 825 euros for students in Colombia. The list is undated and names no period, so the amount is a guide, not a budget. Ask your host university for its budget for exchange students.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
The European Commission lists Colombia in region 10, Latin America, among third countries not associated with the programme. These countries can take part in certain actions under specific conditions. Part B of the programme guide sets out which action applies to students. Ask your international office. More in our guide Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for part of a degree abroad. According to German Student Services (DSW), the Studierendenwerk Bremen, Office for Educational Funding, is responsible for America excluding Canada and the USA, telephone 0421/2201-0. The leaflet (as of January 2026) requires at least one year of study in Germany before going abroad outside the EU and Switzerland. Funding there is generally limited to two semesters, in rare cases up to five. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
The BAföG study abroad supplement ordinance provides, for study outside the EU and Switzerland, a supplement where purchasing power at the place of study is lower than in Germany. It is calculated as a percentage of the need set by the Federal Foreign Office. We found no specific percentage for Colombia. The ordinance caps tuition fees at 5,600 euros per year and provides a travel allowance of 500 euros per journey from outside Europe. The DSW leaflet mentions a monthly supplement, which may be possible in some cases.
A worked example is omitted, because the DAAD list does not say for which period the scholarship rate applies, and the other amounts are not proven.
Steps before you leave
- Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing what cover you have in Colombia before you sign the learning agreement.
- Take out travel health insurance with medical evacuation for the whole length of your stay.
- Ask the Colombian embassy in Berlin whether you need a visa for your studies.
- Check that your passport is valid for the whole stay and ideally more than six months beyond your departure.
- Register in the Check-Mig system within 72 hours before entry and again before departure.
- Have your vaccinations checked by a doctor. The Federal Foreign Office recommends hepatitis A and yellow fever.
- If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the Studierendenwerk Bremen about six months before you start.
- Read the Federal Foreign Office’s travel and safety advice for the regions you plan to visit.
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Colombia?
No. The card is intended for the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and Colombia is not named. For your time in Colombia, the Federal Foreign Office names travel health insurance with medical evacuation.
Do I need a visa for Colombia?
Not for tourist stays of up to 90 days. For study, the Colombian embassy in Berlin will say whether a visa is required.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Colombia?
That depends on your home university’s exchange agreement. We do not name a general amount, because we found no official statement on it.
What are living costs in Colombia?
We found no proven monthly figure. The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 825 euros for students in Colombia as a guide. Ask your host university about its budget.
Is there a travel warning for Colombia?
The Federal Foreign Office issues a partial travel warning for border areas and individual regions, not for the whole country. The current version of the Federal Foreign Office’s page is authoritative.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for Colombia?
According to the German Student Services, the Studierendenwerk Bremen, Office for Educational Funding, is responsible for America excluding Canada and the USA.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, Colombia: travel and safety advice (page as of 25 October 2026)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- European Commission, Erasmus+ Programme Guide Part A: eligible countries (undated)
- German Student Services, Auslands-BAföG leaflet (as of January 2026, in German)
- DAAD, scholarship rates for students and graduates (undated, in German)
- BAföG study abroad supplement ordinance, gesetze-im-internet.de (last amended 15 July 2022, in German)
Sources accessed on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related guides
- Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German)
- PKV for students in non-EU countries (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Semester abroad in Brazil (in German)
- 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.
