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Study abroad in Guatemala: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not apply there, and we have not found a social security agreement that covers health insurance. With a German passport you need no visa for stays of up to 90 days. We do not state a tuition figure. The DAAD sets a monthly scholarship rate of 800 euros for students in Guatemala as a benchmark.
Study abroad in Guatemala at a glance
| Point | Information (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The European Health Insurance Card does not apply, private travel health insurance with repatriation is recommended | European Commission, Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | No visa for up to 90 days with a passport, for a study visa the diplomatic mission decides | 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 Bremen | 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 Guatemala?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreements
Guatemala 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. Guatemala 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 Guatemala 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 Guatemala
The Federal Foreign Office sees no compulsory vaccinations for direct entry from Germany. Standard vaccinations according to the STIKO vaccination schedule should be up to date, especially measles. For travel the page names hepatitis A, and yellow fever vaccination is recommended for entry from endemic areas. The page also notes in general that in many countries bills must be settled or paid in advance before discharge, and that doctors can refuse departure while bills are outstanding. The page contains no statement on this specifically for Guatemala.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance that covers, among other things, repatriation to Germany. 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 Guatemala?
For stays of up to 90 days you need no visa with German citizenship. The Federal Foreign Office lists the passport, the provisional passport and the children’s passport as admissible travel documents. Identity cards and provisional identity cards are not admitted. All documents must still be valid for six months on entry.
A digital travel declaration is mandatory before entry and exit, and the page names no fee for it. An extension of 90 days can be applied for at the immigration authority. The Federal Foreign Office gives no information on study or longer stays.
Whether you need a visa for study in Guatemala, 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. The travel and safety advice of the Federal Foreign Office for Guatemala covers the entry rules for German citizens. The Embassy of Guatemala in Germany provides information. Keep these documents ready:
- Passport valid for at least six more months on entry
- Digital travel declaration before entry and exit
- Proof of travel health insurance with repatriation, as the Federal Foreign Office recommends
- Enrolment and visa documents that the diplomatic mission requires for your studies
According to the Federal Foreign Office, no travel warning applies to Guatemala (page status 24.10.2026). The page gives safety notes for Guatemala City, especially in zones 10 and 14 and on the road to the airport, and warns of robbery and gang crime, including on intercity buses.
What does a study abroad semester cost in Guatemala?
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 Guatemala. 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 depend on location and housing, 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 Guatemala. 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 Bremen. 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 Guatemala. 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, 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 repatriation insurance that includes return transport to Germany.
- Check that your passport is still valid for six months on entry.
- Complete the digital travel declaration before entry and exit.
- Ask the Embassy of Guatemala in Germany or the diplomatic mission which visa you need for your studies.
- Clarify your vaccinations: standard vaccinations according to the STIKO schedule, hepatitis A as a travel vaccination, and yellow fever vaccination if you enter from an endemic area.
- 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 Guatemala?
No. The European Commission names the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the area of validity. Guatemala is not among them. We have not found an agreement covering health insurance for Guatemala.
Do I need a visa for Guatemala?
For up to 90 days you need no visa with a German passport. 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 Guatemala?
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 Guatemala?
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 Guatemala, and does insurance pay for repatriation?
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Guatemala (page status 24.10.2026). The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance that covers repatriation to Germany, which you take out yourself. We do not name a statutory fund as the payer, because we have not found a statement on it.
Which office is responsible for the study grant abroad for Guatemala?
According to the DSW assignment, it is the Studierendenwerk Bremen. The assignment appears in the leaflet of the German Student Services Network (status January 2026).
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Guatemala: 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 Mexico: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026
- Study Abroad in Argentina: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026
- 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.
