Study abroad in Kosovo: The European Health Insurance Card does not apply there, so you need a travel health and repatriation insurance policy for the stay. For up to 90 days, a German passport allows visa-free entry. Tuition fees and living costs are not sourced, so ask your host university.
Study abroad in Kosovo at a glance
| Item | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | European Health Insurance Card does not apply, travel health and repatriation insurance is advised | European Commission, Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | Not needed for up to 90 days, extension through the Ministry of Interior in Pristina | Federal Foreign Office |
| Tuition fees | Not sourced, depends on the exchange agreement of your home university | No official figure |
| Living costs | Not sourced, ask your host university for its budget | No official figure |
| Federal training assistance abroad (Auslands-BAföG) | Possible, responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Marburg | German Student Services Organisation (DSW), status January 2026 |
All information is general and not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative in each case.
How are you insured in Kosovo?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreement
According to the FAQ of the European Commission, the European Health Insurance Card applies in the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Kosovo is not named there. The EU rules for treatment under the conditions of the host country therefore do not apply. Ask your statutory health insurance fund (gesetzliche Krankenkasse, GKV) which arrangement it offers for Kosovo, and get the answer in writing.
We have not found a social security agreement with Kosovo that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. The agreement document checked by the German Liaison Office for Health Insurance Abroad (DVKA) does not mention Kosovo. A written confirmation from your fund remains the most reliable proof. The basics of private cover are explained in the guide PKV für Studierende im Nicht-EU-Ausland (in German).
Health care and vaccinations in Kosovo
The Federal Foreign Office advises buying medicines privately, because care does not always meet German standards. Many doctors offer private treatment against payment. No vaccinations are required for direct entry from Germany. The office recommends the standard STIKO vaccinations, especially against measles, and hepatitis A. For longer stays or special exposure, it also mentions hepatitis B and rabies.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office advises a travel health and repatriation insurance for the whole stay. It should cover repatriation and treatment that can wait until your return. Which benefits you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. Background information is in the guide Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Kosovo?
For stays of up to 90 days you do not need a visa with a German passport. The Federal Foreign Office names a visa-free period of up to 90 days for German citizens. Accepted documents are passport, provisional passport, identity card and children’s passport. A provisional identity card is not accepted.
Whether a study stay requires a visa, the Embassy of Kosovo in Germany can tell you authoritatively. We do not state a rule of our own, because we have not found an official source for it. The travel and security advice of the Federal Foreign Office for Kosovo names the entry requirements for German citizens.
For stays longer than 90 days, the Federal Foreign Office describes an extension. The application must be submitted 15 days before the 90-day limit expires, to the Ministry of Interior in Pristina, department DCAM, unit for foreigners, visas and residence permits. You must also register within three days of entry. Keep these documents ready:
- A travel document that remains valid for at least three months on entry
- Proof of enrolment at your host university
- Proof of travel health and repatriation insurance
- An extension application, if you stay longer than 90 days
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Kosovo (status of the page 25 October 2026). For the municipalities of Zubin Potok, Leposavić, Zvečan and North Mitrovica in the north, the office recommends particular caution. After the verdict of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague of 16 September 2026, further protests are to be expected, and demonstrations and restrictions on freedom of movement may occur in Pristina and other cities.
What does a study abroad semester in Kosovo cost?
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 no official figure that we can cite. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept a place. The Erasmus+ programme guide lists Kosovo as a third country that is not associated with the programme, which means Erasmus+ is possible only for certain actions. Your International Office can tell you whether your exchange falls under them.
Living costs
We do not state a sourced monthly amount for living costs. Ask your host university for its budget for exchange students. Without a source for accommodation, food and transport, the total stays open, so we do not calculate one. Plan your costs with the figures the host university provides.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
For a study period in Kosovo, the Erasmus+ programme guide lists the country as a third country that is not associated with the programme. Funding through Erasmus+ is therefore possible only for certain actions. More on this in the guide Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
According to the flyer of the German Student Services Organisation (DSW, status January 2026), Auslands-BAföG is possible for Kosovo. The responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Marburg, telephone 06421/296-0. Outside the EU and Switzerland, funding covers at most two semesters, and at least one year of study in Germany is required beforehand. A study abroad period lasts at least six months, and the stay must serve your studies in Germany. All details are in the guide Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German).
How to prepare before you leave
- Ask your health insurance fund to confirm in writing how you are insured in Kosovo before you sign the learning agreement.
- Take out a travel health and repatriation insurance that covers your entire stay and repatriation.
- Check that your travel document will still be valid for at least three months on entry.
- Ask the Embassy of Kosovo in Germany about visa or entry rules for your study stay before you book.
- Clarify enrolment, fees and accommodation with the host university and get the acceptance in writing.
- Clarify your vaccination status with your doctor. The Federal Foreign Office names the standard STIKO vaccinations and hepatitis A.
- Submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the Studierendenwerk Marburg about six months before your start, if you want to apply for funding.
- Plan your registration within three days of arrival and keep your documents ready.
Frequently asked questions
Does my European Health Insurance Card work in Kosovo?
According to the FAQ of the European Commission, the card applies in the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Kosovo is not named there. Ask your health insurance fund for the arrangement for Kosovo and get it confirmed in writing.
Do I need a visa for Kosovo?
For up to 90 days you do not need a visa with a German passport. Whether a study stay requires a visa is confirmed by the Embassy of Kosovo in Germany.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Kosovo?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your home university. We do not state a general amount, because none is sourced. Clarify this with your home university and the host university before you accept.
Who is responsible for Auslands-BAföG for Kosovo?
According to the DSW flyer (status January 2026), the Studierendenwerk Marburg is responsible, telephone 06421/296-0.
Do I need travel health insurance if my fund covers me?
The Federal Foreign Office advises a travel health and repatriation insurance. Your fund will confirm in writing which services it provides in Kosovo.
Is there a travel warning for Kosovo?
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning (status of the page 25 October 2026). In the north, the office recommends particular caution.
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Kosovo: travel and security advice (status of the page 25 October 2026), auswaertiges-amt.de
- European Commission, FAQ on the European Health Insurance Card (no date), European Commission
- European Commission, Erasmus+ programme guide: eligible countries (no date), erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
- German Liaison Office for Health Insurance Abroad (DVKA), social security agreement Kosovo (checked, Kosovo not named), dvka.de
- German Student Services Organisation, flyer Auslands-BAföG (status January 2026), studierendenwerke.de
Sources retrieved on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related reading
- Health insurance during a semester abroad: what applies? (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German)
- Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel (in German)
- Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German)
- Study abroad in Croatia: insurance, visa, costs 2026
- Study abroad in Bulgaria: insurance, visa, costs 2026
- All countries for your semester abroad at a glance (in German)
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information and does not replace individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
