Study abroad in Lebanon: the European Health Insurance Card does not apply there, German citizens need a visa from a Lebanese mission, and the Federal Foreign Office warns against travel to the south, the Bekaa valley and other areas and strongly advises against the rest of the country. The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 800 euros per month.
Travel warning of the Federal Foreign Office (status 25.10.2026): The German original reads, in our translation: “Travel to the south of Lebanon (all areas south of the coastal town of Jiyeh), the Bekaa valley, the Baalbek-Hermel governorate, the Syrian border area, all Palestinian refugee camps and the southern suburbs of Beirut is warned against. Travel to other parts of Lebanon is strongly advised against.” The source is the Federal Foreign Office page on Lebanon (in German). Before any planning, check the current status with the Federal Foreign Office and the position of your university and your funding programme.
Study abroad in Lebanon at a glance
| Item | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The European Health Insurance Card does not apply. We have not verified a social security agreement with Lebanon that covers health insurance. | European Commission (EHIC FAQ, no date) |
| Visa | German citizens need a visa. Apply before entry at a Lebanese mission, or on arrival for tourist stays of up to one month. Tourist visas are free of charge. | Federal Foreign Office, Lebanon (page status 25.10.2026) |
| Travel document | Passport or provisional passport, valid for six months on entry. An identity card is not accepted. | Federal Foreign Office, Lebanon |
| Living costs | 800 euros per month as DAAD scholarship rate for students, a guide figure, not a budget | DAAD, scholarship rates (no date) |
| Study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) | Possible; the DSW leaflet does not name Lebanon | German Student Services Organisation (DSW), leaflet (January 2026) |
All information is general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are the authoritative sources.
How are you health insured in Lebanon?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreement
The European Health Insurance Card applies in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Lebanon is not among them, so the card on the back of your German health insurance card does not help you in Beirut. We have not found a verified social security agreement with Lebanon that covers health insurance, so we name none. Ask your statutory health insurer in writing whether its cover applies during your semester abroad, before you sign the Learning Agreement.
If you are privately insured, you will find the basics in the guide Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German), and the specifics for non-EU countries in the guide Private health insurance for students in non-EU countries (in German).
Health care and vaccinations
According to the Federal Foreign Office, no vaccinations are mandatory for direct entry from Germany. It recommends full polio protection, the standard vaccinations of the STIKO schedule, especially against measles, and travel vaccinations against hepatitis A. For long stays or special exposure it adds hepatitis B and rabies.
The page also warns about the cost of care. Lebanese hospitals often demand a deposit in advance, usually in cash, even in an emergency. Plan a cash reserve for this case and keep your insurance documents with you.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office advises taking out travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the full length of your stay. We have not verified whether your statutory health insurer covers repatriation from Lebanon, so ask the insurer about the scope of its benefits. More background is in the guide Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Lebanon?
Yes. According to the Federal Foreign Office, German citizens need a visa for Lebanon. You can apply for it before entry at the competent Lebanese mission. For tourist stays of up to one month, you can also apply on arrival at the airport. Tourist visas are free of charge. Work requires a work visa, which must be issued by the Lebanese mission before you travel.
A passport or provisional passport and a children’s passport are accepted, an identity card is not. The documents must be valid for at least six months on entry.
The page also names the consequences of overstaying. If the visa has expired by more than one month, you may be refused exit. Then you need an extension or a one-week exit visa from General Security. Without a valid residence permit, a penalty fee applies, which depends on the length of the overstay, and in extreme cases you may be arrested.
- Passport or provisional passport, valid for at least six months on entry
- Visa, applied for before entry or on arrival for tourist stays of up to one month
- Proof of travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the full length of your stay
- Cash reserve for a possible deposit at a hospital
According to the Federal Foreign Office (page status 25.10.2026), Lebanon is subject to a partial travel warning. The page advises against travel to the south of the country, south of the coastal town of Jiyeh, to the Bekaa valley, to the governorate of Baalbek-Hermel and to the border area with Syria. Palestinian refugee camps and the southern suburbs of Beirut are also affected. Tripoli carries a particularly elevated risk of becoming a victim of violence and crime. For all other parts of the country, the page advises against travel.
What does a semester abroad in Lebanon 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 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 Lebanon. This is a guide figure, not a budget. The DAAD list carries no date. We have not found a verified monthly living cost figure from your host university or an official body. Ask the host university for its budget for exchange students.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG)
Erasmus+ funding requires a partnership between your university and an institution in Lebanon. Your International Office can tell you whether such a partnership exists. More on this is in the guide Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
The study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) is possible for part of a degree abroad if you have studied at least one academic year in Germany beforehand and have your permanent residence in Germany. The leaflet of the German Student Services Organisation (DSW, status January 2026) does not name Lebanon, so ask the office for training assistance abroad about its responsibility before you apply. The regulation provides a travel cost supplement of 500 euros for each outbound and return trip outside Europe. All details are in the guide Study grant abroad: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
Calculation example: For a stay of five months, the DAAD rate of 800 euros per month gives a guide figure of 4,000 euros for living expenses. Flights, the visa, insurance, a possible hospital deposit and tuition are not included, because we have no verified amounts for them. The total is an orientation, not a promise.
How to prepare before you leave
- Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing whether it covers you in Lebanon.
- Take out travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the full length of your stay.
- Check that your passport is valid for at least six months on entry and do not travel on an identity card.
- Apply for the visa before entry at a Lebanese mission, or plan for the on-arrival option for stays of up to one month.
- Ask your doctor about polio protection, the standard vaccinations and hepatitis A, and clarify the further travel vaccinations named by the Federal Foreign Office.
- Follow the Federal Foreign Office travel information until shortly before departure and check whether your place of study lies in one of the areas it names.
- Keep a cash reserve for a possible hospital deposit.
- If you want funding, submit the study grant abroad application about six months before the start and clarify responsibility with the office for training assistance abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Does my European Health Insurance Card apply in Lebanon?
No. The card applies in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Whether a social security agreement covers your semester abroad is for your health insurer to clarify, because we have not found a verified agreement with Lebanon.
Do I need a visa for Lebanon?
Yes. German citizens need a visa according to the Federal Foreign Office. It can be applied for before entry at a Lebanese mission. For tourist stays of up to one month, it can also be applied for on arrival at the airport. Tourist visas are free of charge.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Lebanon?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your home university. We do not name a general amount, because we have no official statement on it.
What are the living costs in Lebanon?
The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 800 euros per month for students. This is a guide figure. We have not found a verified figure from your host university or an official body.
Can my hospital stay in Lebanon be paid in advance?
The Federal Foreign Office states that Lebanese hospitals often demand a deposit or advance payment, usually in cash, even in an emergency. Keep a cash reserve and your insurance documents with you.
Who is responsible for the study grant abroad for Lebanon?
The DSW leaflet (status January 2026) does not name Lebanon. Clarify the responsibility with the office for training assistance abroad before you apply.
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Lebanon: travel and security information (page status 25.10.2026, in German)
- European Commission, FAQ on social security: European Health Insurance Card (no date)
- German Student Services Organisation, leaflet on study grants abroad (January 2026, in German)
- Federal Training Assistance Act supplement regulation, section 4 (no date, in German)
- DAAD, scholarship rates for students and graduates (no date, in German)
Sources retrieved on 25.10.2026 unless stated otherwise.
Related reading
- Health insurance during a semester abroad: what applies? (in German)
- Study grant abroad: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Study Abroad in Israel: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026
- Study Abroad in Jordan: 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.
