Study abroad in Namibia: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not apply there, so you need private travel health insurance. For a study stay, the German Federal Foreign Office names a visa that you apply for early, online or at the embassy. There is no travel warning. We have no verified figure for living costs, and the DAAD gives a reference rate of 800 euros for students.
Study abroad in Namibia at a glance
| Item | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | EHIC does not apply, travel health insurance is needed | European Commission, EHIC FAQ (undated) |
| Visa and travel document | Visa required for study stays, apply online before departure or at the embassy, no fee stated | Federal Foreign Office (status 25.10.2026) |
| Tuition fees | No verified official figure, the exchange agreement of your university decides | No official source verified |
| Living costs | DAAD reference rate: scholarship rate of 800 euros for students, no period given | DAAD scholarship rates (undated) |
| Study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW allocation: Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg | German Student Services (DSW), leaflet (status January 2026) |
All information is general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative in each case.
How are you health insured in Namibia?
The European Health Insurance Card does not apply in Namibia
The EHIC applies in the EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The FAQ of the European Commission on the card names no African state, so Namibia is not included. Your statutory health insurance card therefore does not serve as proof of cover in Namibia, and treatment follows the local rules. A doctor may demand full payment or advance payment.
We have not found a verified social security agreement with Namibia that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. Ask your health insurer in writing before you leave how your cover continues during the stay. The basics for statutory insured students are in our guide Health insurance during a study abroad semester: What applies? (in German).
The Federal Foreign Office notes that in many countries treatment costs must be paid or advanced before discharge, and that an unpaid bill can lead to a refusal to let you leave. The page does not name Namibia for this point. Plan enough money for treatment until your insurer reimburses the costs.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The EHIC never replaces travel health insurance. According to the European Commission, the card does not cover repatriation to Germany after a serious illness or accident. For Namibia, the Federal Foreign Office advises travel health insurance that covers an air ambulance flight to Germany, and medical evacuation insurance. Ask your insurer whether the cover includes the flight. Background is in our guide Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for Namibia?
Since April 2025, a visa has been required for tourist trips, and German citizens have no period without a visa. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the visa is valid for 90 days and usually allows multiple entries. You can apply for an online visa before departure, get a visa on arrival at certain border crossings, or apply at the Namibian embassy in Berlin. The page names no fees.
For study stays, the Federal Foreign Office explicitly names a visa that must be applied for early, online or at the embassy. The visa rule for your study therefore rests on this statement. The Federal Foreign Office also names the entry rules for German citizens in detail.
For entry, the Federal Foreign Office lists these points:
- Passport, temporary passport or children passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the trip and has at least three blank pages. Identity cards are not accepted.
- Visa for study stays, applied for early online or at the embassy in Berlin.
- Fingerprints and a digital photograph may be taken on entry and exit.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Namibia, neither for the whole country nor for individual regions (status of the page 25.10.2026). The page contains travel and security information only. The political situation is considered stable. Demonstrations and large gatherings should still be avoided. Property crime and sometimes armed robbery against travellers occur, especially in Windhoek and in remote areas, including at tourist accommodation and rental cars.
What does a study abroad semester in Namibia cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees the host university charges depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general amount, because we have not verified an official figure. Ask your home university and the host university before you accept an offer.
Living costs
We do not name a verified monthly amount for living costs. Ask your host university for its budget for exchange students.
The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 800 euros for students in Namibia. This is a reference figure, not a budget. The DAAD list carries no date and gives the amount without a period.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG)
Namibia appears on the list of the European Commission under third countries that are not associated with the programme, in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The list names these states only for certain actions and under certain conditions. Ask your International Office whether an exchange with Namibia can be funded that way. More in our guide Planning a study abroad semester: application, Erasmus and funding (in German).
Study grant abroad (Auslands-BAföG) is possible for a partial period of study abroad. According to the DSW allocation, the responsible office is Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg, Amt für Ausbildungsförderung. The leaflet names this office for Africa and Oceania except Australia and does not allocate individual countries. It requires permanent residence in Germany. The application should be made about six months before the start. Funding begins with the month of the application and at the earliest with the start of study. The leaflet covers tuition fees up to 5,600 euros, for one year at most. It does not state an amount for the travel allowance or the health insurance supplement. More in our guide Study grant abroad: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German).
For training outside the EU and Switzerland there is a monthly supplement under the BAföG Foreign Supplement Ordinance (BAföG-AuslandszuschlagsV). The amount is a percentage that the Federal Foreign Office sets. The amounts per country are not in the ordinance text, so we do not name a euro sum for Namibia.
Worked example
No verified fixed amount exists for Namibia, because the Federal Foreign Office states no visa fee. Living costs, host university fees, flights and travel health insurance can only be estimated with offers from your university and your insurer. The total is a guide, not a promise.
How to prepare before you leave
- Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during the study abroad semester, before you sign the study agreement with the host university.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance that includes an air ambulance flight to Germany and medical evacuation.
- Apply for your study visa early, online or at the Namibian embassy in Berlin. Check that your passport is valid for six months beyond the trip and has at least three blank pages.
- Ask your university which fees the exchange agreement covers, and ask the host university for its budget for exchange students.
- File the study grant application (Auslands-BAföG) with Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg about six months before the start, if you are eligible.
- Get advice on vaccinations. The Federal Foreign Office names hepatitis A and polio, depending on your situation hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid, and standard vaccinations should be up to date, especially measles. Yellow fever proof is only needed when you enter from a yellow fever area or after a longer transit.
- Confirm before departure that your travel insurance covers an air ambulance flight to Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Namibia?
No. The European Commission names the EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as its area of validity. Namibia is not among them. You therefore need private travel health insurance with repatriation cover.
Do I need a visa for Namibia?
Yes. For study stays, the Federal Foreign Office names a visa that must be applied for early before entry, online or at the embassy. According to the page, the visa is valid for 90 days and usually allows multiple entries. The page names no fees.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Namibia?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general fee, because no official figure is verified. Ask your university before you accept the place.
How much money do I need for living costs in Namibia?
We do not name a verified monthly figure. The DAAD sets a scholarship rate of 800 euros for students as a reference figure, without a period. Ask your host university for its budget.
Is there a travel warning for Namibia?
According to the Federal Foreign Office, the page contains no travel warning for Namibia. It names travel and security information, for example on property crime and armed robbery, especially in Windhoek and in remote areas.
Who is responsible for study grants abroad (Auslands-BAföG) for Namibia?
According to the DSW allocation, it is Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg, Amt für Ausbildungsförderung. The leaflet names this office for Africa and Oceania except Australia and does not allocate individual countries.
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Namibia: travel and security information (status of the page 25.10.2026), link
- European Commission, FAQ on the European Health Insurance Card (undated), link
- European Commission, Erasmus+ programme countries and third countries (status of retrieval 25.10.2026), link
- DAAD, Scholarship rates for students and graduate doctoral candidates (undated), link
- German Student Services (DSW), leaflet Study grant abroad (status January 2026), link
- Federal Ministry of Justice, BAföG Foreign Supplement Ordinance (last amended 15.07.2022), link
Sources retrieved on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related
- Health insurance during a study abroad semester (in German)
- Study grant abroad: requirements, amounts and supplements (in German)
- Private health insurance for students outside the EU: 5 tips (in German)
- Study abroad in Tanzania: KV, visa, costs (in German)
- All countries for your study abroad semester (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.
