Insurance is not provided by Trier University. Please inform your health insurance provider about your stay abroad to clarify which benefits are covered in case of illness in your host country. You can also find information for statutory insured persons on the benefits provided by the social security agreements in the individual European countries under www.eu-patienten.de and under
https://www.dvka.de/de/versicherte/studierende-und-praktikanten/ ) In addition, we recommend that you check whether you have insurance covering liability and accidents in the host country. If your existing insurance coverage is insufficient (for example, if the repatriation to the home country is not covered), you can take out a combined health, liability and accident insurance with the DAAD. More information on the DAAD insurance is available at:
https://www.daad.de/en/study-research-teach-abroad/scholarships-funding/daad-insurance/destination-abroad/

Alternatively, you can take out additional insurance with an insurance company of your choice to cover your study abroad. If you do take out additional insurance, please ensure that you clarify with the insurance company that your stay abroad is for the purpose of study and that it will last several months, in order to make sure the policy covers the full duration of your stay. Moreover, ask for confirmation that repatriation to the home country and pandemics are covered.

The European Consumer Centre Germany provides further tips at: https://www.evz.de/finanzen-versicherungen/umzug-ins-eu-ausland.html (in German).

Immigration Health Surcharge in Great Britain
International students who need a visa for studying in the United Kingdom (in case of a EU citizenship this is the case for all stays exceeding 6 months) are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) in order to have access to the public health system.

If you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (usually to be found on the back of your health insurance card if you have statutory health insurance in the German health insurance system) you may be eligible for a reimbursement, Please check https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-for-eu-and-efta-nationals-living-in-the-uk for further information.

Please note that as a participant in an exchange programme at Trier University, you must remain enrolled throughout your stay abroad (this means that the semester fees must be paid in full; for information on the refund option for the Deutschlandsemesterticket, please see the relevant section on this page).
Upon confirmation of re-registration for the semester, you can apply for a leave of absence, which has the advantage that the number of your semesters does not increase during the leave period. Please note that if you plan to take an exam at Trier University during the semester, you cannot be on leave of absence from Trier University. For more information, please contact your advisor in the Registrar’s Office (Studierendensekretariat).

You must apply at the Registrar’s Office (Studierendensekretariat) for the leave of absence prior to the start of each semester that you plan to take a leave of absence. For details on the procedure, please see http://www.uni-trier.de/index.php?id=743. At the end of each semester, we will submit a list of all the exchange participants of the following semester to the Registrar’s Office so that you do not need to submit separate proof of your study abroad with your leave application.

If the study and examination achievements during the stay abroad are recognised within the scope of a full semester workload at Trier University, the leave will remain, but the number of semesters will be increased accordingly. It remains that in the case of  BAföG study abroad funding the stay is not counted towards the maximum funding period, as long as the stay abroad is not required in the study regulations of your academic programme.

For students receiving BAföG funding, it is important to note that being on leave of absence may have an impact on the timing of their transition from BAföG study abroad funding to domestic funding after their return. For further information, please see section BAföG Study Abroad Funding .

Please submit a matriculation certificate (pdf downloaded from PORTA) for each semester you spend abroad under an exchange programme to the International Office (E-Mail: international@uni-trier.de)

If you do not need your Deutschlandsemesterticket due to your stay abroad, you can apply to the Studierendenwerk for a refund of your contribution. You can find more information here: https://www.studiwerk.de/vierte-runde-fuer-deutschlandsemesterticket-im-wintersemester-202526

If you participate in the European ERASMUS+ exchange, please use the certificate provided together with the signed grant agreement as proof of your stay abroad. Participants in exchange programme outside Europe are requested to contact Ms. Morgen or Mr. Proost.

Eligible students can apply for study abroad funding under the BAföG scheme, which as a rule is not counted towards the BAföG maximum funding period. For more information please see: https://www.bafög.de/bafoeg/de/das-bafoeg-alle-infos-auf-einen-blick/einzelfragen-der-foerderung/gibt-es-bafoeg-auch-im-ausland/gibt-es-bafoeg-auch-im-ausland.html . Please note: the stay abroad must start within the maximum funding period before the end of the funding period according to § 15 Abs. 3 BAföG.
 

Regarding the transition from BAföG-Auslandsförderung to domestic funding after your return, please note the following:
BAföG study abroad funding is only granted for the actual duration of your study abroad. For example, if your study abroad is completed at the end of May, you will no longer receive foreign funding from June on. If you are on leave for the relevant semester, you can receive the domestic BAföG funding two months before the start of the following semester at the earliest. Using the example above, domestic BaföG would only be possible from August 1st. If you do not apply for a leave of absence for the semester during which your stay abroad ends, you may return to domestic funding immediately after your stay abroad. In this case, however, the maximum funding period is extended by the actual duration of the stay abroad, while a leave of absence would extend the eligibility period for six months per semester that the leave of absence was applied to. Using the example of a stay abroad from October – May, if no leave of absence is granted in the summer semester, the maximum funding period is extended by 8 months. If a leave of absence is granted, then the funding period is extended by 12 months. If you have any questions, please contact the staff of the BAföG Office.

Students who are not EU nationals and students going to a country outside the EU should inquire early at the Embassy or Consulate of the host country for visa and residence requirements; links to the relevant websites can be found at: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/vertretungen-anderer-staaten .
Since sufficient health insurance coverage may have to be proven as well, you should clarify with your host university and your health insurance company before leaving, which documents/proof are required.
 

Please note that a visa may also be required for entry to the United Kingdom. You will find further information at

• https://www.britishcouncil.de/en/study-uk/eu-exit,
• https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/student-visas; in addition, please check with your host university.

Please confirm with the Bürgeramt / Einwohnermeldeamt responsible for your primary residence, to what extent you need to change or re-register your residency as a result of your stay abroad (City of Trier: https://www.trier.de/rathaus-buerger-in/stadtverwaltung/aemter-dienststellen/dezernat-v/buergeramt/ ). In the event that you fail to keep your registration status up-to-date, a fine may be charged!

In addition, students who are not EU nationals should inform the local Amt für Ausländerfragen (office responsible for non EU citizens residency) about the planned study abroad well in advance, otherwise there is a risk that the residence permit for Germany will become invalid if residing outside of Germany for more than six months. Please have the stay abroad included in your residence permit to ensure that you can return to Germany.

We recommend the following internet pages:

https://www.daad.de/de/laenderinformationen/

http://www.studieren-weltweit.de

https://eu.daad.de/infos-fuer-einzelpersonen/foerderung-fuer-studierende-und-graduierte/praktische-informationen/de/ (participant blogs, country information and more for ERASMUS + participants)

https://www.evz.de/en/index.html (Information and assistance by the European Consumer Centre Germany)
 

Further links regarding France: 

https://www.cec-zev.eu/de/ and https://www.allemagne.campusfrance.org/

Contact information for the German embassies and consulates in the event of an emergency abroad can be found using the following link: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/about-us/auslandsvertretungen 

You may also consider registering online with the German Foreign Office for the ‘Krisenvorsorgeliste’ (Crisis Prevention List, https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/reiseundsicherheit/elefand ), which will provide official security information. Please note, however, that this service is only available for German citizens. If you hold citizenship of another country, please contact the consulate of this country upon arrival at your host university to arrange for support in case of a crisis.

Please note the advice on safety precautions from the DAAD:
https://www.daad.de/download/DAAD_Hinweise_Sicherheitsvorsorge_Projekte.pdf 

Please use the information offered by your host university when looking for housing. For housing contacts found on the internet, please use extreme caution regarding advance payments! The European Consumer Centre Germany provides tips on this topic at https://www.evz.de/en/shopping-internet/internet-fraud/rental-fraud.html .

Further links for France: https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/logement-etudiant-en-France In France, students may apply for a housing allowance. For details, please check: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1563; information in German: https://www.allemagne.campusfrance.org/wohngeld-studium-frankreich 

The exchange programmes are based on the fact that students from partner universities also come to Trier University. We therefore kindly ask you to tell your fellow students at the host university about the possibility and benefits of studying in Trier. Further information for exchange participants in Trier can be found at http://www.exchangestudents.uni-trier.de. 

If you need print materials (for example, if you are asked to attend an informational event or a study abroad fair at your host university), please contact the advisers for incoming exchange students at the International Office, Janina Kröner and Leonie Wittke (E-Mail: exchangestud@uni-trier.de).

Brochure published by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Climate-Friendly Travel:
https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/der-daad/was-wir-tun/daad_broschuere_klimavertraeglich_unterwegs.pdf 
(The brochure’s primary target group are DAAD scholarship holders in Germany, but it also contains some general tips.)

ERASMUS by Train: https://erasmusbytrain.eu/
(a student initiative, website provides useful information on cross-border train travel)

Interrail pass for ERASMUS+:  https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/erasmus 

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers students from Germany the opportunity to report on their stay abroad during the summer semester of 2026 as correspondents on studieren-weltweit.de and social media. In return, they will receive:

• A training workshop with speakers from funk
• A smartphone
• A monthly fee

Further information can be found at: www.studieren-weltweit.de/werde-correspondent-bewirb-dich-jetzt/

If you find that your start in your host country is more difficult than anticipated or if you find yourself in a “slump”, you may be experiencing “culture shock”. This is not an uncommon phenomenon that while unpleasant, is usually temporary. For more information including tips on how to handle it: http://drexel.edu/studyabroad/accepted-students/while-abroad/Culture-Shock

Within this context, if problems should arise that make you think of an early return, please contact both your contact person at the host university and us at the International Office -Trier University, in advance (Anne Freihoff / Anne Schneider, E-Mail: erasmus.out@uni-trier.de, Stefanie Morgen morgenst@uni-trier.de, Jan-Patrick Proost, E-Mail: proost@uni-trier.de)

… And finally, a few tips if you would like to share your study abroad experience after your return and continue engaging in international activities:

Internationales Zentrum an der Universität Trier e.V.: 

Student oranisation at Trier University that is dedicated to bringing international and German students into contact with each other and that offers numerous possibilities to get involved: http://www.iz.uni-trier.de

Europa macht Schule:

programme for students interested in organising projects in local schools together with international students: https://www.uni-trier.de/en/international/wege-ins-ausland/studium-im-ausland/europa-macht-schule

Contact at the International Office: Jan-Patrick Proost

Back to School: 

Programme for returnees interested in visiting local schools to talk about their experience abroad and present their host countries: https://www.uni-trier.de/en/international/wege-ins-ausland/studium-im-ausland/europa-macht-schule

Contact at the International Office: Jan-Patrick Proost