Health Insurance

All students are required to prove that they have adequate health insurance under German law before they can be matriculated as students of Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.

Nationals from EU member states and the contracting states to the European Economic Area (EEA), such as Norway and Switzerland, are covered in Germany pursuant to existing arrangements in the EEA for the coordination of health care systems. Students from such participating countries should clarify all relevant details with their home authorities prior to the start of the program. They should obtain the European Health Insurance Card from ther home countries before traveling to Germany.

All other students are required to take out a German health insurance for the duration of their studies. This applies regardless of any private health insurance policy the student may hold in his or her home country. The costs for students under 30 years of age are currently about €80 per month.

Visa Requirements

Non-EU students should apply for visas once they have accepted a place in the program. Upon such acceptance, an official letter of admission from the Dean of Goethe University’s Law Faculty will be sent out. This letter of admission is necessary to apply for a student visa at the German consulate or embassy in the student's home country.

Students are responsible for arranging their own visas. The ILF is happy to provide assistance should the consulate require further information regarding student status or the planned course of study.

Living Costs

Overall personal living expenses vary depending on the cost of accommodation and other personal choices. An estimate of around €1,000 per month for general living expenses is a realistic calculation for the Frankfurt area.

ILF students receive a student card from Goethe University which entitles them to use the facilities of the University, which include the University’s refectories and cafeterias, where students can eat at reduced prices. Students have direct access to the facilities on Campus Westend where the ILF is located. The student card includes a free pass to public transportation in the Frankfurt area and certain regional trains.

Accommodation

There are several accommodation options available to students in the Frankfurt area. The ILF offers a limited number of dormitory rooms owned by the university’s student services. Since the demand for these rooms is usually greater than the number of rooms available, they are reserved to students from abroad and allocated by lottery. Students interested in one of these rooms should let us know that they wish to enter the allocation lottery.

Other options include student housing facilities offered by various church organizations and other non-profit housing facilities. We recommend strongly that students contact such organizations as soon as they receive notice of acceptance to the program, as these rooms are also very sought after. The ILF is able to provide a list of these organizations and further information to help you find private accommodation in Frankfurt.

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