Moving to Germany can bring several pressures at once: unfamiliar academic expectations, housing and money concerns, immigration paperwork, language barriers, separation from familiar support, and the work of building a new social life.
Stress, loneliness, or homesickness do not automatically mean that you have a mental illness. They still deserve attention. You also do not need to wait until a situation becomes a crisis before asking for help.
This guide explains how to find support in Germany. It does not diagnose conditions or replace advice from a qualified health professional.
Last reviewed: June 6, 2026. Local services, languages, eligibility, costs, and waiting times can change. Verify them directly with the provider and your insurer.
If you may act on thoughts of suicide or self-harm, cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, or there is another life-threatening emergency:
For urgent but non-life-threatening medical help when regular practices are closed, call 116117. The telephone service is available around the clock but operates in German. It can direct you to an appropriate on-call service.
For free, anonymous crisis listening in German, contact TelefonSeelsorge at:
TelefonSeelsorge is available day and night. Its German service also offers online contact, but availability is not a substitute for calling 112 in immediate danger. Its international-help page lists some services in other languages and explains that conditions and call costs may differ.
The federal health portal provides current guidance on mental health crisis contacts and German emergency numbers.
| Situation | Possible first contact |
|---|---|
| Immediate danger or life-threatening symptoms | 112 or an emergency department |
| Urgent medical problem outside practice hours | 116117 |
| Need to talk during an acute crisis | TelefonSeelsorge or a local crisis service |
| Study stress, loneliness, adjustment, or early concerns | University or Studierendenwerk counselling |
| Symptoms affecting daily life, study, sleep, eating, or safety | Hausarzt, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist |
| Longer-term treatment | Licensed psychotherapist or specialist service |
| Financial, housing, or social problems driving distress | Studierendenwerk social counselling |
| Health condition affecting exams or attendance | University disability/chronic-illness adviser and examination office |
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These routes can overlap. A counsellor may recommend medical treatment, and a doctor may suggest counselling or psychotherapy.
Many universities and Studierendenwerke offer psychological or psychosocial counselling. However, it is inaccurate to assume that every university provides the same service.
According to the German National Association for Student Affairs, psychological counselling is available through many local Studierendenwerke. Services are generally confidential and usually free for students, although local arrangements and occasional charges can differ.
Counselling may help with:
Counselling is usually short- or medium-term support. It is not automatically psychotherapy and may not be suitable as the only response to a severe or persistent condition.
Check:
Search your university website for Psychologische Beratung, Psychosoziale Beratung, or Studierendenwerk Beratung. You can also use the Studierendenwerke location search linked above.
A general practitioner, or Hausarzt, can be a practical first medical contact. They can discuss symptoms, consider whether physical factors need investigation, provide treatment within their competence, and refer or direct you to specialist care where appropriate.
Do not use an online article to decide whether symptoms are "serious enough." Seek professional advice when distress persists, worsens, disrupts daily functioning, or raises safety concerns.
Psychotherapy is treatment provided through structured psychological methods. An initial psychotherapeutic consultation can clarify whether treatment is indicated and what type of support may fit.
You do not generally need a doctor's referral for an initial consultation with an outpatient psychotherapist. If you cannot find an appointment, use the 116117 psychotherapy service or your regional Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.
Do not rely on fixed claims about the number of trial sessions, total treatment sessions, approval times, or waiting periods. The applicable process depends on the treatment, urgency, provider, insurer, and individual case.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specialising in mental health. Psychiatrists can assess medical and psychiatric factors and prescribe medication when clinically appropriate. Some also provide psychotherapy, but many appointments focus on medical assessment and medication management.
For immediate danger, do not wait for a routine psychiatry appointment. Use emergency services.
Coverage depends on your insurance and the provider.
Statutory health insurance generally covers recognised outpatient psychotherapy when it is medically indicated and delivered by a provider authorised to bill statutory insurers. The federal health portal's psychotherapy overview explains the recognised methods and general cost framework.
Before treatment, confirm:
Private student policies, comprehensive private insurance, and travel or incoming insurance can have very different rules. Some policies limit psychotherapy, require prior approval, exclude pre-existing conditions, or reimburse only specified providers.
Ask the insurer in writing:
Do not begin non-emergency self-pay treatment on the assumption that reimbursement is guaranteed.
It may take additional searching to find treatment in your preferred language, particularly outside large cities.
Try:
Ask the provider directly how fluent they are in the language you need. Do not treat therapy in a language you cannot use safely and precisely as a language-learning exercise.
Interpreter access and payment are not automatic in every outpatient setting. Ask the provider and insurer before arranging an interpreter. Do not bring a child or an untrusted person to interpret sensitive health information.
Commercial therapy platforms may operate under different professional, privacy, jurisdiction, and reimbursement rules. Verify the practitioner's qualifications, emergency process, data handling, cancellation terms, and insurance coverage before paying.
Doctors, psychotherapists, social workers, and staff in public counselling services are generally subject to professional confidentiality. The federal health portal explains the duty of medical confidentiality, including legal exceptions.
Confidentiality is not absolute. Information may be shared when you consent, where a law requires it, for necessary insurance billing, or in certain serious safety situations.
Medical or psychotherapeutic treatment is documented in health records. You generally have the right to inspect your records and request a copy.
Avoid blanket claims that seeking care can never affect any administrative process. If you have a specific concern about immigration, professional licensing, insurance applications, or another legal declaration, ask the responsible authority or an independent adviser what information is actually requested. Do not avoid urgent care because of an unverified rumour.
Mental health conditions can affect attendance, deadlines, exams, and the ability to study at the usual pace. Contact support early, because adjustments are rarely automatic or retroactive.
Possible contacts include:
Possible arrangements depend on individual impact and university rules. They may include modified exam conditions, breaks, adjusted deadlines, a separate room, or changes to study organisation.
The Studierendenwerke disability and chronic-illness guide explains that mental illnesses can qualify as impairments and that disadvantage compensation is individual. The academic standard remains unchanged, and supporting documentation may be required.
Ask what evidence is needed before submitting detailed medical information. Share sensitive information only with the office responsible for handling it.
The suggestions below can support wellbeing, but they are not treatments for a mental health condition.
Separate the practical problem from the emotional load:
Relevant resources include the German housing guide, part-time jobs guide, and first-week arrival guide.
Maintain contact with people at home while creating regular local contact. A recurring study group, sport, language tandem, volunteer role, or community activity can be easier than relying on large social events.
Do not force yourself to accept every invitation when exhausted. Aim for sustainable contact and read the guide to making friends in Germany for practical and safety-aware options.
Academic difficulty is not a diagnosis, and motivational advice is not a substitute for care.
Regular sleep opportunities, meals, movement, and daylight can support general health. Start with changes that are realistic for your health, disability, finances, and schedule.
Do not present exercise, daylight, or a routine as a cure. Speak to a health professional before using supplements or light therapy for suspected seasonal depression, especially if you have another condition or take medication.
Using substances to sleep, numb distress, or manage anxiety can create additional health and safety risks. If you are concerned about your use, contact a Hausarzt, psychological counselling service, or local addiction counselling centre. Ask whether anonymous advice is available.
In an overdose, poisoning, loss of consciousness, or other life-threatening situation, call 112.
If you already use psychiatric medication:
Do not stop, restart, substitute, or change the dose of prescribed medication based on an article or informal advice. Contact a doctor or pharmacist. Use 116117 for urgent non-life-threatening medical guidance when regular practices are closed, and 112 for an emergency.
You can ask a counsellor or clinician about:
You may seek another provider if the relationship is unsafe or unsuitable, subject to availability and urgent-care needs.
For discrimination guidance, contact your university's equality or anti-discrimination office or the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency.
Changes such as withdrawal, hopelessness, severe agitation, major disruption to sleep or daily functioning, increased substance use, or talk about death can justify checking in. These signs do not allow you to diagnose someone.
Use direct, non-judgmental language:
I have noticed that you have been struggling and missing classes. How are you doing?
If you are concerned about suicide, ask clearly:
Are you thinking about suicide or harming yourself?
Take the answer seriously. Do not promise to keep imminent danger secret.
For an acute crisis without immediate danger, help the person contact a Hausarzt, 116117, a local crisis service, a psychiatric clinic, or TelefonSeelsorge.
You can offer to sit with them while they call or accompany them to an appointment. You are not responsible for providing treatment, and you may need support yourself.
No. Studierendenwerk counselling is usually free, but local services, eligibility, languages, formats, and waiting times vary. Confirm them directly.
No. Statutory coverage generally requires medically indicated, recognised treatment from an authorised provider. Private practices and non-covered methods may require self-payment.
Generally, you can arrange an initial psychotherapeutic consultation without a referral. A Hausarzt can still be a useful first contact and can investigate other health factors.
There is no reliable national waiting-time promise. Contact several authorised practices, use 116117, ask about cancellation lists, and use counselling or medical support while searching. Use urgent or emergency routes when appropriate.
Medical and psychotherapeutic information is generally confidential, subject to legal exceptions and necessary billing. Do not assume either automatic disclosure or absolute secrecy in every circumstance. Ask the provider about confidentiality and obtain qualified advice for a specific administrative question.
An initial conversation with student counselling, a Hausarzt, or a psychotherapeutic consultation can help clarify next steps. You do not need to diagnose yourself before making contact.
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Life-threatening emergency or immediate danger | 112 |
| Immediate police assistance | 110 |
| Urgent, non-life-threatening medical help outside practice hours | 116117 |
| German-language crisis listening | 116 123, 0800 1110111, or 0800 1110222 |
| Student counselling | Your university or local Studierendenwerk |
| Local crisis service | Search Krisendienst + your city or ask 116117 |
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