GERMANY · CHAPTER 18
Staying safe and wellin Germany.
Dial 112 for fire and ambulance and 110 for police. 116 117 finds an on-call doctor when practices are closed. Studierendenwerke run free psychological counselling for students, and the TelefonSeelsorge answers 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 free, day and night. The Embassy of India in Berlin and consulates in Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg handle passports and emergencies. Watch for fake flat listings, blocked-account offers from unknown providers and calls posing as police or the immigration office.
Published by Althéa Consulting · Adviser: Harshita Kohli
Source review: · How to use our guides
- Fire & ambulance
- 112
- Police
- 110
- On-call doctor
- 116 117
- TelefonSeelsorge
- 0800 111 0 111
- Free, 24 hours
Mental health and wellbeing
Your local Studierendenwerk offers free, confidential psychological counselling and social counselling, often in English. Statutory health insurance covers psychotherapy, though waiting lists can be long; your GP (Hausarzt) can help. Many students find the first winter, the language barrier and slow bureaucracy hard: say so early.
Scams aimed at international students
- Flat listings that ask for a deposit or a "key by courier" before a viewing. Never pay before seeing the flat and signing a contract.
- Unknown blocked-account providers. Use a provider listed by the German Missions in India or the Federal Foreign Office.
- Calls claiming to be the police, the Ausländerbehörde or the Indian Embassy and demanding money. German authorities do not take payments by phone or gift card.
- Fake APS or visa appointment sellers: appointments are booked only through official channels and are free apart from the stated fees.
- Report fraud to the local police (110 in an emergency, or the online police station of your state).
Discrimination
The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects you in jobs and in renting. The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency gives free advice, and most university cities have local counselling centres. Report racist attacks to the police; your university's diversity office can support you.
Everyday rules worth knowing
- Always carry a valid ticket: fare dodging brings an on-the-spot penalty.
- Quiet hours (usually 10 pm to 6 am and Sundays) are taken seriously in shared buildings.
- Liability insurance (Haftpflicht) is cheap and widely expected; it covers damage you cause to others.
- Carry your residence permit or a copy of your passport and visa.
When to contact the Indian mission
- The Embassy of India in Berlin (and consulates in Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg) issues emergency certificates if your passport is lost or stolen (report it to the police first and keep the report).
- It helps in arrests, hospitalisation, a death, or when a student is missing; families in India can raise a request on the MEA's MADAD portal.
- It cannot pay your bills, get you out of a legal case or intervene in visa decisions of the host country.
- Save the mission's emergency number from its website in your phone before you fly, and register any address change with it if asked.
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
112 for fire and ambulance, 110 for police. For a doctor outside office hours, call 116 117.
Yes. Studierendenwerke offer free psychological counselling, and the TelefonSeelsorge answers 0800 111 0 111 at any hour.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
GERMANY GUIDE
Health, bank & phone
Statutory health insurance for students in Germany, private options, opening a bank account and phone contracts.
GERMANY GUIDE
First weeks in Germany
Anmeldung, enrolment, health insurance, bank account, tax ID, residence permit and the broadcasting fee after arriving in Germany.
FROM INDIA
Scams & emergencies abroad
Study abroad fraud warnings for Indian students: fake agents, offer letters and visas, forex and job scams, plus lost passports and emergencies abroad.
FROM INDIA
A guide for parents
Study abroad answers for Indian parents: true costs, loans and co-applicants, sending money, safety, health, visiting your child and checking an agent.
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FRANCE
Study in France
The full France guide: degrees, fees, Campus France, visa, housing and work, chapter by chapter.
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