If you are in danger or need urgent help, call:

EU-wide cost-free emergency phone number, no area code required, can always be reached 

During the conversation, it will be decided on what will be done! So, do not think too much about whether you call or not!  

Urgent emergencies - Physical

112 – in case of medical emergencies or accidents (EU-wide cost-free emergency phone number, can always be reached) 

110 – to report threats, crimes, or accidents with damage to property (Germany-wide, cost-free telephone number, can always be reached) 

+49 721/608-3333 – in case of accidents or threats on the KIT Campuses North, South, West, East. Can always be reached! 

+49 761 192-40 - Poison Center: For information in case of poisoning incidents. Can always be reached.

Problems that are not acutely life-threatening - Physical

Outside of KIT: 

If your life is not in danger, but you still need to quickly contact a physician:  

Call your general practitioner or go there during consultation hours.  

If there is no emergency, the Medical On-call Service (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) may help, call 116117 (Germany-wide cost-free telephone number, can always be reached). For more information in ten languages, click here. 

  • Karlsruhe Emergency Department (Notaufnahme): If you do not want to call the emergency number 112, you can go to the Emergency Department yourself or a relative may bring you there. The Emergency Department is always open. No registration by telephone is required.  
  • Hausärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst (Medical On-call Service when the general practitioner or pediatrician cannot be reached during consultation hours): 
    • Adults: General Emergency Room: Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe (Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe), Franz-Lust-Straße 29, Haus E (access via House Haus R and the parking lot Franz-Lust-Straße), Karlsruhe, phone: +49 721 974 5050 
    • Medical On-call Service for Children and Adolescents: Emergency Department for Children: Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe (Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe), Knielinger Allee 101, Karlsruhe. As of 22.00 hrs, go to the Children’s Emergency Department (Kindernotaufnahme) of the Children’s Hospital: Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe (Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe), Notaufnahme (Emergency Department), Haus S, Kußmaulstraße 8, Karlsruhe, phone: +49 721 9743310 

Pharmacy Emergency Service: Outside of normal opening times of pharmacies, (emergency service fee: Non-recurrent fee of EUR 2.50 in addition to the sales price or payment to be made for the prescription)  

Emergency Phone Number for Violence against Women:  

Emergency phone number "Violence against Women" (“Gewalt gegen Frauen”): 08000 116 016 (Germany-wide cost-free telephone number), advice in 18 languages. For more information, click here.  
 

At KIT: 

Campus North: Medical Services, building 124, can always be reached. On working days between 8.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs, at least one physician is present. Medical Services provide first aid. If necessary, you can also call the emergency phone number of KIT: +49 721 608 3333 

Campus South, Campus West, Campus East: In case of an accident or if you are feeling unwell, call the emergency number of KIT: +49 721 608 3333. Or contact a first aider or a secretary’s office. There are many first aiders at KIT. Their names are known at all offices. They will help you.  

Important: 

All accidents of students and employees of KIT on the campuses and on the direct way from and to work at KIT are covered by an additional insurance. For this reason, report your accident to your institute / facility or call the emergency phone number of KIT +49 721 608 3333. Then, go to a so-called Durchgangsarzt (accident insurance doctor). These doctors are responsible in case of accidents at work or on the way from and to work.   

For information, click here (in German).  

General information regarding illness - Physical

Students with a disability or chronic illness can contact the Commissioner for Students with a Disability and Chronic Illness, Ms. Scherwitz-Gallegos, phone +49 721 608 44860/-44832. 

General Information and Terms: 

General Information – Choice of Physician, Health Insurance, Payment of Costs 
In Germany, physicians can be chosen freely by insured persons. Usually, diagnostics and treatments are provided at the medical practices. Some physicians also offer diagnostics and advice by phone, chat, or video telephony. Costs of trips (taxi, public transportation) to a physician are not covered by health insurance.  
 
In the German healthcare system, it is distinguished between so-called statutory services (statutory health insurance companies bear the costs from the fees paid for health insurance) and private services (i.e. private health insurance companies reimburse the costs later on). In most cases, it is recommended to have a statutory health insurance. Private health insurance companies calculate the member fees on an individual basis, which may result in higher costs. Moreover, treatment costs first have to be paid by the patient in case of a private health insurance. Later on, the patient can request reimbursement of the costs by the insurance company. Sometimes, not all costs are covered. In case of hospitalization, costs that have to be paid initially by the insured person may amount up to several thousand Euros.  
A list of German health insurance companies can be found here. 
Members of a statutory health insurance receive an insurance card from their insurance company. Be sure that you always have this insurance card (Versichertenkarte) with you.  
General Practitioners – Medical Care 
In Germany, general medical care is provided by the so-called “Hausarzt” (general practitioner). Go to general practitioners whenever you have health problems or medical questions. General practitioners provide diagnostic services and treat illnesses and health problems after accidents. General practitioners are also authorized to confirm that you are not able to work or take part in exams.  
If required, general practitioners refer (Überweisung) you to specialists (e.g. urologists, psychiatrists) or to special medical facilities (psychologists, laboratories). These specialists or medical facilities will inform your general practitioner about the result of their diagnosis or further treatment. In this way, the general practitioner always has all the information he/she needs for further treatment.  
Unfortunately, it is not that easy to find a general practitioner nowadays. Try to find as quickly as possible a general practitioner for you and your family, who is located as closely as possible to your residence. If you do not find a general practitioner who still accepts new patients, contact your health insurance company.   
Medical Specialists (Facharzt) 
Specialists may only be consulted after you have been referred there by your general practitioner, as the latter knows who is the right specialist for you. In principle, it is also possible to consult specialists without referral by the general practitioner. However, the specialist might not have important information on your health in areas in which he/she is no specialist. Treatments can be provided in the specialist area only. Moreover, your general practitioner does not automatically receive important information about illnesses, treatments, and medication. This is especially important when one illness is caused by another one.  
Medical specialists have specialized in a certain medical field and can provide diagnostic services and treatments that are not available to general practitioners.  
Note that medical specialists often have long waiting times of up to several months. Sometimes, medical specialists do not accept any new patients at all. For this reason, it is recommended to contact a medical specialist as early as possible. Persons with a private health insurance will mostly be given an earlier appointment.  
When looking for a general practitioner or medical specialist, the Suchportal der Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung Baden-Württemberg (KVBW) (search portal of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians) may help. In very urgent cases, the referring practitioner may issue a Vermittlungscode (code for referral) that can also be used in the appointments service called by dialing 116117 (Terminservice der 116 117). In case you already have a medical specialist, the general practitioner can make a note on the referral in urgent cases for you to be given an appointment within 31 days.  
Accident Insurance Physician (Durchgangsarzt) 
In case of accidents at KIT, on the direct way from home to KIT and the direct way back (accident at work or on the way from/to work).  Accident insurance physicians are physicians approved by the employers’ liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft). Any accidents at work or on the way to/from work are covered by KIT’s insurance. The accident insurance physician can settle the costs directly with the insurance company. Accident insurance physicians responsible for KIT can be found on this list. 
Pharmacies – Contacts for Medication 
Pharmacies issue and procure medicine. In Germany, some medicines are available over the counter, such as nasal sprays, cough syrup, and analgesics. Prescription medicines, such as antibiotics and psychotropic drugs, must be prescribed by a physician. These prescriptions are transmitted electronically. You can go directly to a pharmacy with your insurance card. Again, persons with a private health insurance have to first pay the costs of the medicine and may have them reimbursed later on. Persons with a statutory health insurance have to make a co-payment that may range from EUR 5 to EUR 10.   

Further information on terms and their translations can be found in the health dictionary issued by the Studierendenwerk.

Dependable answers to health questions can also be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health in four languages. 

Acute emergencies - Mental health

In case of an acute danger for yourself or others, have yourself taken to the Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapeutische Medizin (hospital for psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine) of Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital. If nobody can bring you, call the Police (110) or the emergency phone number 112.  

The address of this hospital is: Kaiserallee 10, 76133 Karlsruhe, phone: +49 721 9743710 

The hospital is always open. Prior registration is not required.  

Problems that are not acutely life-threatening - Mental health 

Telefonseelsorge (crisis line): Can always be reached 

If you need to talk to somebody in cases of crises, worries, problems, or suicidal thoughts, call the  crisis line 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222. Here, you can talk to specially trained staff. The crisis line can be reached day and night (Germany-wide cost-free telephone number). The telephone conversations are anonymous and strictly confidential.  

Cost-free Contacts at KIT: 

For students:  

Psychotherapeutische Beratungsstelle (psychological help) of the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe 

Opening times: Monday to Friday, 9.00-12.00 hrs 

Information and registration: Phone: +49 721 9334060:  

Everybody will get an appointment! In urgent cases, inform the staff when you register.  

 

Important information for students:  

Please note that you have to submit a medical certificate (Attest) when you cannot take part in an examination due to psychic problems, when you need a semester of leave, or have to apply for an extension of the duration of your studies. Later on, it will be impossible to prove that you were feeling unwell. A medical certificate may only be issued by the general practitioner or the medical specialist, but not by the psychological help (PBS) of the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe. For being issued a medical certificate, you must have contacted these physicians at the beginning of your illness or your mental impairment already.  

For employees, teams, and executives: 

Contact the Conflict Management and Psychosocial Counseling Staff Unit of KIT (KMB). Click here for the consultation hours.  

 

Counseling Centers in Karlsruhe: 

 

Beratungsstelle “Die Brücke” (counseling center) 
Cost-free consultation is also possible in English 
Kronenstraße 23, 76133 Karlsruhe 
Opening times:   
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10.00 – 13.00 hrs and 15.00 – 18.00 hrs 
Wednesday 16.00 – 20.00 hrs 
No prior registration required 
Ehe-, Familien- und Partnerschaftsberatungsstelle Karlsruhe e.V. (marriage, family, and partnership counseling)  
Consultation is possible in other languages as well 
Nelkenstr. 17, 76135 Karlsruhe 
Phone: +49 721 842288  

Beratungsstellen Sucht (addiction advice centers): 

Fachstelle Sucht Karlsruhe (addiction advice center Karlsruhe), advice center of Baden-Württemberg: 
Advice and treatment in case of addiction problems 
Karlstr. 61, Karlsruhe, phone: +49 721 35239 810 
 
Opening times:  
Consultation appointments after arrangement by phone  
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday     09.00 – 12.00 hrs and 13.00 – 17.00 hrs 
Tuesday 14.00 – 17.00 hrs 
Friday 09.00 – 13.00 hrs 
Open consultation hours: 
Monday 14.30 – 16.00 hrs 
Wednesday 14.30 – 16.00 hrs 
Suchtmedizinische Ambulanz des Städtischen Klinikums Karlsruhe (addiction outpatient department of Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital): 
Moltkestr. 90, Karlsruhe, Haus X 
Consultation hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 16:00 hrs 
Phone: +49 721 974 3880 

 

General information - Mental health

In case of both physical and psychic problems, general practitioners are to be contacted first. Also in this case, health insurance companies will bear the costs and pharmacies will dispense the medication. Please read the information on physical problems, as it mostly is the same as in case of psychic problems. If you have a psychic illness, your general practitioner may issue a medical certificate.   

If necessary, your general practitioner will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for further treatment by psychotherapy or medication.  

For an appointment to undergo outpatient psychotherapy, you sometimes will have to wait up to one year. Ask your general practitioner or your health insurance company what you can do during this time.   

General Information/Terms: 

Psychologist – Expert for the mental treatment of psychic illnesses 
Psychologists or psychotherapists treat psychic illnesses by a psychotherapy and provide advice. Psychologists are a crucial component of psychic healthcare, but not authorized to prescribe and to supervise medication.  
Psychiatrist – Specialist for drug-based treatment of psychic illnesses 
Psychiatrists are specialists for psychic illnesses and carry out detailed examinations for diagnosis purposes. In this case, cooperation with the general practitioner is very important in order to exclude physical illnesses as a cause of the psychic illness. Moreover, psychiatrists are authorized to order and supervise medication.   
Psychotropic Drugs 
These are drugs to treat psychic illnesses. Together with psychotherapies, they represent effective means to treat severe illnesses. Frequently, they substitute substances that can no longer be produced by the human body in sufficient amount for various reasons, ranging from physical illnesses to traumatic experiences. Note that the dosage of psychotropic drugs may be changed under the physician’s supervision only. Psychotropic drugs always have to be prescribed. They may only be obtained from pharmacies.  
Types of Psychotherapies 
In Germany, four recognized psychotherapies exist. The costs are covered by health insurance, if treatment is carried out by a psychologist. These psychotherapies are:  
-Behavioral therapy 
-Depth psychology-based psychotherapy  
-Analytical psychotherapy (psychoanalysis) 
-Systemic therapy 
Psychotherapy may take place individually or in groups. The type of therapy and its duration depend on the type of the illness and the special needs of the patient.  
Psychosomatic Medicine 
Psychosomatics is an area of medicine that focuses on the interactions between psyche and body. It deals with psychic influences on somatic (physical) processes and vice versa. In this way, physical or mental illnesses caused by such interactions can be treated.  
An example of a physical illness that may cause a psychic illness is cancer. In this case, patients frequently suffer from depression. Vice versa, physical and psychic traumata or stress may cause psychic illnesses. Depending on how severe they are, such illnesses may be treated by a psychotherapy and medication. 

 

In case the physician considers a psychotherapy reasonable, but it will take longer until it can be started, you will have the following options. The physician will decide on whether these options make sense:

Day Clinics (semi-inpatient therapy)  
A day clinic (Tagesklinik) is a semi-inpatient treatment unit (teilstationäre Behandlungseinrichtung), in which patients are treated in a hospital over the day without staying there for the night. For treatment, medical, psychological, and social services are offered. This often includes a supervised organization of the day. Close to the city center of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital is running a day clinic for general psychiatry (Tagesklinik für Allgemeinpsychiatrie). 
For the treatment at the clinic, you will need a hospitalization order (Einweisung) by your general practitioner or your psychiatrist. If you have a private health insurance, contact your insurance company in advance. Treatment at such clinics takes several weeks and, hence, is accordingly expensive for the insurance company.  
During your stay at the hospital, you are given a medical certificate. Work in parallel is not permitted.  
Stationary Therapy (stationäre Therapie) 
Like many hospitals in Germany, Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital is operating a ward for psychotherapeutic medicine and psychosomatics (Station für Psychotherapeutische Medizin und Psychosomatik) for stationary treatment with mostly very short waiting times.  
For treatment at the clinic, you will need a hospitalization order of your general practitioner or your psychiatrist. If you have a private health insurance, check the scope and duration of your insurance at the clinic and contact your insurance company in advance. Such therapies usually take several weeks and are accordingly expensive.  
During your stay at the hospital, you are given a medical certificate. Work in parallel is not permitted. 
Self-help Groups (Selbsthilfegruppen) 
Self-help groups are voluntary social offers that are mostly organized by the persons affected on their own. Sometimes, a medical expert is present. You can go there without having visited a physician before. However, it is important to know what exactly your illness is to find the right self-help group. The Selbsthilfebüro des Sozialdienstes Karlsruhe (self-help office of the Social Services in Karlsruhe) will give you a list of existing self-help groups.  

More information on the terms and their translations can be found in the health dictionary of Studierendenwerk. 

Issued by Psychological Help (PBS).