Health Insurance for Students in Germany
You need health insurance for the visa, to enrol (sign up as a student) at university and for the residence permit (the card that lets you live in Germany while you study). Amounts are in euro (EUR).
Student Insurance Plan • Germany
Why You Need Health Insurance
Health insurance is required at three steps: the visa, enrolment and the residence permit.
Why You Need Health Insurance
- The visa office wants proof of insurance from your arrival date.
- Your university cannot enrol you without it.
- The Foreigners' Office (the city office for people from other countries) needs proof for your residence permit.
Legal Requirements
- All students in Germany must have health insurance.
- Students aged 30 or over, PhD students and Studienkolleg students (preparatory college) are exempt from the student insurance duty.
Insurance Approaches for Different Students
Before you travel
For the visa: public or private insurance from your arrival date.
To enrol
A German public insurer sends a digital notice to your university.
For the residence permit
German public health insurance or a comparable private plan in Germany. Foreign health insurance is not enough.
You cannot enrol at a German university without health insurance.
What Your University Needs
Your university needs a digital notice from a German public insurer before it can enrol you.
Insurance Waiver Process
Get your admission letter
The insurer sends the notice only after you are admitted.
Contact a public insurer
Tell them which university you will attend.
Wait for the notice
The insurer sends it to your university.
Important Waiver Deadline
Ask your insurer for the notice at least 2 weeks before the semester starts.
Your Insurance Choices
There are two main ways: German public health insurance, or keeping your home insurance after an exemption.
German public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung)
If your country has no health insurance deal with Germany, this is the safest choice. Ask a public insurer to check your case.
Keeping your home insurance (exemption)
Possible only with an exemption (you are freed from joining the public system). It lasts your whole studies and cannot be undone.
Popular Insurance Providers
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK)
Public insurer (a state-approved health insurance company).
AOK
Public insurer. Can send your digital insurance notice to your university.
Using Your Insurance
How to see a doctor in Germany.
Step-by-Step Care Guides
Doctor appointment
- 1With public insurance, use the 116117 appointment service to find a doctor.
Sick outside opening hours
- 1Call 116117 for the doctors' on-call service in the evening, at weekends or on holidays.
Life in danger
- 1Call 112 for an ambulance.
What It Costs
Monthly student rates at TK, a public insurer.
Cost by Insurance Type
| Insurance Type | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| TK public insurance, up to age 23 | EUR 141.16 |
| TK public insurance, from age 23 | EUR 146.29 |
Useful Links and Questions
Links and common questions.
Official Government Resources
Read more: how insurance works for enrolment
How health insurance works for enrolment at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), with tips for international students.
Visit Resource →Emergency Contacts
Ambulance
112When a life is in danger.
Doctors' on-call service
116117Finds a doctor when it cannot wait: evenings, weekends and holidays. With public insurance you can also book doctor appointments here.
Important: Save the local emergency numbers in your phone before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is public health insurance for students?
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) is a public insurer. Its student price is EUR 141.16 a month until age 23, then EUR 146.29. Other public insurers cost almost the same.
Until when can I pay the student rate?
Until the end of the semester (half a study year) in which you turn 30.
How does my university know I am insured?
The public insurer sends a digital notice to your university. Ask for it at least 2 weeks before your semester starts. It is free.
Can I keep my insurance from India or Pakistan?
Only with an exemption (you are freed from joining the public system). It lasts your whole studies. You must also show the Foreigners' Office that your plan pays all treatment costs. This is rarely possible.
What insurance do I need for the visa?
Public or private insurance that starts on the day you plan to arrive. The visa office checks that it covers your start date.
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