Health Insurance For International Students in Germany [2024 English Guide]

Key takeaways  

• Internation students need a valid health insurance policy to study at a German university.
• Public health insurance providers in Germany offer discounted student health insurance policies. Students under 23 pay around 120 € per month, and those between 23 and 29 pay around 125 €.
• Students who are 30 or older when commencing their studies cannot get public health insurance. They must get private insurance.
• Foreign students in preparatory or language courses can only get private student health insurance.
• Germany recognizes the health insurance policy of students from EU member states. If your insurance policy is recognized in Germany, you need the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).  Your health insurer can issue the EHIC card. You’ll also need an insurance certificate from a German insurer stating that you are exempt from German health insurance.
• Students cannot change from private to public health insurance or vice versa during their studies.

This is how you do it

• Students from EU member states should check if their home country’s health insurance is recognized in Germany.
• Foreign students from other countries must get a valid health insurance policy based on their eligibility.
• We find TK the best public health insurance provider for expats. Its website, mobile app, and customer service are in English. You can register with TK online.
• We recommend getting private health insurance via an insurance broker. They are experts and can help you find the best plan for your needs. You can book a call with an expert we recommend here.

Table of Contents

Is taking health insurance for foreign students mandatory in Germany?

Yes, student health insurance is mandatory for studying at a German university. You must have travel health insurance before flying to Germany.

However, you must get public or private health insurance once you arrive in Germany. You need a valid health insurance policy to get a visa/resident card in Germany.

Moreover, medical services in Germany are expensive without a health insurance card. Health insurance covers medical costs like doctor’s fees, medicines, hospital charges, etc.

Students from EU member states can usually use their home country’s public health insurance in Germany. Moreover, some private health insurance companies of EU member states also cover you in Germany.

We find TK the best public health insurance provider for expats. It offers its website, mobile app, and customer support in English.

How much does international student health insurance cost in Germany?

Public health insurance for students

You are eligible for the discounted student health insurance if you are under 30. If you are 30 or above, you can no longer access discounted student health insurance and must pay the regular premium.

The cost of public health insurance for students depends on your age and the number of children you have. The premium you pay is composed of three parts.

• General contributions (Krankenversicherung): It’s set by the government and is the same for everyone and every public insurance company. It’s 10.22% as of 2024.
• Additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag): It’s set independently by each public health insurance provider. The Germany-wide average is 1.7% as of 2024.
• Long-term nursing care contribution (Pflegeversicherung): The government sets it, and it varies from 2.4% to 4% depending on your age and number of children.

The public health insurance companies calculate the premium using the BAföG rate set by the German government. It is 812€ until 30 September 2024 and will increase to 855€ afterward.

The table below shows the average public health insurance premium for students.

Students age (Single and no children)	Public Health Insurance Cost
Up to 29 years old	120 to 150 € per month
30 or older	233 to 250 € per month (assuming you earn below 1,178.33 € gross per month (as of 2024))

This is how the public health insurance premium for students is calculated.

	Percentage of your gross salary	Monthly premium (until 30.09.2024)	Monthly premium (from 01.10.2024)
BAföG rate for students (This is the rate used to calculate student health insurance premiums)		812 €	855 €
General contribution	10.22%	82.99 €	87.38 €
Additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag)	1.7% (average)	13.8 €	14.53 €
Long-term nursing care	3.4% (with 1 child) 4% (no children)	27.61 € (with children) 32.48 € (no children)	29.07 € (with children) 34.2 € (no children)
Total monthly contribution	15.32% (with 1 child) 15.92% (without children)	124.4 € (with children) 129.27 € (without children)	130.98 € (with children) 136.11 € (without children)

NOTE: You can insure your non-working spouse and children for free in public health insurance.

Private health insurance for students

Private health insurance companies set their own premiums based on your age and services you opt for. You cannot insure your children or non-working spouse for free in private health insurance.

Students age (Single and no children)	Private Health Insurance Cost
Up to 29 years old	90 to 130 € per month
30 or older	160 to 250 € per month

How can I get student health insurance in Germany?

You must first check for which health insurance you are eligible – private or public. You can apply for health insurance online directly with the provider or via insurance brokers.

Student health insurance eligibility criteria 

Under 30

Students who are under 30 before starting their studies must get a public health insurance policy. You can apply for an exemption from compulsory statutory health insurance.

However, you must apply for the exemption within three months of starting the course. The health insurance company considers the enrollment date to calculate the three months.

The legal basis for this is (Section 8, Paragraph 1, No. 5, in conjunction with Paragraph 2, Sentence 1 of the Social Code Book V).

NOTE: Once you enroll in health insurance, private or public, you cannot change it during your studies.

30 or above

Students who are 30 or above when starting their studies cannot be insured with statutory health insurance. They must get private health insurance.

However, they can switch to public health insurance within three months of course start.

Turn 30 during the course

Your compulsory student public health insurance ends when you turn 30 during the course. And you can switch your health insurance again.

You can continue to be insured voluntarily with public insurance or take out private health insurance.

On the other hand, if you have private health insurance before you turn 30, you can switch to public insurance.

How do you get student public health insurance in Germany?

Almost every statutory health insurance provider offers online applications. So, you can apply for the student health insurance policy online directly with the insurance provider.

You can use our public health insurance cost calculator to easily calculate the premium you’ll pay based on your income and occupation.

We find TK the best public health insurance provider for expats. It offers its website, mobile app, and customer support in English.

How do you get student private health insurance in Germany?

We recommend getting private health insurance via an insurance broker. They are experts and can help you find the best plan for your needs. You can book a call with an expert we recommend here.

Insurance brokers and advisors are liable for their advice. This means that if the insurance plan they recommended doesn’t fulfill your wishes, they are liable to pay the damages.

Insurance brokers offer free advice. The insurance company pays them upon the successful conclusion of the contract.

An insurance broker can also help you file a claim with the provider. The broker we recommend has been offering services to expats for more than a decade.

Private vs public health insurance for students in Germany

Private health insurance	Public health insurance
Private health insurance premium depends on your age and health.	Students under 30 get a discounted student health insurance policy that costs between 120 € and 125 €.
German law doesn’t regulate private student health insurance premiums.	German law regulates the premiums and services of public health insurance.
Private insurance members pay the medical bills themselves and get reimbursed by the insurance company.	Once accepted into the public health insurance system, you’ll receive a health insurance card. You can use the card to get most medical services in Germany without paying a cent.
Switching private health insurance providers is expensive as you lose most of your retirement provisions.	You can switch your public health insurance provider any time you want.
Comprehensive private health insurance offers better services than public insurance

Private health insurance is not automatically better than public insurance. You must weigh the pros and cons of both before choosing one.

Moreover, you must consider the long-term view while deciding which type of health insurance to take. For example, are you planning to settle in Germany, or are you here only for studies? Would you like to have a family in the future, etc.?

Students planning to settle in Germany after their studies should get public health insurance. Similarly, statutory health insurance is the right choice if you plan to have a family and kids in Germany.

The reason is private insurance doesn’t cover your spouse and children for free. On the other hand, public insurance does.

However, if you are planning to be in Germany for a few months or years, you can consider taking cheap private health insurance. 

Married students whose spouses and children come with them to Germany must take separate health insurance for their families.

How do you terminate student health insurance when leaving Germany?

You must send a contract termination request in writing to your health insurance company. You can send the letter via a registered post or upload it on the insurer’s website.

You also need to provide proof that you are leaving Germany. The health insurer considers your plane ticket or de-registration certificate from the Rathaus as proof. You cannot cancel your health insurance policy without proof of leaving Germany.

Every public health insurance company has its contract cancellation letter that you can use. Here is the form from TK.

You can use our sample letter to cancel a private health insurance contract.

Health insurance for students from EU member states

The statutory health insurance of students from other EU member states is also valid in Germany. But you must get your health insurance policy recognized by a statutory health insurer in Germany.

You can go to any public health insurance provider in Germany and show them your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The German public health insurer will issue you a certificate stating that your home country’s health insurance is valid in Germany. You need this certificate to enroll in a university in Germany.

You can get an EHIC card from your home country’s health insurance provider.

Even the private health insurers from other EU member states are recognized in Germany. But you cannot switch to a statutory health insurance provider in this case. 

If the German public health insurer doesn’t recognize private insurance from your home country, you must get valid health insurance from Germany.

Health insurance for students from the UK

Students from the UK who don’t have access to an EHIC card can register for a global health insurance card at NHS.

If that doesn’t work, you must get public or private health insurance from Germany, depending on your eligibility criteria.

Health insurance for students from countries that signed a social security agreement with Germany

The following countries are not part of the EU. However, they have signed a social security agreement with the EU.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Serbia
• Turkey
• Tunisia

If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you must obtain an entitlement certificate (EESSI or AT-11) from your home country’s health insurer before coming to Germany.

You can show the entitlement certificate to any public health insurance company in Germany. The German public insurer will then issue a certificate stating that your home country’s health insurance is valid in Germany. You need this certificate to enroll in a German university.

Which health insurance can you get based on your course?

Health insurance for preparatory course students in Germany

Students coming to Germany to attend preparatory courses cannot insure themselves with a statutory health insurance company. But German law still requires proof of health insurance.

Thus, the only choice for students in preparatory courses is to get private health insurance. You can check student private health insurance from Feather* or Dr. Walter*.

Feather is an insurance agent, and Dr-Walter is an insurance broker. Don’t confuse them with insurance companies.

NOTE: Students with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) might only need travel health insurance. You should check with the international office of your university for more details. 

What is a preparatory course in Germany?

Some German universities don’t recognize the schooling certificate from your home country. Thus, the university requires you to attend a preparatory course to assess your skills.

The course is usually two semesters long and ends with an exam. Once you successfully finish the course, you can enroll at your university.

Health insurance for language students in Germany

German health insurance system treats the language students like the preparatory students. This means that you cannot get student insurance from a statutory health insurance provider in Germany. So, the only choice is private health insurance.

Your EHIC card is usually enough if your course lasts only a semester. But always confirm it with your home country’s or German health insurer.

Health insurance for exchange students in Germany

Exchange students or Erasmus students can take statutory health insurance in Germany. It is because the exchange students are part of a university degree.

Erasmus students can also check with a German health insurer if their EHIC card works in Germany.

Health insurance for PhD students in Germany

Working PhD students 

You are automatically insured by compulsory public health insurance if you work in Germany. Assuming that you earn less than 69,300 € gross per annum (as of 2024).

PhD students working in Germany don’t get discounted student health insurance. 

Non-working PhD students

• PhD students under 30 can get discounted public student health insurance.
• PhD students aged 30 or older cannot take discounted student health insurance. They can take private or standard public insurance (without a student discount).

Health insurance for DAAD-scholarship holders

Your DAAD scholarship already includes health insurance that is accepted in Germany. Here is what the official website of DAAD says.

The DAAD offers combined health, accident, and personal liability insurance for trainees, students and academics – as well as their partners and children – who come to Germany. DAAD scholarship holders receive this insurance automatically.

Health insurance for international students working part-time

Foreign students under 30 working part-time alongside their studies can still enjoy discounted student insurance. The condition is that the working hours should not exceed 20 hours per week.

If you work more than 20 hours per week, you are no longer eligible for student insurance. In this case, you must inform your health insurance provider.

Discounted student insurance is relevant if you want public health insurance. To private health insurers, it doesn’t matter if you are a student or not. Private health insurance premium depends on your age and health.

FAQs

Difference Between Student Travel Insurance vs Student Health Insurance

You must show valid health insurance while applying for a German travel visa in your home country. Unfortunately, you must be in Germany to get German health insurance. Thus, getting travel health insurance is the only option to obtain a visa. 

Travel health insurance covers you till you get student health insurance in Germany.

Is healthcare free for students in Germany?

No, healthcare is not free for students in Germany. Students under 30 get discounted health insurance. But they still pay 120 € to 125 € per month (as of 2024) as an insurance premium.

Students who are 30 or older don’t get the student discount. They must get standard health insurance from private or public insurers.

References

• https://www.studierendenwerke.de/themen/studieren-mit-behinderung/finanzierung/krankenversicherung/private-krankenversicherung-sinnvolle-alternative-fuer-studierende-mit-beeintraechtigungen
• https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/120841082/Krankenversicherung_f%C3%BCr_internationale_Studierende
• https://www.finanztip.de/krankenversicherung/krankenversicherung-student/
• https://www.tk.de/en/service-faqs/life-change/leave-germany-permanently-health-insurance-cover-2092300
• https://www.studierendenwerke.de/themen/studienfinanzierung/kosten-des-studiums/versicherungen/studienvoraussetzung-kranken-und-pflegeversicherung
• https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/gesundheit-pflege/krankenversicherung/studentische-krankenversicherung-diese-moeglichkeiten-gibt-es-10352