Proof of insurance for enrollment
If you are a non-EU student and 30 years or older you have to opt for a private insurance scheme. Only in case you have been insured with the student's compulsory health insurance in Germany before, you have the possibility to take out a voluntary health insurance policy with a compulsory health insurance company (monthly contribution ca. € 200).

If you come to Germany directly from abroad and you are older than 30 years you need to take out a private German health insurance policy. The private insurance scheme may rise to € 250 per month. Moreover, some insurance providers may require that you provide proof of your recent health insurance and your health condition.

When you are insured with a private insurance you have to pay bills from the doctor or dentist by yourself first and then submit the bill to the private health insurance provider to be reimbursed.

Please note that most costs incurred for pre-existing diseases usually will not be covered by private insurances (e.g. chronic diseases such as asthma or allergies). Therefore it may be wise to bring any necessary medicines with you from home - provided that you respect import regulations. Private insurances tend to exclude several benefits, e.g., dental treatments or mental health disorders and are often very limited in case of mental health treatments (e.g., in case of depression). It is therefore important to consider your own financial situation and to clarify whether you can pay for any necessary treatment yourself.

***We know that the requirements for a sufficient proof of health insurance are not easy to understand, especially for non-EU students older than 30 years. Therefore we created a fact sheet where you can find more information about the requirements for getting a residence permit in Hamburg with a private health insurance, please find it here:

***Fact sheet health insurance, residence permit & enrollment non-EU students older that 30 years***

What do I have to consider when taking out a private insurance policy?

Your private insurance provider has to be accepted by Hamburg’s authorities when applying for a residence permit in Hamburg. Only in this case it is also sufficient for enrollment and you can be sure that you can stay in Hamburg after the period of your visa (usually 90 days) ends and you have to apply for a residence permit in Hamburg. Please note: The travel insurance you usually need for your visa application will not be accepted when applying for a residence permit in Hamburg.

To obtain a residence permit all requirements named in the form "Confirmation of private health insurance coverage - Appendix 1: Permanent protection" need to be confirmed by your private insurance company. The form is a document from the Hamburg Welcome Center - here you will apply for your residence permit once you are in Hamburg.

Only if all requirements in accordance with the Hamburg Welcome Center are met, the private insurance is sufficient for enrollment. Most insurances who offer special tariffs for international students currently do not fulfill all requirements listed in the form of the Hamburg Welcome Center. So we kindly ask you to check all conditions carefully before you sign a contract with a private health insurance provider!

Currently only a few private providers confirmed to fill out the form from the Hamburg Welcome Center without crossing anything and offer a tariff for international students:

- "Inter Krankenversicherung - Dr. Walter”: Please find more information about the contributions, the benefits, its general conditions and how to apply here.

- "Vela - tariff: Optimal"

- "Care Concept - tariff: Care Student" (offers a solution for international students from 30 to 34 years)

To be on the safe side, please always ask the insurance whether they fill in annex 1 without crossing any letters before taking out the insurance.

Do I have to sign up for a German health insurance even if I will arrive later than the official semester start (Sept 01) due to the current corona situation?
Yes. Due to German law you can only be enrolled with a proof of health insurance. That means you definitely need to sign up for a German  insurance and submit the required proof along with your enrollment documents.

What to submit for enrollment
For your enrollment, you need to apply for a private German health insurance that will complete the form “Confirmation of private health insurance coverage - Appendix 1: Permanent protection” without any restrictions.

Please submit a copy of this form filled out by your insurance provider as well as a copy of your membership confirmation of your private German health insurance.

If you are not able to be in Germany right from the semester start, please get in touch with Student Services.