General information:

Health insurance is a must for all students in Germany. It's crucial not just for your health but also for your legal stay in the country. Without it, you can't register as a resident or a student, or even get a visa or residence permit. You'll need to show proof of adequate health insurance to enroll at KLU or for any official paperwork. Most students here go for public health insurance like TK, AOK, DAK, HEK, etc. The monthly cost is around €120, which is set by law and the same for all public insurance companies.

Students from EU or countries that have a social security agreement with Germany:

If you're from the EU or a country that has a social security agreement* with Germany (like EFTA countries), you can keep using your home country's health insurance while you're here. Just stay registered and keep paying your premiums. EU/EFTA students should get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from their home country's health insurance company.

*Countries that have a social security agreement with Germany include e.g.: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia, United Kingdom.

 What you need to submit for enrollment: a copy of your EHIC card. Please make sure that all information on the back of your card is readable (your name, validity).

International students younger than 30 years:

International health insurances from a non-EU country are in general not valid in Germany. Private German health insurances are not sufficient for enrollment and will not be accepted.

All international students below the age of 30 have to get German public student health insurance by law.

Important: All exchange students are officially enrolled at KLU from September 1 until December 31 (Fall Semester) or January 1 until May 31 (Spring Semester). According to German law, you must stay insured with a German insurance during this time. Even if you stay for 1 quarter (2 or 3 months) only, you will be enrolled for the whole KLU semester and must have sufficient health insurance for the whole semester period. This is a general rule for all KLU students without exceptions.

KLU closely cooperates with a statutory health insurance company, the “Techniker Krankenkasse” (TK). KLU offers regularly TK support hours at KLU, where you can discuss open issues with a contact person. The Techniker Krankenkasse provides a 24 hours, 7 days a week customer advice hotline as well as a direct hotline to the TK Medical and Health Advice Center in English language. TK will help you to find English speaking doctors in Hamburg.
Customer advice: 0800/2858585;
TK Medical and Health Advice Centre: 040/8550606060

TK application

Further statutory health insurance companies: AOK, DAK, Barmer

What you need to submit for enrollment: your insurance status will be transmitted to the universities by the statutory health insurance companies via an electronic reporting system (“Elektronisches Meldeverfahren”). Please request your provider to report your status to KLU. For the notification of the insurance status to KLU, the health insurance companies might require the sender number of KLU: H0002523.

International students 30 years or older:

If you are 30 years or older and/or you’ve been studying for more than 14 semesters you must opt for a German private insurance scheme.

Exception: in case you have been insured for at least one year with the student's compulsory health insurance in Germany, you have the possibility to take out a voluntary health insurance policy with a public health insurance company.

International, private health insurances taken out in a non-EU country are in general not valid in Germany. If you come to Germany directly from abroad, you need to take out a private German health insurance policy. Some insurance providers may require that you provide proof of your recent health insurance and your health condition.

If you stay in Germany as an exchange student for max. 12 months you need to apply for a private German health insurance that will complete the form “confirmation of private health insurance coverage” (Annex 2) without any restrictions (e.g. Dr-Walter, Mawista). If your duration of stay in Germany as an exchange student is longer than 12 months please get in contact with KLU Student Services (studentservices@klu.org) to get more information on how to proceed.

What you need to submit for enrollment: a copy of your confirmation of private German health insurance (in German or English) that is valid for the whole period of your stay +  the confirmation of private health insurance coverage form (Annex 2) completed by your health insurance provider.