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1. General information

Health insurance is mandatory for all students in Germany and one of the most important requirements for enrollment.

In Germany there are two types of health insurance: public and private insurance.

Public insurance:
Most students in Germany are insured with a statutory health insurance fund. You have a free choice regarding the offered public insurance companies (e.g. AOK, TK, DAK, HEK etc.) Contributions for mandatory student insurance are regulated by law and are identical for all statutory health insurance companies. Generally, the monthly contribution for students for all statutory health insurance companies is currently ca. € 120. Please note that the Federal law for the promotion of training (BAföG) is the calculation basis for the student rate for all public health insurance providers.

The public insurance is a cost-saving choice as the contributions of the public insurance company are stipulated. Beside the coverage in case of illnesses the public insurance companies also cover preventive medical check-ups as well as the treatments of pre-existing illnesses. With a public insurance spouses (who are not working) and children are included into the insurance free of charge.

Private insurance:
The rate of a private insurance is based on your risk profile (not on your income). In general older people or women pay higher rates. The benefits of private health insurance companies may vary considerably.

Important:
Non-EU students younger than 30 years have to be insured with a public insurance company in Germany. Full health insurance cover for your stay in Germany is very important, also for your residence permit. It is a precondition for your legal stay in Germany and therefore necessary for your registration as a resident and as a student.

Please find here a video from TK (public health insurance provider) that summarizes the most important facts about health insurance in Germany and what you need as a student in Germany.

Services that are covered by a German public health insurance
The quality of the treatment you get as member of the German public health insurance is generally very good. Most of the statutory health insurance benefits are standard services and compulsory for all of the insurance providers. So most medical and dental expenses as well as hospital stays are covered. You can choose any doctor or dentist who is recognized by the insurance company.

Statutory health insurance in Germany provides a range of services and benefits including:

  • Medical and dental treatment, with free choice of doctors and dentists
  • Hospital treatment
  • Medicines and aids such as hearing aids and wheelchairs
  • Measures for the prevention and early detection of certain diseases
  • Preventive dentistry
  • Preventive inoculations
  • Medically necessary dentures and crowns.
  • X-rays

If you are insured through the public system, you only pay a nominal fee for treatments and medicines as these are directly paid for by your insurance provider.

What to submit for enrollment
In the next chapters you will find more information on the exact proof of insurance that needs to be submitted for enrollment. Please click on the arrows or use the table of contents on the right to navigate yourself through each chapter consecutively.

The proof of insurance depends essentially on your country of origin (or residence), so we have summarized in the following chapters what exactly has to be submitted if:

  • you are from an Non-EU country
  • you are from an EU country
  • you are from Germany

You can find an overview about what to submit for enrollment in the following chapters. 

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