German healthcare navigation

Student health insurance in Germany is mandatory for all students, providing comprehensive coverage at an affordable rate. It ensures access to necessary medical care, including doctor's visits, hospital stays, and medications, typically costing around 120-190 euros per month depending on the provider.

Find all TK health insurance support hours dates below in the drop-down menu under TK support hour at KLU.

Public vs. private insurance

Germany's healthcare system, known as the "Gesundheitssystem," is a dual system that combines both public (statutory) and private health insurance options.
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. 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.

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. 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.

Facts about health insurance in Germany and what you need as a student

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

What to submit as proof of health insurance for enrollment

To successfully enroll at KLU, having sufficient health insurance is one of the most important necessitities. We are legally obligated to ensure that all students have proper insurance coverage. Without adequate health insurance, enrollment will not be possible.

It is also crucial that you maintain your health insurance throughout your studies and make sure that any associated fees are paid on time. Failure to do so will result in your insurance provider notifying the university, which could lead to your exmatriculation (removal from the student register).

The specific health insurance documentation required for enrollment may vary depending on your country of origin or residence. Therefore, please take the time to verify which regulations apply to you and what kind of proof you need to provide.

Can I use my international insurance for enrollment?
No. International health insurances taken out in a non-EU country are in general not valid in Germany. Private international health insurances are not sufficient and will not be accepted. Also private health insurances for the purpose of visa applications cannot be not accepted for enrollment as they limit the cost coverage or the duration of validity. Students will have to apply for a German statutory health insurance in order to be enrolled at KLU.

Do I have to sign up for a German insurance?
Yes. Non-EU students from countries that don’t have an agreement  with Germany regarding health insurance are required by law to take out a German student health insurance. All international students below the age of 30 have to opt for statutory health insurance in order to be enrolled and to be able to apply for their residence permit in Hamburg. Only in exceptional cases it is possible to take out a private health insurance for international students, e.g. if you are older than 30 and are therefore not eligible for the compulsory German public health insurance (more information in the next section).

Can KLU recommend any public insurance?
KLU closely cooperates with a statutory health insurance company, the "Techniker Krankenkasse" (abbr. "TK"), which is one of the biggest statutory health insurance companies in Germany and offers very good services. The monthly contribution for health- and long-term care insurance is roughly € 120 - the same amount like at all other statutory health insurance companies.

KLU offers regularly TK support hours on campus where you can discuss open issues with a contact person. If you wish to sign up for TK, KLU will assist you with you application. Please find the membership application form here. More information about TK can also be found in the next section "Techniker Krankenkasse - TK".

However, all statutory health insurances are sufficient for getting a residence permit in Germany. You have a free choice regarding the offered public insurance companies (e.g. AOK, DAK, HEK etc.). 

What to submit for enrollment

Your insurance status has to be transmitted to KLU by the statutory health insurance companies via an electronic reporting system (“Elektronisches Meldeverfahren”). Therefore, you must contact a statutory health insurance company as soon as possible after receiving your letter of admission and apply for a student insurance there so that your insurance status is reported to KLU. If your status is not reported to KLU, you will not be finally enrolled and will not receive any semester documents.

For the notification of the insurance status to KLU, the health insurance companies might require the sender number of KLU: H0002523.

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.

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 before taking out the insurance.


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 from the EU or a country that has a social security agreement* with Germany (like EFTA countries), you can remain insured with your home country insurance during your stay in Germany if you have state-regulated health insurance in your home country. In order to do this, you must stay registered with your health insurance company and continue to pay the premiums.

*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.

There is no need to take out health insurance in the country where you're studying when you are insured with a public insurance in your home country. Students are generally classed as 'non-active citizens', which means they're covered by health insurance in their country of residence. Students going abroad to study for a limited period are generally considered to have maintained habitual residence in their home country, and can use the EHIC issued to them by that country for healthcare received while studying abroad temporarily.

The EHIC allows you to obtain any unplanned medical treatment that may be necessary while you're temporarily studying in another EU country (as well as Iceland, Switzerland, Norway & Liechtenstein). It gives students access to whatever treatment becomes necessary, depending on the length of time they're spending abroad. It's up to the healthcare provider to define what types of treatment are medically "necessary". As students are usually staying for longer than tourists - who may only be visiting for a few days - they have access to a wider range of treatment. You can use your EHIC only at the public healthcare providers, as it does not cover privately provided healthcare.

Students from the EU or countries whom the Federal Republic of Germany has a social security agreement (EU/EFTA countries) with, should obtain the required European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the health insurance company in their home country.

It may be that your insurance does not cover all costs. Please contact your local health insurance provider to find out which services are fully covered. An additional insurance may be necessary.

Important: as soon as students with a health insurance from their EU home country take up an employment, self-employment or paid internship, even if it is less than 20 hours per week, the insurance of the EU home country becomes invalid. In such cases, the student must now take out insurance as a student with a German statutory health insurance company. Please clarify this with your (future) employer.

What to submit for enrollment

For enrollment, please submit a copy of your EHIC. Please make sure that all information on the back of your card is readable (your name, validity).


Additionally, you need to prove that you are exempted from the statutory health insurance obligation in Germany. For this, please contact our consultant Jurij Visnakov from TK:

Phone: + 49 40 460 65 10 16 16

Email: jurij.visnakov@tk.de

As a prove you must send him a scan of your EHIC.
Alternatively, you can contact any statutory health insurance company (e.g. DAK, AOK, Barmer, etc.) and ask them to report your insurance status ("nicht gesetzlich versichert") to KLU via the electronic reporting system. KLU's sender number is: H0002523.

The monthly contribution for public insurance for students is regulated by law and about € 120. Please be aware that after you turn 30, the premiums increase by around € 90 per month. 

For German students it is also possible to present a private German health insurance ("Vollversicherung") for enrollment. Please note that once you decided to take out a private insurance the validity period for the exemption from the student health insurance is the period of study and during this time the exemption cannot be revoked.

More information for students insured with TK


What to submit for enrollment

If you are insured with a public health insurance

Your insurance status will be transmitted to the universities by the statutory health insurance companies via an electronic reporting system (“Elektronisches Meldeverfahren”). Therefore, you must contact a statutory health insurance company as soon as possible after receiving your letter of admission and take out student insurance there so that your insurance status is reported to KLU. If your status is not reported to KLU, we cannot report your student status to the health insurance company and your student insurance will not be activated.

For the notification of the insurance status to KLU, the health insurance companies might require the sender number of KLU: H0002523


If you are insured with a private health insurance
Please submit a confirmation of health insurance from your private health insurance company. A copy of your insurance card is not sufficient. 

Additionally, you need to prove that you are exempted from the statutory health insurance obligation (Befreiung von der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherungspflicht). You can easily request the exemption from the statutory health insurance online on the TK website or contact our consultant Jurij Visnakov from TK:

Phone: + 49 40 460 65 10 16 16
Email: jurij.visnakov@tk.de


As a prove you must send him a confirmation of your private health insurance.

Alternatively, you can contact any statutory health insurance company (e.g. DAK, AOK, Barmer, etc.) and ask them to report your insurance status ("nicht gesetzlich versichert") to KLU via the electronic reporting system.
For the notification of the insurance status to KLU, the health insurance companies might require the sender number of KLU: H0002523.

Exemption from compulsory health insurance for Ukrainian refugees
The Association of statutory health insurance funds has announced that Ukrainian refugees can apply for an exemption from the health insurance obligation as long as their first residence is not in Germany. You can get in touch with TK or any other statutory health insurance to ask for a proof of exemption.

Jurij Visnakov from TK:

Phone: + 49 40 460 65 10 16 16
Email: jurij.visnakov@tk.de


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

If you wish to apply for TK, just follow this link:
Become a member - students


Please fill in your personal data to process with your membership application. In case you will apply for TK please submit your TK application number (you will receive this number after having submitted your TK online application) for enrollment.

More information about TK can also be found here: TK website in English.

Kindly note that you can only become a member as of your first day of enrollment (BSC/MSC students: Sept 01). This is the start of the academic year; an earlier start is not possible due to German law. Please be aware that you need full medical travel insurance for your interim period of travel until enrollment day.

If you have any more questions, just ask us: studentservices@klu.org.


Monthly contributions
Currently, the monthly contribution for students for TK is like all statutory health insurance companies about € 120.

After your membership at TK becomes valid you will be asked by TK if you would like to submit a SEPA mandate direct debit to agree for monthly payments. To do so you need a German bank account, so you need to wait with the decision until you will be in Germany. The other possibility is to pay in advance for one semester= 6 months. In this case you would receive an invoice from TK.

You will be informed by TK about the exact process during the Welcome Week and at the same time you will also receive your health insurance documents. We will have several sessions during the Welcome Week to finalize your membership.


TK Services
KLU offers regularly TK support hours on campus where you can discuss open issues with a contact person. Moreover, the Techniker Krankenkasse provides a 24 hours, 7 days a week customer advice hotline (Tel. +49 800 - 285 85 85) as well as an AppointmentService (Tel. +49 40 - 46 06 61 92 20, Mon - Fri 7 AM - 10 PM). TK supports you to find an English-speaking doctor/specialist in time. If you require medical advice you may contact TK-MediCall (Tel. +49 40 - 46 06 61 91 40).

Please find more information about TK's services on TK's website.


How can I get in touch with TK?
Once you are on campus you will meet our contact person from TK in person. During the Welcome Week we will have several support hours from TK where you will be informed about TK's services and the health care system in Germany in general.  You will receive your health insurance documents from TK and can ask all questions you may have.

As soon as you have a German address, please let TK know about it. TK will send all postal documents to you directly. Up to this date kindly use the address in your home country when applying for TK.

Of course you always have the possibility to get in touch with our contact person from TK directly in case you have any questions in details concerning your health insurance at TK.
Please find the contact details here:


Jurij Visnakov from TK:

Phone: + 49 40 460 65 10 16 16
Email: jurij.visnakov@tk.de


Where and how to find a doctor/TK support hour/Emercency contacts

If you feel unwell, such as having the flu, a headache, or a fever, your first point of contact should be a primary care doctor (Hausarzt). These doctors are equipped to treat most common illnesses and can refer you to a specialist if necessary. If you already know that your condition requires specialist care, you can contact the relevant specialist directly.

In Germany, it is customary to visit a doctor (Hausarzt) first and only go to the hospital for emergencies. While many doctor’s offices may not accept new patients, it is always worth calling to check, especially if you are new to the area.

In Germany, you are generally free to choose any doctor or hospital, provided they are registered with the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung). Look for signs in the office stating “Kassenarzt” or “Alle Kassen,” indicating they treat patients with statutory insurance. Be aware that some doctors only treat private patients, in which case you would need to pay for treatment out of pocket. Search for doctors here.

When searching for a doctor, it can be helpful to ask fellow students or colleagues for recommendations. If you require an English-speaking doctor, websites like www.med-kolleg.de offer an English-language search function.

Via teleclinic you also may use the possibility of talking to a professional virtually. It is a good substitute but not a sole solution in certain cases.


The TK Doctor Guide can help you find English-speaking doctors in your area. 

This guide allows you to filter results by language—simply select "Englisch" or your preferred language in the "Fremdsprache" field. 

An online dictionary can assist you in selecting the appropriate specialist in the "Fachgebiet" field.

A further useful website for finding English-speaking doctors can also be found here.

English-speaking doctors near KLU

Ärzte am Kaiserkai - General practitioner
https://aerzteamkaiserkai.de/

Augenarztpraxis City - Ophthalmologist
http://www.augenpraxis-city-hamburg.de/

Zahnzentrum HafenCity - Dentist
https://www.zahnarzt-hamburg-dr-jalilvand.de/kontakt

Dr. med. Jochen Schmidt - Orthopedic surgeon/Accident surgery
Spitalerstr. 1, 20095 Hamburg
+49 40 330395

Pharmacy "Apotheke an der Elbphilharmonie"
Am Kaiserkai 44

20457 Hamburg

Emergency pharmacy
Check http://www.aponet.de/service/notdienstapotheke-finden for daily updates
Pharmacy at the central station is open daily from 07.00/08.00 – 21.00


Some general practitioners have an open-door policy, allowing patients to visit without an appointment, which is especially useful in emergencies. However, many practices operate by appointment only. It is highly recommended to call ahead to make an appointment to avoid long waiting times. For urgent cases, you will typically be given an appointment immediately or on the same day; otherwise, you may need to wait a few days or even weeks.

You can also check on 

- https://www.jameda.de/ or 

- https://www.doctolib.de/ and book appointments online. 

Please make sure to select “Gesetzlich versichert” if you have a statutory health insurance and to bring your card to the appointment.

Always bring your health insurance card to your appointment. If you are insured with TK and have not yet received your insurance card, you can still visit a doctor. Just bring a confirmation of your membership from TK.
If you have a public insurance, the practice will send the bill direct to your health insurance provider; you do not have to do anything. Only if you have a private insurance (for international students only possible if 30 years or older), you will pay upfront and be reimbursed by your insurance company later.
If you have questions concerning your health insurance at TK, our university contact Jurij Visnakov will gladly help you.

Phone: + 49 40 460 65 10 16 16
Email: jurij.visnakov@tk.de

Monthly TK Support Hour
TK support hours are usually held every month. Please find the dates for the next support hours here:

  •     September 12th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     October 2nd 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     November 7th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     December 5th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     January 9th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     February 6th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     March 6th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     April 3rd, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point
  •     May 8th, 1-2 PM @ Room 01.29 next to the Student Services Info Point

Medicine is sold by pharmacies (“Apotheken”). Drug-dispensing laws are quite strict in Germany, therefore medicines that may be prescription-free in your home country can only be purchased on prescription in Germany. Please check the regulations here.

Statutory health insurance will cover the costs of most prescription drugs, but you may have to pay a small fee.

Except for emergencies, you will need to be referred by a doctor for a hospital treatment. In case a treatment in a hospital is required you will have to pay a fixed charge of €10 per day (maximum of 28 days in a year) when staying in a hospital.

Notfallpraxen
"Notfallpraxen" in Hamburg are emergency medical practices that provide medical services outside regular office hours, such as evenings & weekends. These centers are designed to treat non-life-threatening conditions that still require immediate medical attention, like minor injuries, infections, or sudden illnesses.
If someone has a medical issue that i not serious enough for a hospital emergency room but can't wait until their regular doctor is available, they can go to a Notfallpraxis.
In Hamburg, there are several of these emergency practices, and they are distributed across different parts of the city. Please find an overview here.

Important telephone numbers
Police: 110
Fire dept. + ambulance: 112
Emergency Number for practitioners in Hamburg: +49 40 - 228022
Emergency Number for poisoning: +49 30-19240


In case of emergency, stay prepared by getting familiar with emergency situation procedures. Please find more information on what to do in case of an emergency here.

Emergency pharmacy
Check http://www.aponet.de/service/notdienstapotheke-finden for daily updates.

Helpline for homeless people in winter
+49 40 4 28 28 5000 Mo-Fr 8 am to 4 pm or in severe cases or off the job call 112.



Health insurance is a complicated and also costly factor when studying in a foreign country. In a study program that includes an exchange with a third country, the cost for health insurance even adds up on the monthly budget.

During your internship and study abroad period you are continuously enrolled at KLU (as specified in your enrollment certificates).

Please be aware that the information provided is based on German and European law that applies for universities who enroll foreign students/exchange students. German universities cannot enroll students who are not insured with a German/European health insurance company. If a student terminates his/her health insurance contract, s/he will by German law be exmatriculated/de-registered (taken from the register of students) by the university.

Within the European Union, health insurance agreements between the different countries are in force. Outside the EU mutual risks are not covered. Thus, each exchange student must buy an additional health insurance.

Since you are enrolled at KLU during the whole period you cannot quit the German health insurance. It is mandatory to stay insured via your German health insurance provider during your internship and semester abroad.

- Internship: Please verify with your company's contact person the insurance details.

- Study abroad: Please ask the inbound coordinator at your university abroad for insurance details.

Please make sure that you have sufficient health insurance coverage during your semester abroad. Apart from that you should take care of a personal liability and accident insurance for the time of your stay abroad.

Students staying in the EU

There is an EU agreement which guarantees free medical treatment for EU citizens, including Norway and Sweden. Your insurance card is a European Health Insurance Card (“EHIC”). During internship and study abroad you are insured via your present health insurance.

For countries with corresponding agreements, you can request a certificate from your own statutory health insurance (usually within the EU). Kindly note that many statutory health insurances only cover a stay abroad of up to six weeks. Please get in touch with your health insurance directly to find out what is covered and what you may need additionally.

Regulations for students going to a non-EU country

Kindly check with your health insurance company whether your German statutory health insurance will be valid abroad.

With most non-EU countries Germany has no insurance agreement. Thus, very possibly you will need to buy a local health insurance. If this is the case you need to take out a full value insurance abroad while maintaining the present German insurance contract.

In some countries, especially the United States, an additional university-specific insurance policy may have to be taken out.

If you are insured with TK

TK offers a travel insurance: https://www.envivas.de/en/insurance/travelling-abroad
 Please note that it is an additional offer from TK that is not included in your German TK health insurance.


KLU prohibited from handling medicine

By German law the KLU is not allowed to store nor to handle any kind of medicine.
If you do need medicine please bring it yourself, ask fellow students or go to the pharmacy.

Last modified: Wednesday, 10 July 2024, 3:09 PM