Health Insurance

Health insurance is a requirement for all students in Germany. Contact with a health insurance provider should be made before your arrival in order to clarify all important questions and to guarantee insurance coverage starting on the very first day in Germany.  

Without health insurance coverage, enrollment at any German university is impossible. A health insurance policy must be taken out immediately after arriving in Germany at the latest. Furthermore, for an extension of a residence permit, verification of health insurance is indispensable.  

Which type of health insurance can one choose? There is private as well as social health insurance coverage in Germany. Which coverage you may choose depends on whether you are in Germany to study a degree program or to take a preparatory language course. The German Insurance is an online portal where you find help to select the right insurance for you (see links).

International Students under 30 Years
Enrolled international students are required to have health insurance until their 14th semester at university, but not exceeding the age of 30. Up until this point in time, students may join any social health insurance provider (such as, AOK, TK, DAK, BKK, BEK, GEK, KKH) and pay the lowest priced insurance rates. With the exception of a low co-payment, health insurance providers in Germany pay the costs of doctor and hospital visits as well as doctor-prescribed medication.  

International Students older than 30 Years or with more than 14 Semesters at University
International students coming to study in Germany who are older than 30 years of age or have already studied for 13 semesters may unfortunately no longer partake in the lowest insurance rates from the German social health plans.  In this case, students must receive insurance through a private health plan. The costs for doctor and hospital visits are very high in Germany; therefore, it is all the more important to be well insured in the event of an accident.  

International Language Students
Participants of language classes who are not yet enrolled may NOT join a social health insurance provider (such as, AOK, TK, DAK, BKK, BEK, GEK, KKH). The same applies to international students and visitors of the preparatory school in Germany who are older than 30 years. In this case, a private health insurance policy must be taken out. For those who participate in such preparatory language courses in Germany and are not older than 35 years, there are special and relatively affordable health insurance rates which protect persons from high medical costs in Germany.