Health Insurance for International Students, Guest Scientists & Researchers in Germany
If you are an international student, you are obliged by law to get student health insurance in Germany. Depending on your age and level of study, there are two types of German health insurance schemes you can subscribe to: public (also referred to as statutory) health insurance or private health insurance.
In a nutshell, if you are a Bachelors or Master student under 30, you are eligible for public health insurance. However, you have to get private health insurance in Germany if:
- You are a student over the age of 30,
- You are a guest scientist, post-graduate student, scholarship holder (without a contract of employment) or
- You pursue a language or a preparatory course.
Both types of insurance are good, as long as you choose the right providers. The options for international student health insurance in Germany are explained in more detail below.
Public Student Health Insurance in Germany
The majority of international students in Germany can enrol under public health insurance. This health insurance scheme also covers most German citizens and residents and is funded by monthly contributions. International students pay a monthly premium which is about €110 per month.
In contrast, if you were employed in Germany, about 14%-15% of your salary would go towards health insurance premiums every month, so this means that students pay a discounted fee.
One of the most popular public health insurance companies among international students is Techniker Krankenkasse (TK). That is due to the company’s low monthly contributions (about €105/month) and good customer service (they have an around-the-clock English-speaking line, which is very handy for international students who may not speak German).
Additionally, if you subscribe to TK, you get one month of travel insurance free-of-charge from DR-Walter, another leading health insurance company in Germany for international students. You can use this private insurance policy in the period before you enrol at your university and before your TK health insurance kicks in. It is also accepted at the German Embassy/Consulate for your Student Visa application.
Who Is Eligible for Public Student Health Insurance in Germany?
If you are under the age of 30 and have been accepted on a degree course in Germany, such as a BA or MA, you can enrol under the public/statutory health insurance scheme.
You can also use this online consulting tool to determine whether you are eligible for public health insurance in Germany. The quick questionnaire is a collaboration between TK and DR-Walter. You have to provide information regarding your age, level of studies, and employment and whether you are a parent, and it will show you which type of insurance you need.
How Much Does Statutory Student Health Insurance in Germany Cost?
Health insurance for international students costs from €105.80 – €111.75 per month with a statutory health insurance provider.
Public health insurance contributions for 2020/21 are as follows:
- TK Techniker Krankenkasse – 105,80 €
- AOK Baden Württemberg – 107,29 €
- Barmer – 108,77 €
- DAK Gesundheit – 111,75 €
- KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse – 111,75
How to Get Public Student Health Insurance in Germany?
Before or after you arrive in Germany for your studies, you have to contact one of the public health insurance providers (Krankenkassen) to choose an insurance plan. Once you get in touch with the company, they will inform you about the procedure, pricing, and documents you have to submit.
Many of them, such as TK public health insurance, also offers an online application process:
- Use the online consulting tool by TK and DR-Walter to determine what type of health insurance you need.
- You will be redirected to the online application portal.
- Complete an online application on the DR-Walter website.
- You will receive the Student Health Insurance Certificate as a PDF.
- You will receive an email with the necessary documents for application and steps on how to proceed.
- You will receive both TK insurance as well as a month of free travel health insurance.
Private Health Insurance for Foreign Students in Germany
International students over 30 in Germany who are not eligible to receive state-provided health insurance will need to subscribe to a private health insurance scheme. Private health insurance for students in Germany is not by any means inferior to public health insurance as long as you choose the right company and the right plan.
One of Germany’s top private student health insurance plans is the EDUCARE24 Plan, provided by DR-Walter. This is a great plan because:
- You can purchase a plan online.
- You will receive the Insurance Certificate immediately (printable PDF format)
- It meets the requirements set by the German authorities regarding student visas.
How to Get Private Health Insurance in Germany?
You can purchase DR-Walter’s EDUCARE24 student health insurance plan online at this link. You will know how much you have to pay, what documents you have to submit and receive the Insurance Certificate from the comfort of your home by completing an application form.
Who Needs Private Student Insurance in Germany?
If you fall under the following categories, then you are not eligible for student public insurance and must get a private health insurance plan suited for international students in Germany:
- You are over 30 years of age.
- You are in a preparatory or a language course.
- Guest scientists, post-graduate students, scholarship holders (without a contract of employment).
EDUCARE24 is the flexible insurance cover designed especially to meet the needs of
- Language students in Germany
- International students over 30 years
- Guest scientists and PhDs
- Interns/Trainees
- Accompanying family members
How Much Does Private Student Health Insurance in Germany Cost?
| The cost of private student health insurance in Germany varies from company to company. Here are the premiums for EDUCARE24. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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We recommend EDUCARE24 M, which consists of international health insurance, accident insurance, personal liability insurance and deportation costs insurance.
For a detailed list of benefits, please visit the EDUCARE24 website.
Health Insurance for Students in Preparatory or Language Courses in Germany
If your university asks you to hold preparatory courses before you enrol in your studies, you will have to get private health insurance during that time. That’s because public insurance only covers you while you are officially enrolled in university.
Once you finish your preparatory or language course, then you can switch to public insurance.
What Does Student Health Insurance in Germany Cover?
German health insurance for students (regardless of whether it is public or private) covers the following:
- Hospital treatment
- Doctor visits
- Prescription medication
- Hearing aids, wheelchairs, or other aids
- Cancer screening
- Dental check-ups
- Certain dental procedures, such as crowns and dentures.
Some companies may offer additional coverage and a slightly higher fee, such as international travel insurance and liability insurance, coverage for contraception or additional dental care, etc.
Difference Between Student Travel Insurance vs Student Health Insurance
International students in Germany need two types of health insurance:
- Student travel health insurance. This is a short-time insurance plan which will cover you before your semester starts. It encompasses the period of time starting from when you depart your home country until the beginning of the semester. When you apply for a German student visa, the Embassy will ask you to have travel health insurance, which fulfils Schengen requirements.
- Student health insurance. This is a long-term health insurance plan and covers you for the duration of your studies and until you return home. You need health insurance to enrol in the university.
How to Get Free Travel Insurance When Applying For Germany Student Visa?
Travel insurance is a required document when applying for a German study visa.
If you apply for student health insurance with Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), you can get one month of free student travel insurance from DR-Walter. This is very useful because:
- You will have to get travel insurance when you apply for the Student Visa anyway. This way, you get both types of health insurance at the same time for the same price.
- You can apply online from abroad.
- You will have adequate health coverage if you arrive in Germany earlier than the start of the semester. Long-term insurance only becomes active after the semester starts.
- You will immediately get the Insurance Certificates required for visa application and enrollment at university.
- You do not need to pay anything until you arrive in Germany if you don’t have a German bank account at the time.
How Much Does International Student Health Insurance Cost?
Public health insurance for students in Germany is around €110 per month, depending on the company. The TK health insurance cost is €106.93 per month, starting from the beginning of the semester.
Private health insurance for students in Germany starts at €33 per month and can increase to €59 per month if you are younger than 40. If you are older than 40, have pre-existing conditions, or want more coverage, you may have to pay more, but usually no more than €130/month.
Germany Student Health Insurance Certificate
If you want to subscribe to health insurance by TK, you can fill in the application form available on the DR-Walter site, and you will receive the Student Health Insurance Certificate. You have to send this to your university for enrollment. You will also receive a separate Insurance Certificate to present to the German Embassy, which is necessary for the Student Visa application.
They are both in PDF format, and you can download, print out, and submit them. They contain all your information and necessary signatures.
Can You Opt-Out of Statutory Health Insurance in Germany?
If you are a student under 30 studying in Germany, you can opt-out of public health insurance and get coverage under a private insurance company. However, you must ask for a certificate of exemption from the local public health insurance providers within the first three months of your arrival.
Remember that you cannot re-enrol once you have opted out of public health insurance – at least not during your studies. However, if you get a job and switch to a German Work Visa, you can enrol under statutory insurance again, but you will pay the same contributions as a worker, not the reduced fees of a student.
However, you cannot just opt out of health insurance completely. If you do not get an adequate health insurance plan as an international student in Germany, you won’t be able to proceed with your studies.
Exemptions From Student Health Insurance in Germany
You are exempt from getting health insurance in Germany if you are from the following countries because health insurance obtained there is valid in Germany as well:
- An EU State
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Israel
- Morocco
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Serbia
- Tunisia
- Turkey
If you are from one of the countries listed, you can use the health insurance you already have in your own country. First, however, make sure you check in with your insurance provider back home to see whether they will cover your medical costs in Germany and how much.
If your health insurance back home does provide adequate coverage, you should get an exemption certificate from a local public health insurance provider to submit at your school. If you find that it is not adequate, you should get a private health insurance plan to cover Germany.
