If you are currently enrolling in a German university, you probably have plenty of things on your mind and your to-do list is getting extensive. You probably already read more than enough new terms, which are confusing even before reading a German translation. Luckily we can help you with a very important part of the whole process: health insurance. If you are looking to find answers regarding that topic, you came to the right place.
So lets start:
In order to actually enrol into a German university, you will have to present a proof of a valid health insurance, there is no way around it. Luckily you have various options depending on your age and previous insurance history:
Sign-up for students coming from EU/EEA, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, or UK
If you are statutorily insured in one of the aforementioned countries, you can stay on your home insurance for the whole duration of your studies.
If you choose this option, your university will request an electronic status report (M10) to be sent by a German public insurance provider. You can find more info in this article.
In order to have access to healthcare in Germany, you can use your EHIC/GHIC, or other respective document issued by your social security institution.
By choosing to stay on your EU/EEA home insurance, you are not losing eligibility for German public insurance. If you want to work at some point during your studies, or your home insurance ends for any reason, you will have/be able to switch to German public insurance, and you can do it easily then. In order to avoid back payments, just be sure to do it as soon as one of the above-mentioned events happens. You can find more info in this article.
Sign-up for students NOT coming from EU/EEA, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, or UK
f you are not insured in one of the above listed countries, you will have two options:
- Sign up for student public health insurance – we strongly recommend this option to any student under 30 years of age (except EU/EEA students, as described above). German student public insurance provides very broad coverage at a discounted monthly fee of around 120 EUR (2023). In addition, you will be able to continue with public insurance as a voluntary member after your studies, which will ease the process of getting a job-seeking visa.
- Sign up for Expat health insurance – it is indeed more affordable but provides very limited coverage compared to public insurance. However, if Expat is your choice, you can rest assured it meets all the legal requirements to stay in Germany as a student for up to 5 years. Keep in mind that your university will still request a notice of exemption from public insurance. You can find more info in this article. Have in mind that by exempting yourself from public insurance you will not be eligible for it until you become mandatory insured (find a job that pays over 520 EUR per month, working student contracts excluded)
An important thing to mention is: students over 30 years old cannot access student public health insurance in Germany. If you fall into this category, you should either sign up for Expat health insurance, or keep your home insurance – if you qualify, as described in the first section of this article.
Do you still have any questions?
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