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• TK Health Insurance – Public Insurance
• AOK Health Insurance – Public Insurance
• Barmer Health Insurance – Public Insurance
• DR-Walter Health Insurance – Private Insurance
• Feather Health Insurance – Partners with Public and Private Companies

All students need health insurance in Germany – it’s the law. However, those who need a student visa, will also need travel insurance for their visa application.

You will not be able to get a student visa without travel insurance or enroll at university (when you arrive) if you do not have health insurance.

If you are from the following countries, you may use the insurance you already have in your home country:

• EU/EEA Countries
• Switzerland
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Serbia
• Tunisia
• Turkey

Germany has signed social security agreements with the countries listed above, which is what makes your health insurance valid in Germany too.

If you’re from one of these countries, contact a statutory health insurance provider such as TK, AOK, Barmer, etc., and send them one of the following:

• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
• Certificate of entitlement to the medical service provider

The insurance company will confirm your information and send a certificate to your chosen university, which will serve as proof for enrollment.

Note: Insurance coverage from these countries may not cover all healthcare services, so it’s best to also get statutory health insurance or sufficient private insurance from Germany.

Public Health Insurance:

If you’re under 30 and will be studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you can get public health insurance.

Use the online tool by TK and DR-Walter to see the type of insurance you can get.

Private Health Insurance:

Those over 30 years old (Provisit Student), Preparatory and language course students (Educare24), Post-graduate students, guest scientists, and scholarship holders without an employment contract. (Provisit Science), Freelancers or self-employed students (Feather Insurance).

If you belong to any of the groups mentioned above, you should know there are some pretty convenient private health insurance plans out there. So, don’t worry about costs, benefits, or visa requirements.

For example, EDUCARE24 by DR-WALTER is made specifically for students who belong to the above categories, meaning it will provide exactly what you need to meet all the requirements set by German authorities.

On the other hand, Provisit Student is an extremely convenient alternative to public health insurance for students who are not eligible. It’s ideal for students over 29 years old and it meets all the regulatory requirements!

There are other private health insurance plans and companies you can choose from, apart from the ones we mentioned here. But, this information gives you a good idea in terms of what’s out there and how private plans can be beneficial and affordable, so you don’t need to stress about that.

Public health insurance costs in Germany range from €140 to €150 per month as of January 2025.

The cost depends on factors such as age, whether or not you have children, and, of course, the provider — although there is not a big difference in cost among providers, as you will see listed below in just a while.

Public health insurance policies usually come at a discounted price for students, so the prices you see are some of the best in Germany in terms of affordability. Students only pay 70% () of the general contribution rate ().

Here’s a list to get a better idea of how much students pay for public health insurance in Germany:

*Remember, these amounts can vary slightly, either up or down, depending on factors such as your age and whether or not you have children (+ the number of children you have). So, if you simply contact the company of your choice, they will be glad to let you know their specific rates for your circumstances.

Public health insurance in Germany covers the following:

• GP (general practitioner) appointments.
• In-hospital treatment.
• Out-patient treatments.
• Prescription medication.
• Surgery.
• Cancer screening.
• Maternity benefits.
• Basic dental care.

If you want to visit a doctor, you must set an appointment with any doctor registered in the public healthcare system, known as Kassenärzte. Such doctors usually have signs on their doors specifying they are part of the public health insurance scheme.

Remember that purchasing additional private health insurance is possible if you want to claim more benefits, such as more advanced dental services or private hospital rooms.

You can purchase a plan for as little as €33 per month with Educare24 if you’re attending a Studienkolleg (preparatory course), internship, a summer university, or taking a language course in Germany.

On the other hand, plans for degree students (meaning those enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program) start at €79 per month with Provisit Student.

Overall, the cost is pretty much the same as public health insurance.

Let’s make it simpler and more specific! If you’re planning to study at the Bachelor’s or Master’s level, and for one reason or another, you do not want to get public insurance or are not eligible, here’s what you would pay with Provisit Student:

*There are variations of costs for people over 59 years old or for accompanying spouses and children; you can take a look at them on the official health insurance provider website.

Private health insurance in Germany covers the same services as public (statutory) health insurance, such as GP appointments, in-hospital treatment, outpatient treatments, dental treatment, operations, and maternity services.

One difference is that private health insurance allows you to include additional benefits, such as advanced dental treatment or other benefits, depending on your circumstances and needs.

For this reason, many people eligible for public health insurance combine some part of private insurance with their existing insurance policy.

To get health insurance in Germany as an international student, start by contacting the health insurance company of your choice.

Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) has a 24/7 service in English, which makes communication pretty simple for non-German speakers. Which is convenient!

Registering with TK will give you up to 31 days of free private insurance with DR-WALTER, which you will use before beginning your studies (for your visa). You can show this free insurance to the visa authorities since your long-term insurance only becomes available after the semester starts.

Here’s where to begin if you want to get health insurance as an international student in Germany:

1. Check the free online consultation tool by DR-WALTER (to see which type of insurance you need).
2. Fill out the application form that appears after selecting the category you belong to.
3. Pay after you arrive in Germany.

After successfully applying, you will receive the Student Health Insurance Certificate that you will use to enroll at your chosen university. You will also receive another certificate, separate from the first one, to use for the visa application process.

You can’t activate the insurance plan without being enrolled at the university, but the insurance company will issue a digital confirmation to the university that confirms your registration with them. This suffices as proof of health insurance required by the university.

You will then receive an enrollment certificate from the university, which you should submit to the health insurance provider.

If the university has not received the confirmation, you can contact the insurance company and ask them for the Meldegrund 10 (M10) report.

Don’t forget to state the university where you’ll be studying—they have specific codes you can find on their websites for accuracy (for example: TUM’s code is H0001558).