Students enrolling at a German university must prove they have valid health insurance. If you moved to Germany from an eligible European country, you can either stay on your home-country public insurance by obtaining an M10 confirmation, or sign up for German Public health insurance (GKV). The M10 confirmation can be issued by any German public provider you choose — TK is one common example. Which path applies depends on where your permanent residence is, whether you plan to work, and your age.
I'm a university student from Europe. How do I get health insurance in Germany?
To enroll at a German university, you must provide proof of valid health insurance. If you moved to Germany from another European country, you have 2 ways to get covered: you can stay on your home-country public insurance for the duration of your studies, or you can sign up for German Public health insurance (GKV). Which option applies depends on where your permanent residence is, whether you plan to work while studying, and how old you are.
Can I stay on my home country's public insurance while studying in Germany?
Yes, if you moved to Germany from the EU, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, the UK, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Tunisia, or Macedonia, you are allowed to stay on your home-country public insurance for the duration of your studies. This is because social agreements between Germany and these countries treat your permanent residence as remaining in your home country, since studies are limited in time and you are expected to return there afterward. Before you rely on this option, first confirm with your home insurance provider under what conditions they will cover your stay in Germany.
How do I get the M10 confirmation to stay on my home insurance?
To stay on your home insurance, your university needs a confirmation document called an M10 (Meldung), and this document can only be issued by a German public health insurance provider (GKV). You can request the M10 from any German public provider you choose — for example TK, AOK, BARMER, or DAK. Since we do not offer public health insurance ourselves, we cannot issue this document for you. Using TK as an example, you would email TK's insurance team at [email protected] with your basic details and a photo of your EHIC, GHIC, AT11, or the equivalent document for your country. The provider should send the M10 to your university within about a week, and you can then complete your enrollment.
When do I have to switch from my home insurance to German Public health insurance?
While you can stay on your home insurance during your studies, there are situations where you need to switch to German Public health insurance (GKV):
If you decide to stay in Germany after your studies, you can switch to German insurance at that point.
If you start working during your studies, such as a mini job or working student role, you must switch to German insurance. You can find the exact rules in our article on working students.
If your home insurance ends at any point during your studies, you can switch to German Public health insurance for students.
How do I sign up for German Public health insurance as a student?
If you moved your permanent residence to Germany, or you want to start working right away while studying, you must sign up for German Public health insurance (GKV) from the start. You can apply for Public health insurance for students through our public health insurance for students page. You are eligible for student Public health insurance only if you are under 30 years old.
What are my options if I'm 30 or older?
If you are 30 or older when you sign up, you are not eligible for student Public health insurance. You can still stay on your home insurance by obtaining an M10 confirmation as described above, or you can sign up for our Expat health insurance. In both cases, your university may still require an exemption letter, and you can find more details in our article on exemption.