Students in Germany can generally choose between public health insurance, incoming (expat) insurance, and comprehensive private insurance. We strongly recommend public health insurance for eligible students, as it offers broad coverage at a discounted student rate of around €150/month. Students over 30, those attending non-state-accredited universities, or those who previously exempted themselves from the public system may need to consider one of the other options. EU, EEA, UK, and Swiss students can typically remain on their home country insurance and do not need to enroll in Germany.
What health insurance options are available to students in Germany?
Students in Germany generally have 3 health insurance options to choose from:
Comprehensive private health insurance — this option is rarely available to students, as eligibility requires a minimum annual income of €30,000 (or €45,000 for applicants over 50 years of age)
Which health insurance option should students in Germany choose?
We strongly recommend public health insurance for students who are eligible. Students enrolled at an accredited German university and under 30 years of age are required to have public health insurance. Public health insurance offers the full coverage of the German public health system at a discounted student contribution of around €150/month ; and income from minijobs or working-student contracts does not affect the premium, regardless of the amount earned.
Who is not eligible for public student health insurance in Germany?
Some students are not eligible for public student health insurance. The main reasons for ineligibility are:
You are over 30 years old: students over 30 do not qualify for the student rate in the public health insurance system.
You are enrolled at a non-state-accredited university: only students at state-accredited universities are eligible.
You exempted yourself from public health insurance at the start of your studies: if you opted out when you first enrolled, returning to public student health insurance is no longer possible. You would need to wait until you receive a job offer from a German-based employer to become eligible again.
If any of these situations apply to you, incoming insurance or comprehensive private health insurance are the available alternatives. In either case, you will need to formally exempt yourself from public health insurance in order to enroll at your university.
Do EU, EEA, UK, or Swiss students need to get health insurance in Germany?
Students from EU and EEA countries, the UK, and Switzerland can generally remain on their home country insurance and do not need to sign up for health insurance in Germany. Coverage continues through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which means you can avoid paying contributions in Germany while still being covered. You can find more details in our article on EU students.
Where can I learn more about health insurance for students in Germany?
For a broader overview of how to get health insurance as a student, including common pitfalls to avoid, this blog post covers the topic in detail.