Students enrolling at a German university must prove health insurance coverage. Those who choose Expat health insurance apply for an exemption from Public health insurance (GKV) through a public provider, which then sends the M10 confirmation to the university. The exemption steps differ for students under and over 30, and students under 30 cannot switch back to Public health insurance once the exemption is granted. Students over 30 have limited Public health insurance options, and few students meet the income thresholds for Private health insurance (PKV).
Why do students need health insurance to enroll at a German university?
Health insurance is legally mandatory for everyone living in Germany, including students. Because of this, students must have valid health insurance coverage in place to complete university enrollment.
What do students need to do after choosing expat health insurance to enroll?
After signing up for Expat health insurance, students apply for an exemption from Public health insurance (GKV) through a public health insurance provider, because universities only accept exemption confirmations from public providers. The public provider checks that the Expat health insurance coverage meets legal requirements and then notifies the university by sending the insurance confirmation, known as the M10 form.
How do students apply for an exemption from public health insurance?
The process depends on the student's age. Students under 30 follow a form-based process:
Leave the insurance number field blank.
Attach your Expat health insurance policy documents.
Submit the form to a public health insurance provider, which confirms the exemption to the university.
Students over 30 request the exemption by email through a public provider such as BARMER ([email protected]) or Techniker Krankenkasse, TK ([email protected]), and include the following details:
Your full name.
Your date of birth.
Your address in Germany.
The date you want the exemption to start (enter your study start date).
The start date of your degree.
The full name and address of your university.
A copy of your Expat health insurance confirmation of coverage, which you can download from your account.
After receiving the request, the public provider processes the exemption and notifies the university with the M10 confirmation.
What is the M10 form and what does it do?
The M10 form is an electronic confirmation that a public health insurance provider sends to the university. It confirms that the student is exempt from mandatory Public health insurance (GKV) because they hold Expat health insurance. The university uses the M10 form to complete the student's enrollment.
Can students under 30 switch back to public health insurance after choosing expat health insurance?
No. Students under 30 who receive an exemption from Public health insurance (GKV) by choosing Expat health insurance cannot reverse that decision for the duration of their studies. Because the exemption lasts throughout their studies, students should decide carefully between Public health insurance and Expat health insurance before applying.
What health insurance options do students over 30 have?
Students over 30 usually cannot use the standard student rate for Public health insurance, so their options are more limited:
Public health insurance (GKV): available only if the student continues public coverage from a home country in the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or the UK (voluntary coverage, with higher premiums of roughly €250 or more per month), or if the student is employed under a regular work contract with a German employer.
Private health insurance (PKV): requires a minimum annual income of €36,000 for self-employed people or €€77,400 for employed people. Most students do not reach these thresholds and so cannot take out Private health insurance (PKV).
Expat health insurance: available to students over 30.