Health Insurance for Students in Germany
Student health insurance in Germany 2026: public rate about €143 to €148 a month, home-country and private options, proof for enrolment, age-30 rules.
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Health insurance is mandatory for students in Germany, including international students. Most students join the public system (GKV, statutory health insurance) at a reduced student rate. This guide shows what you pay in 2026, which proof your university and visa office want, and when another option makes sense.
| Mandatory? | Yes. Proof is needed to enrol and for a residence permit. |
| Public student rate | About €143 to €148 per month including long-term care, depending on the fund. |
| Calculated on | A fixed base of €855 per month, not on your income. |
| Age limit | Ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. |
| Private health insurance | Only in special cases: Beihilfe, already privately insured, or after graduation with a high salary. |
Which one are you? EU student Non-EU student Language course or Studienkolleg Over 30 or PhD Civil servant's child
Public vs private health insurance cost calculator
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Answer 4 quick questions. We'll show your exact public health insurance (GKV) cost and a realistic private health insurance estimate side by side — based on 2026 rates.
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Do students need health insurance in Germany?
Yes. German universities will not enrol you without proof of cover. Two documents matter in practice:
- For enrolment: a confirmation from a German public health insurer that you are insured, or a confirmed exemption. Funds issue it for your Studentensekretariat, often called the Mitgliedsbescheinigung for the university.
- For the visa or residence permit: under §2(3) of the Residence Act you need adequate health insurance, which means cover equivalent to German public insurance.
Travel or incoming insurance is accepted only in limited cases: Schengen and short-stay visas (minimum €30,000 cover), the period before your studies start, and some language-course visas, depending on the immigration office. It is generally not enough for a long-term residence permit.
Your options compared
| Option | Who it is for | Cost | Accepted for enrolment and visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public student rate (GKV) | Enrolled degree students under 30 | About €143 to €148 per month | Yes, the standard route |
| Home-country insurance or EHIC | Students insured in another EU country | Your home-country premium | Often yes for EU students, with a confirmation from a German fund. Outside the EU, rarely. |
| Private health insurance | Beihilfe cases, students already privately insured, exempted students | Depends on age, health and plan | Yes, if it meets the requirements. The exemption is irrevocable. |
| Expat or incoming cover | Language-course, Studienkolleg and other students who cannot join the student scheme | Depends on provider and age | Depends on the immigration office and university |
Applying for a visa or residence permit? Read private health insurance and visa requirements.
See our guide to public health insurance in Germany (GKV) for how the system works in general.
The public student rate: what you pay in 2026
Your contribution does not depend on your income or your parents' income. It is calculated on the BAföG basic need rate of €855 per month, at 7/10 of the general 14.6% rate (10.22%). Here is the maths:
| Component | How it is calculated | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | €855 × 10.22% | €87.38 |
| Additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag) | €855 × 2.9% (2026 average) | €24.80 |
| Long-term care, under 23 or with children | €855 × 3.6% | €30.78 |
| Long-term care, 23 or older and childless | €855 × 4.2% | €35.91 |
| Total | €87.38 + €24.80 + €30.78, or + €35.91 | About €143 to €148 |
The €855 base may change with the next BAföG reform. Check the current figure with your fund before you rely on these numbers.
Costs that the student rate does not cover
- Dental: public insurance pays a fixed subsidy for dentures, 60% of the standard treatment. It rises to 70% after 5 years of an unbroken Bonusheft and 75% after 10 years. You pay the rest.
- Dental top-up insurance: optional. Waiting periods are often 3 months for general treatment and 8 months for dentures. Some tariffs have no waiting period but cap benefits in the first years, and treatment that has already started is excluded.
- Travel outside the EU/EEA: student public insurance does not cover you abroad beyond the EU/EEA. Take out separate travel cover.
- Accident cover: ask your university whether it has group accident cover for students, and what it includes.
Over a two-year Master's, the student rate adds up to roughly €3,430 to €3,550 (24 months × €143 to €148), before any dental or travel extras.
Which public health insurer should students choose?
All statutory insurers provide the same legally defined core cover. What differs is the Zusatzbeitrag, digital services, English-language support and extra benefits. Because the student base is only €855, the price gap between funds is small in euros.
| Fund | Zusatzbeitrag (Jan 2026) | Student total, under 23 / 23+ childless | Why students choose them |
|---|---|---|---|
| TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) | 2.69% | About €141 / €146 | English-language support, strong app, widely accepted by universities. |
| DAK | 3.2% | About €146 / €151 | Mental health and psychotherapy services. |
These totals are our calculation from the Zusatzbeitrag shown (€855 × the rate, added to €87.38 and the long-term care share). Actual charged rates across funds ranged from about 2.18% to 4.39% in January 2026, and funds can change them during the year. If your fund raises its rate, you have a special right to leave without waiting out the usual 12-month period. Check the fund's current rate before you sign up.
Private and expat cover for students
Private health insurance is not the default for students, but two groups should look at it seriously.
If a parent is a civil servant, you may be entitled to Beihilfe, a state subsidy that pays a large share of your medical costs. A private plan then only needs to cover the remaining share, which is often far cheaper than the student GKV rate. The exact premium depends on your Beihilfe rate, age and plan.
If you were already in private health insurance before you started your degree, staying there is often simpler than switching to GKV and back. Check that your plan meets the university's and visa office's requirements.
Other students can ask for an exemption from student insurance (§8 SGB V). You must apply within 3 months of enrolment, and the decision is irrevocable for your entire course of study. Afterwards you can only rejoin public insurance under the normal rules. Private premiums are set by your age and health at entry, so they vary widely. Insurers can also add risk surcharges or decline applicants with health issues. Get a written quote before you give up the student rate.
Expat or incoming cover is for people who cannot use the student scheme, for example some language-course or Studienkolleg students. Whether the immigration office accepts it depends on your visa type, so ask before you buy. For the rules behind private cover, read who qualifies for private health insurance.
Which one is right for you?
| Your situation | What usually works |
|---|---|
| EU student | Keep your home insurance and EHIC, and ask a German fund to confirm it for the university. Or join GKV at the student rate. |
| Non-EU degree student | Join GKV at the student rate. It is accepted for enrolment and for the residence permit. |
| Language course or Studienkolleg | Ask the fund whether you qualify for the student rate. If not, ask the immigration office whether incoming or expat cover is accepted for your visa. |
| Exchange or Erasmus | Coming to Germany: check whether your home cover and EHIC meet the university's requirement. Leaving Germany: see the Erasmus note below. |
| PhD student | Depends on whether you are enrolled, employed or on a stipend. See the over-30 section below, and ask your fund. |
| Over 30 | The student scheme has ended. Voluntary GKV or private health insurance. |
| Civil servant's child | Look at private health insurance combined with Beihilfe. |
Erasmus and semester abroad
- Within the EU/EEA: your German public insurance covers you through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Request it from your fund before you leave. You get state healthcare at local terms.
- Outside the EU/EEA: take separate travel health insurance for the whole stay.
Other situations during your studies: a leave semester (Urlaubssemester) normally keeps your insurance in place while you stay enrolled, and a mandatory internship that is part of your degree normally keeps you at the student rate. Confirm both with your fund.
Working while studying
A working student (Werkstudent) generally keeps student status and the student rate as long as the job is a side activity next to the studies. The usual rule of thumb is up to 20 hours per week during the semester, with more allowed in semester breaks. Your student contribution stays on the fixed €855 base, so it does not rise when you earn more as a Werkstudent. Still applying for your visa? Read how a blocked account (Sperrkonto) proves your funds.
Important: if you regularly work more than the allowed hours during the semester, your fund may treat you as an employee. You would leave the student rate and pay standard contributions with your employer. Keep your contracts and hours documented, and confirm the limits with your fund.
Free family cover. Under the Familienversicherung you can be covered at no cost through a parent in public insurance if your income stays under a small monthly limit. It usually ends around age 25. The income limit is updated regularly, so ask your fund for the current figure. A mini-job is the type of job most likely to fit under it.
How to sign up, step by step
Funds ask for it when you register as a student member.
Compare the Zusatzbeitrag and English support. TK and DAK are common choices.
Many funds let you register before you arrive in Germany.
This is the certificate your Studentensekretariat asks for.
Give it to the university together with your other enrolment documents.
Non-EU students bring the insurance confirmation to the immigration office.
Your insurer sends the card. If you had other German cover, cancel it in writing once student cover starts.
Documents to have ready: passport, admission letter, address in Germany, and your previous insurance details if you had any. Common mistakes that delay enrolment are submitting a travel-insurance policy instead of a confirmation from a German public insurer, starting too late, and missing the 3-month exemption deadline.
Age limits and what happens when you graduate
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| You are under 25 and a parent is in GKV | You may be covered for free under the Familienversicherung. It usually ends around age 25. |
| You turn 30 while studying | Compulsory student insurance ends at the end of that semester. Extensions are possible for recognised reasons. Then you join voluntary GKV or private health insurance. |
| You finish your degree | The student rate ends. You can continue in GKV voluntarily, often at the minimum contribution, or start an employed role with its own rules. |
| You start a job above €84,150 per year | You can choose between public and private health insurance. |
If you are over 30 or doing a PhD. Voluntary public insurance is calculated on your income, with a minimum base of €1,318.33 per month. In 2026 that means a minimum of roughly €270 to €286 per month, depending on the fund and on whether you are entitled to sick pay. If you are employed as a PhD researcher and earn below the threshold, you are normally insured through your employer instead. Private health insurance is worth a quote in the over-30 case only if you are healthy and plan to stay long term, because premiums are calculated at entry from your age and health, and they rise over time.
After graduation: the private health insurance window
Private premiums are set at entry from your age and health, not your income. The statute also adds a 10% surcharge from the calendar year after you turn 21 until the year you turn 60. Joining younger usually means a lower starting premium, but premiums still rise over time. Only join if you can afford future increases.
Who can switch after graduation
- Employees: new hires with a regular annual salary above €84,150 (€7,012.50 per month, the 2027 threshold, up from €77,400 in 2026) can choose private health insurance immediately. The 2027 figure was approved by the federal cabinet and still needs Bundesrat approval, expected in November 2026.
- Self-employed and freelancers: can choose private cover whatever their income. See private health insurance for freelancers.
- Below the threshold: you are insured in public health insurance by default.
For 2027, the government has a draft that would raise the general threshold to €84,150 per year. It is not final: the Bundesrat still has to approve it and part of it depends on a pending law change. Do not plan around it yet.
Worked example: first job at €80,000
- Public health insurance (GKV): contributions are capped at a base of €5,812.50 per month. At the 2.9% average Zusatzbeitrag, a childless employee pays at most about €648 per month for health and long-term care, and an employee with children about €613.
- Private health insurance: your employer pays half of your actual premium, up to a maximum of €613.22 per month. For illustration only: if your plan costs €480 per month in total, the employer pays €240 and you pay €240.
Which is cheaper depends on your premium quote, age, health, deductible and family plans. A salary above the threshold alone does not make private cover better. The main reasons to stay in public insurance are planned children, since private insurance has no free family cover, and a possible drop in income, for example parental leave. For a personal quote and an honest comparison, read about private health insurance costs or speak to our independent consultants at MyHealthcareBroker.
FAQ
Is health insurance mandatory for students in Germany?
How much is student health insurance in Germany in 2026?
Can I use my home-country insurance or EHIC as a student in Germany?
What happens to my student health insurance when I turn 30?
Can I work while insured as a student?
Can I choose private health insurance as a student?
Do language-course or Studienkolleg students get the student rate?
What happens after I graduate?
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