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Health insurance

Health insurance in Germany, sorted for you.

It is mandatory: no cover, no visa, no enrolment. We match you to the right plan for your status, apply through our official links, and stay with you from the day you land to your first doctor's visit.

Required by law 3 student plans + a visa bridge We apply on your behalf
See the plans Talk to an advisor
The basics

No cover, no visa, no enrolment.

In Germany, health insurance is a legal requirement for every resident, including international students, researchers and language learners. You cannot get your visa, register at your university, or receive your residence permit without official proof of cover.

For your visa

Proof of valid cover is part of your national visa and residence-permit file. Without it, the application stalls.

To enrol

Universities will not complete your enrolment (Immatrikulation) until your insurance status is confirmed to them.

For real care

Doctors, hospital, medication and emergencies are covered from day one, once the right plan is in place.

How it works

Two systems: public and private.

German healthcare runs on two pathways. Which one you take depends on your status, age and health, and it shapes how you pay and how you see a doctor.

Public · Statutory (GKV)

Public health insurance

Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung

  • A centralized public system with a student rate set by law.
  • Covers almost all necessary treatment directly through an electronic health card.
  • Providers must accept every eligible university student, regardless of pre-existing conditions.
Private (PKV)

Private health insurance

Private Krankenversicherung

  • Individual contracts with a short medical review before you are accepted.
  • Works on reimbursement: you pay the doctor, then submit the receipt to get paid back.
  • Must meet baseline criteria to be recognized by German visa authorities.

One-way door: as a student you can move from public to private, but going back from private to public is essentially not possible. We help you choose before you commit.

The plans we offer

Three student plans, one clear choice.

We place you in the plan that fits your phase and budget, and you can sign up right here through our official partner links.

Public

TK (Techniker Krankenkasse)

Best for full degree students (Bachelor, Master, exchange) under 30 who want the simplest, hassle-free option, or who plan to work while studying.

€139/ month

Student rate, as of June 2026.

How it works. You get a physical health card (eGK). Show it at any clinic and TK bills the doctor directly, no paperwork from you.

  • Doctors, specialists, hospital & emergencies
  • Prescription medication (small €5–10 co-pay)
  • Dental check-ups, vaccinations, maternity, mental health
Full cover & what we handle

Covered

  • In- and out-patient hospital treatment, GPs and specialists
  • Preventive & basic dental care, screenings, vaccinations
  • Maternity care and psychotherapy; ambulance & emergencies

Not covered

  • Over-the-counter medicine (the green prescription slip)
  • Advanced/aesthetic dental work & professional cleaning
  • Private rooms or head-physician (Chefarzt) treatment
We apply through our TK link, submit your enrolment letter & photo, update your German address, then run an onboarding call to set up direct debit and the app.
Apply with our link

Prefer we do it? We apply for you.

Private

HanseMerkur (Care Concept Student Care)

Best for degree students who want the lowest premium, or who need doctors that only take private patients. You must be generally fit and healthy.

€101.34/ month

Plus a €300 yearly deductible. Medical review takes ~5 days.

How it works. No physical card. You tell the doctor you are privately insured, pay the bill, then photograph the receipt in the app to be reimbursed.

  • Out- & in-patient care up to the 2.3× standard rate
  • Prescription medication; shared hospital room
  • Basic dental to €500/yr; psychotherapy up to 50 sessions
Full cover & what we handle

Covered

  • Doctors & specialists, hospital in a shared room
  • Pregnancy care (8-month initial waiting period)
  • Outpatient psychotherapy, up to 50 sessions a year

Not covered

  • The first €300 of bills each year (your deductible)
  • Fees above the 2.3× rate; private room or Chefarzt
We apply through our Care Concept link, help you open your account, update your address, and arrange the statutory exemption sent to your university behind the scenes.
Apply with our link

Prefer we do it? We apply for you.

Foundation year

Care College (Care Concept)

For students in a foundation year (Studienkolleg) or preparatory language course. In this phase you are legally not allowed to use public insurance, so this is your route.

€32/ month

Comfort tariff, students under 29. No yearly deductible.

How it works. A private plan set for 12 months, starting about two weeks before your course so you are covered the moment you land.

  • Out- & in-patient care up to the 2.3× standard rate
  • 100% prescription medication; shared hospital room
  • Pain-relief dental to €750/yr; ambulance & repatriation
Full cover & what we handle

Covered

  • Acute doctor & hospital care, urgent surgery
  • Medically-sensible return transport home, no upper limit

Not covered

  • Routine check-ups, vaccinations, psychotherapy
  • Known pre-existing conditions carry a €5,000/yr deductible
We apply through our Care College link with the correct start date and 12-month duration, and walk you through the monthly payment setup.
Apply with our link

Prefer we do it? We apply for you.

At a glance TK · Public HanseMerkur · Private Care College · Foundation
Best forDegree students, under 30Budget / private-only doctorsStudienkolleg & language students
Monthly price€139€101.34from €32
SystemPublic (GKV)Private (PKV)Private (foundation)
Health cardPhysical card, direct billingDigital, pay & reclaimDigital, pay & reclaim
Yearly deductibleNone€300None (pre-existing excepted)
Sign upApply →Apply →Apply →

Every semester, both public and private: send your insurer an updated certificate of enrolment (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) to keep your student status. We remind you when it is due.

The visa bridge

Incoming insurance: your bridge into Germany.

Your German plan only activates once you have arrived and enrolled. Incoming insurance covers the gap in between, and it is what your national visa needs for that first stretch. Not every incoming policy is accepted, so we apply for the right one on your behalf.

  • Accepted for your visa

    It provides the valid cover the embassy needs for your entry and first weeks in Germany.

  • Not all policies qualify

    Embassies and universities only accept compliant cover. We pick a policy that is accepted, so nothing bounces back.

  • We apply on your behalf

    You do not fill in forms. We set the correct arrival and semester dates and issue the policy once your portal payment clears.

  • Every student crosses this bridge

    It covers the days between landing and your TK or HanseMerkur plan going live, so nobody is left exposed.

How the bridge works

You land in Germany

Cover starts on your arrival date, set about two weeks before your semester begins.

Incoming insurance carries you

DR-WALTER / EDUCARE24 covers doctors, hospital, emergencies and medical transport while you settle in.

€69 for 2 months · we apply for you

Your German plan goes live

Once you are enrolled and set up, TK or HanseMerkur takes over for the rest of your studies.

Handled for you, start to finish Set up my cover
How we help

What we handle, so you don't have to.

Insurance is where small mistakes cost weeks. One advisor stays on your case, from choosing the plan to your first appointment.

Match you to the right plan

Based on your status, age, budget and whether you plan to work while studying.

Apply through our partner links

Official, tracked-to-us links for TK and Care Concept, or we file the whole application for you.

Submit your documents

Enrolment letter and photo go in through our portal, so there is no back-and-forth.

Exemptions & semester updates

For private plans we arrange the statutory exemption, and we remind you when your enrolment proof is due.

Onboarding call on arrival

We help you link your German bank account for direct debit and set up the insurer's app.

Your incoming bridge

We set up the incoming policy so you are covered from the day you land until your German plan is live.

Common questions

Quick answers.

Do I really have to have health insurance?
Yes. It is a legal requirement and a condition for your visa, your residence permit and your university enrolment. There is no way around it.
Public or private, which should I pick?
Most degree students go public (TK) for the hassle-free card. Foundation-year and language students must go private (Care College). The private student plan suits those who want the lowest premium or need private-only doctors. We advise you before you commit.
Can I switch later?
You can move from public to private, but going back from private to public is essentially not possible as a student. That is why we help you choose carefully at the start.
What covers me before my German plan starts?
Incoming insurance bridges the gap from your arrival until your TK or HanseMerkur plan activates. It is required for the visa and we apply for it on your behalf, using a policy that is accepted.
How do I pay the premiums?
TK is paid by automatic direct debit from your German bank account, which we set up on the onboarding call. Private plans are paid by monthly bank transfer, always quoting your policy number as the reference so the payment is matched.
Learn more

Official sources & provider pages.

Independent, authoritative reading on how student health insurance works in Germany, plus the providers behind our plans.

External links open in a new tab. Prices and rules can change; we confirm the current figures with you before you apply.

Health insurance

Not sure which plan is yours?

One call and we map it: the right plan for your status, the visa bridge, and every step we take for you.

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