Which health insurance do international students need?

For most international students under age 30 or before their 14th semester, the standard option is Studentische Krankenversicherung — a special low-cost public insurance category designed specifically for students. Monthly contributions are usually in the area of €120 to €140, including the long-term care contribution, and the cover is identical to standard GKV.

Universities require valid health insurance for enrolment, and ordinary travel insurance is typically not accepted. This is one of the more common surprises for arriving students who assumed their travel cover would be enough.

Students from EU/EEA countries can often use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for the duration of their studies, which is recognised by most German universities. Students from non-EU countries usually need a German-recognised solution before enrolling — student public insurance is the most common, and is generally the safer choice.

Specific student private tariffs do exist, and they can occasionally be cheaper in the short term. But the choice deserves caution: opting out of public student insurance is usually a one-way decision that can affect your insurance options later when you start working as an employee.

Above age 30 or beyond the 14th semester, students often need to switch to voluntary public insurance at higher rates. PhD candidates with proper employment contracts are usually treated as employees rather than students for insurance purposes — worth checking when the contract changes.