No proof of insurance, no enrolment: universities usually ask for a certificate of your health insurance when you enrol. This guide explains step by step how to request it, what it must contain and what happens if it is missing.
Short answer: For enrolment you usually submit a certificate of insurance. It confirms whether you are insured, exempt, released or not subject to insurance. Your statutory health insurer or private insurer usually issues it. If you change university, you need a new certificate. Deadlines and form are set by your university (last updated October 2026).
The most important points
- The insurance certificate is part of the enrolment documents. The University of Freiburg names it explicitly as a required item.
- It confirms your insurance status: insured, exempt, released or not subject to insurance.
- If you change university, you need a new certificate for the new university.
- If the proof is missing or contributions are outstanding, the university may refuse enrolment or re-registration.
- Deadlines, form and requirements are set out in your university’s enrolment notices. Check them first.
What is the insurance certificate?
The insurance certificate is proof that your health insurance status is in order. The university needs this information to check that you are properly insured for the duration of your studies. The University of Freiburg’s information sheet summarises the content: the insurer confirms whether you are insured, or whether you are exempt, released or not subject to the obligation (information sheet of the University of Freiburg (in German)).
The basis of compulsory student insurance is section 5 subsection 1 no. 9 SGB V. As a rule, a statutory insured student receives a confirmation of membership. A privately insured student usually needs proof that they are exempt from compulsory student insurance. Your university’s enrolment regulations show exactly what you must submit.
How do you request the certificate?
Your health insurer or insurer issues the certificate. The route, for example online, through an app or in writing, is decided by the respective provider. Allow enough time so that the proof is available before the deadline. Proceed as follows:
- Check in the enrolment notices which certificate your university requires and by when it must be received.
- Ask your health insurer or insurer how to request the certificate and how long processing takes.
- Give complete details, for example name, date of birth, insurance number and start of study, if the form asks for them.
- After receiving it, check name, insurance status and period.
- Submit it with the other documents and keep a copy.
What must the certificate contain?
The information sheet of the University of Freiburg describes the content briefly and names no further mandatory fields. Whether your university asks for additional details is decided by the university itself. The table shows the statuses that occur in practice.
| Status | What the certificate confirms | Typical case |
|---|---|---|
| Insured | Membership of a statutory health insurer | You are insured as a student through a statutory insurer. |
| Exempt | Exemption from compulsory student insurance | You are privately insured and have been exempted from the obligation. |
| Released or not subject | No obligation to student insurance in your case | The classification depends on your situation. Have the insurer confirm it. |
Check the period and the spelling of your name. If name or insurance period is wrong, the university may reject the document. In that case, start the correction with your insurer straight away.
What happens if the proof is missing?
According to the University of Freiburg’s information sheet, the university can refuse enrolment or decline to accept re-registration if contribution obligations are not met. This is therefore not only relevant for the first enrolment but also for re-registration each semester. Make sure early that your insurance status is up to date.
Whether your university also requires a new proof for re-registration is set out in its enrolment or re-registration regulations. If you are unsure, ask the student services directly. A short email with a concrete question often saves a detour.
Common pitfalls
- The certificate was issued for the wrong semester or an outdated period. Check the date of issue.
- Privately insured students send only the insurer’s confirmation of cover, although the university asks for the exemption.
- The exemption is not yet granted while you submit the documents. The exemption must be legally effective first.
- The deadline is underestimated. During peak enrolment periods, processing can take longer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the certificate for re-registration too?
The University of Freiburg information sheet explicitly names re-registration as a case in which acceptance can be refused if contribution obligations are not met. Check your university’s notices to see whether a new proof is needed each time.
What should I consider when changing university?
When you change university, you need a new certificate for the new university, according to the information sheet. Plan this before the move so the documents are not missing. Your health insurance itself is usually not affected, because your status follows your enrolment.
What applies if I am privately insured?
Then the question is whether you are exempt from compulsory student insurance. You apply for the exemption at your health insurer within three months of the start of compulsory cover (section 8 subsection 1 no. 5 and subsection 2 SGB V). Make sure the exemption is in place before you submit the documents. Our guide on switching to private insurance as a student explains the process (in German).
What do I do during a semester off?
A semester off can affect your insurance status. Our guide on health insurance during a semester off explains which rules apply to you (in German). Clarify this with your insurer before the semester off, so you have the proof for your return on time.
Your next steps
- Read the enrolment notices and note the deadline and form of the certificate.
- Establish whether you are statutorily or privately insured and whether an exemption is needed.
- Request the certificate from your health insurer or insurer.
- Check the content as soon as it arrives: name, status and period.
- Submit it on time and keep a copy for your records.
Related guides
- Semester Off and Health Insurance: What Applies
- Studying Without Health Insurance: Duties and Back Payments
- Student health insurance: PKV or statutory, what suits you (in German)
- PKV switch as a student: process, application and documents (in German)
Sources: University of Freiburg, information sheet on health insurance for enrolment (retrieved October 2026, German, no date stated); Section 5 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de (retrieved October 2026, German); Section 8 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de (retrieved October 2026, German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
