Short answer
Health insurance for international students depends on your enrolment, not on your passport. If you are enrolled at a state or state-recognised university in Germany, you are usually compulsorily insured in the student scheme. Exceptions apply if you are entitled to benefits in kind under supranational or international law. You must apply for an exemption within three months. In the student scheme you pay 148.09 euros a month in 2026 from age 23.
How does health insurance for international students work?
According to the joint guidance of the umbrella associations (version of 20 March 2020, sections 1.1.1 and 1.1.2) students are insured even if they live or usually stay abroad. An exception applies if they are entitled to benefits in kind under supranational or international law. Students at distance universities with a residence outside the scope of the SGB are not covered.
Participants in preparatory language courses, Studienkollegs and propaedeutic courses are not regular students. The age limit of 30 applies to all students, including those of another nationality. The guide PKV für internationale Studenten in Deutschland (in German) covers tariffs and exemption.
| Item | Value | As of | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duty on enrolment | also with a residence abroad | 20 Mar 2020 | administrative practice | Joint guidance, sections 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 |
| Exclusion of the duty | entitlement to benefits in kind under supranational or international law | 20 Mar 2020 | administrative practice | Joint guidance, section 1.1.2 |
| Exemption application | within three months of the start of the duty, a cut-off period | 20 Mar 2020 | law and administrative practice | Section 8(2) SGB V, section 3 |
| Age limit | end of the semester in which the 30th birthday falls | rule | current law | Section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V |
| International students and doctoral candidates | about 426,200, around 6 percent more than a year earlier | winter semester 2025/26 | official | DAAD, 14 Oct 2026 |
| Student insurance from age 23, no children | 148.09 euros a month | 2026 | calculated | GKV-Spitzenverband, BMG |
What does student insurance cost over a degree?
The 2026 calculation without children, from age 23 and with the average additional contribution shows what you pay over a master’s degree if you miss the exemption deadline.
- Health insurance without the additional contribution. 87.38 euros.
- Additional contribution of 2.9 percent. 24.80 euros. Long-term care insurance with the surcharge for people without children. 35.91 euros.
- Total. 87.38 plus 24.80 plus 35.91 equals 148.09 euros a month.
- One semester of six months. 148.09 times 6 equals 888.54 euros. Two years of 24 months. 148.09 times 24 equals 3,554.16 euros.
An exemption only takes effect if you prove other cover in case of illness. It applies to the degree for which you applied and not automatically to a later one.
How to proceed
- Clarify before enrolment whether you are entitled to benefits in kind under supranational or international law.
- Decide within the three months after the duty starts whether you want an exemption.
- Show your fund the other cover when you apply for the exemption.
- If you attend a Studienkolleg or language course, check whether you are already a regular student.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to join the student scheme as an international student?
As a rule yes, if you are enrolled at a state or state-recognised university in Germany. Exceptions apply with an entitlement to benefits in kind under supranational or international law.
How long do I have to apply for the exemption?
Three months after the duty to insure begins. It is a cut-off period, and a late application can no longer help for the length of the degree.
Does the duty apply in a Studienkolleg?
Participants in a Studienkolleg are not regular students. The fund clarifies each case.
How many international students are there?
In winter semester 2025/26 there were about 426,200 international students and doctoral candidates. Most came from India with about 69,000 and China with about 39,000.
Sources
- Joint guidance of the umbrella associations on the KVdS, version of 20 March 2020. Check the current version. Section 9 on people insured abroad was not reviewed.
- DAAD, press release on international students (14 Oct 2026).
- GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 contribution figures, as of 1 Jan 2026.
- Section 8 SGB V, Gesetze im Internet.
Related guides
- PKV für internationale Studenten in Deutschland (in German)
- Private Krankenversicherung für Studenten (in German)
- Krankenversicherung im Fernstudium (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
For a first look at your situation, use the online check (in German).
