Key facts
- Enrolment requires proof of your health insurance status, including a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurance fund.
- To be exempt, you must apply within three months of the start of compulsory insurance and prove other cover for illness.
- In 2026, student health insurance costs at least €118.16 per month, plus your fund’s supplementary contribution.
Private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) for international students (incoming students) in Germany usually requires an exemption from compulsory statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV). You apply to your health insurance fund within three months of the start of compulsory insurance, and you must prove that you have another entitlement to cover in case of illness. Without proof of your insurance status, the university will refuse your enrolment. If you do not take the exemption, you pay at least €118.16 per month in 2026 in the student health insurance (studentische Krankenversicherung, KVdS), plus the supplementary contribution of your fund.
The essentials in brief
- Compulsory insurance applies to anyone enrolled at a state or state-recognised university who is not insured under a higher-priority scheme.
- Before enrolment, you must prove that you are statutorily insured, will be insured, or are not statutorily insured for another reason. The fund reports your status to the university, which can take a little time, so request your confirmation early.
- The exemption is irrevocable and, as a rule, remains valid for your whole course of study. A leave semester does not interrupt your studies.
- Funds check incoming insurance contracts closely.
- Student health insurance costs about €143 (under 23 or with a child) or about €148 (childless from 23) per month in 2026.
Do international students in Germany have to be health insured?
Yes. The obligation depends on your enrolment. If you are enrolled at a state or state-recognised university, you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance, unless a higher-priority insurance applies. It ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. For an overview of the obligation, family insurance and exemption, read the student health insurance overview (in German).
The university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurance fund before enrolment. This also applies to privately insured students. You can request the confirmation shortly before the semester starts; ask your fund for the earliest date. The information sheet from the Studierendenwerke for international students (in German) summarises the rules.
How much does health insurance cost for international students?
Student health insurance is calculated the same way across Germany. The contribution basis is €855, and the contribution rate is 10.22%. That gives €87.38 per month. Add the nursing care contribution: €30.78 if you are under 23 or have a child, or €35.91 if you are childless and 23 or older. Together, that is €118.16 or €123.29, plus the supplementary contribution of your fund, which is calculated on the €855. At the average rate of 2.9% (€24.80), the total is about €143 or about €148 per month.
When can you be exempted as an international student?
You apply to the health insurance fund within three months of the start of compulsory insurance. The exemption takes effect only if you prove that you are otherwise insured for illness, which in practice means a private contract. If you have not used any services by then, the exemption applies retroactively from the start of compulsory insurance. Otherwise, it applies from the calendar month after your application.
The exemption is irrevocable. As a rule, it applies for your whole course of study, and a leave semester does not interrupt your studies. There is no contribution-free family insurance during the exemption. Because funds check incoming insurance contracts closely, clarify with your fund before you sign whether your contract counts as proof.
Returning to statutory insurance is possible only in narrow cases, for example through employment subject to social insurance or a second degree after an interruption of your studies. The article on private health insurance in a second degree (in German) explains how this works. If you are self-employed as your main occupation, the student compulsory insurance does not apply. More details are in the article on private health insurance for self-employed students (in German).
PKV or GKV: what applies to international students?
| Criterion | Student statutory insurance (KVdS) | PKV after exemption |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution in 2026 | from €118.16 (under 23 or with a child) or from €123.29 (childless from 23), plus the supplementary contribution | depends on entry age, health status and tariff |
| Entry | with enrolment, unless a higher-priority insurance applies | application for exemption within three months and proof of other cover |
| Family insurance | possible under the conditions | excluded during the exemption |
| Duration | until the end of the semester in which you turn 30 | irrevocable, normally for the entire course of study |
Private student tariffs are aimed at students who are exempted at the start of their studies, usually young first-time insured people. The application includes health questions that you must answer truthfully, and the private contribution can rise over the years. Before you apply, an anonymous risk pre-assessment can show whether an insurer will accept you. Family insurance is a contribution-free alternative if a parent or your spouse is statutorily insured and you live in Germany. How long it lasts is explained in the article on how long students stay in family insurance (in German).
What happens to your insurance when your studies end?
When you are exmatriculated, student health insurance ends at the end of the semester for which you were last enrolled or re-registered. If you enrol at a university again without a gap, ask your fund whether your membership continues.
After that, your membership with the fund continues voluntarily. You can cancel this follow-on insurance within two weeks of the fund’s notice, but the cancellation takes effect only if you prove other cover. If you move out of Germany after exmatriculation, your membership ends on the day you give up your residence or habitual abode in Germany. More on cover after dropping out is in the article on health insurance after dropping out (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need health insurance for my visa?
The competent German diplomatic mission abroad will tell you which proof of insurance you need for your visa. Separately, for enrolment, you must prove to the university whether you are statutorily insured, will be insured, or are not statutorily insured for another reason.
Can I switch to private insurance as an international student?
Usually through the exemption from compulsory insurance. You apply to your fund within three months of the start of compulsory insurance and prove that you have another entitlement to cover in case of illness. The exemption is irrevocable, and there is no contribution-free family insurance during it.
Does the exemption still apply during a leave semester?
Yes. A leave semester does not interrupt your studies, so the exemption remains in effect.
How much does student health insurance cost for international students?
In 2026 you pay at least €118.16 per month if you are under 23 or have a child, or €123.29 if you are childless from 23, plus your fund’s supplementary contribution. At the average rate of 2.9%, that is about €143 or about €148 per month.
What to do now
- Before you travel, ask the competent German diplomatic mission which insurance proof you need for your visa.
- Before enrolment, request the digital confirmation from a statutory health insurance fund so that the university knows your status.
- If you want an exemption, plan the three-month deadline and check in advance with your fund whether your private contract counts as proof.
- Inform your fund if you are exmatriculated or move out of Germany, because your membership then ends.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage (in German).
Related guides
- Health insurance for students in Germany
- Student Health Insurance Costs by Age in Germany
- Student Health Insurance in Germany 2026: Key Figures
- Health Insurance for Students Over 30 in Germany
- German original (in German)
Information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.
