TK or DAK for students: put the two funds side by side and you find no difference in compulsory benefits, but you do find differences in voluntary subsidies for teeth, body care and sport. This guide sets out the amounts both funds publish themselves and weighs them against the difference in the additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag). No recommendation follows from it.
Short answer: The additional contribution is 2.69 percent at TK and 3.20 percent at DAK (fund list of the GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 27 October 2026). For students that is a difference of 4.36 euros per month, about 52.33 euros per year. For dental cleaning and osteopathy, DAK names subsidies of 60 and 120 euros, while TK’s articles set up to 40 euros and up to 120 euros (as of October 2026).
The key points
- DAK states 145.52 euros per month for students (as of 1 October 2026, long-term care without surcharge). The same calculation gives 141.16 euros at TK.
- DAK names 60 euros for professional dental cleaning. TK’s articles set up to 40 euros per year.
- Osteopathy is listed at 120 euros at DAK and at up to three sessions of 40 euros each at TK.
- DAK offers two optional tariffs, Fit & Travel and Garantietarif 90. TK works with its PrämieXtra tariff.
- How contributions, calculation and deadlines work in general is covered in the guide to student health insurance 2026: key figures.
What do students pay per month at TK and DAK?
| Component | TK | DAK |
|---|---|---|
| Additional contribution rate | 2.69 percent | 3.20 percent |
| Health insurance in total | 110.38 euros | 114.74 euros |
| Long-term care without surcharge | 30.78 euros | 30.78 euros |
| Total contribution | 141.16 euros | 145.52 euros |
| Total from age 23 without children | 146.29 euros | 150.65 euros |
The DAK figures come from DAK’s contribution page (as of 1 October 2026). The TK figures are calculated from the rate and the contribution base. The difference of 4.36 euros per month equals the gap between the two rates, nothing more. The term is explained in additional contribution 2026: all health insurers.
How do the subsidies for teeth and body care differ?
| Benefit | DAK (student page, as of 1 October 2026) | TK (articles, as of 17 April 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Professional dental cleaning | 60 euros | Up to 40 euros per year from age 18 |
| Osteopathy | 120 euros | Up to three sessions per year, 40 euros per session (§ 27b) |
| Sports medical examination | 120 euros | Named on the student page, no amount |
| Check-up and skin screening from age 17 | 40 euros and 60 euros | Not quantified in the pages reviewed |
| Prevention courses | Subsidy for stress management and yoga, amount not stated | 80 percent, maximum 150 euros, two measures per year (§ 18) |
Whether the DAK amounts depend on conditions, such as optional tariffs or the bonus programme, is not clear from the page. Ask before you decide. For subsidies in particular, what counts is what the fund confirms to you in writing.
What do the tariffs and bonus programmes offer?
DAK describes its AktivBonus as a points system that you can have paid out as money or redeem as a doubled subsidy for sports equipment, running shoes or a fitness tracker, with up to 500 euros of subsidy. According to DAK, the Fit & Travel tariff includes 60 euros per year for club or gym fees or a tracker, 100 euros for travel vaccinations and three months of foreign travel cover through HanseMerkur, and DAK pays the annual premium of 120 euros. The Garantietarif 90 pays 90 euros every year for three years.
TK relies on its bonus programme with challenges and on the PrämieXtra optional tariff (§ 30 of the articles, minimum term one year, ending after three years at the latest). The articles make the premium conditional on not having claimed benefits at TK’s expense.
Worked example: how do subsidy and additional contribution relate?
Assumption: you use one professional dental cleaning and three osteopathy sessions per year, and DAK’s 120 euros apply to that treatment. The DAK subsidy would then be 60 plus 120, together 180 euros. At TK it is at most 40 euros for the cleaning and 3 times 40, that is 120 euros, for osteopathy, together 160 euros. The gap is 20 euros. In the same year the additional contribution differs by 52.33 euros. Both figures depend on your use: without treatments the subsidy does not arise, whereas the additional contribution is always due.
Frequently asked questions
Do the subsidies apply to every student?
The amounts named are subsidies under the funds’ articles, not compulsory benefits. Conditions such as age limits (TK: dental cleaning from 18) or tariff commitments may apply. The articles of the fund are what counts.
How do I reach DAK?
DAK lists a phone number (040 325 325 555, around the clock at local rates), an app and video consultations. TK lists its service team on 040 460 660, also around the clock.
Do I lose bonuses when I switch funds?
Proofs you have not submitted generally lapse when membership ends. Submit your receipts before the switch and have the balance confirmed.
Next steps
- Write down which benefits you expect to use over the next twelve months.
- Ask DAK and TK about the subsidies for exactly these benefits and have the amount and conditions stated.
- Set the subsidy against the difference in additional contribution and note the result.
- Choose the fund and keep the twelve-month commitment in mind (deadlines for switching).
Related reading
- TK student health insurance: costs and benefits 2026
- DAK student health insurance: cost 2026, over 30 and benefits
- Additional contribution 2026: all health insurers
- German health insurance terms for newcomers
Sources: GKV-Spitzenverband, health insurance fund list (27 October 2026, German), DAK-Gesundheit, health insurance for students (retrieved October 2026, German), DAK-Gesundheit, contributions and costs (1 October 2026, German), DAK-Gesundheit, benefits and tariffs for students (1 October 2026), TK, articles of association (17 April 2026, German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
