Students
Health insurance for students in Germany
Until you turn 30, public student insurance (~€135/month) is almost always the right call. After 30 the rules change — read this before extending studies.
How public student insurance actually works
Enrolling at a German university requires proof of German health insurance, and for most students that means the public student tariff. It costs roughly €135 per month for the basic contribution plus about €42 for long-term care insurance, close to €177 in total, and crucially that figure is the same at TK, AOK, Barmer and every other public fund, because the student rate is fixed by law. Your nationality, degree programme, or a part-time job within the limits do not change it. The tariff runs until you turn 30 or pass roughly 14 semesters, whichever comes first. Travel insurance is not accepted for enrolment (only for short language courses under 90 days), so you need proper cover in place from day one.
- Monthly cost (2026)
About €135 basic plus €42 long-term care, roughly €177 in total.
- Same at every fund
Set by law, so TK, AOK, Barmer and the rest charge the identical student rate.
- Who it covers
Open to international students on the same terms, regardless of nationality.
- When it ends
At age 30 or about 14 semesters, then you move to voluntary public cover.
What changes at 30
The under-30 student tariff is one of the cheapest options in the system. It ends abruptly.
Under 30 — public student tariff
About €135/month for a complete coverage. You stay on this regardless of nationality, study programme, or any work alongside studies (within limits).
Turning 30 mid-degree
When you turn 30, you move to voluntary public insurance — ~€220/month minimum. You can stay on student status only if your circumstances justify a delayed graduation.
Private 'student tariffs'
Some private insurers sell low-cost student tariffs. They're usually cheaper at 23 than public, but you lock yourself into the private system at the worst time financially.
Working part-time as a student
Working under 20h/week or earning under the mini-job threshold doesn't change your insurance status. Above that, you may switch into employee insurance.
When private makes sense for students, and the catch
Some private insurers sell student tariffs from about €80 to €120 per month, which can undercut public in your early twenties. The catch is the exemption (Befreiungsantrag): once you opt out of public as a student, the decision is binding for the rest of your studies, you cannot switch back. That is a big commitment to make at the most financially uncertain point of your life. Private student cover mainly makes sense if you are over 30 (where public voluntary cover is pricier), on a short programme, or already privately insured. For the full breakdown of when it pays off, see our guide to private health insurance for students. For most under-30 students, public remains the safer, cheaper default.
Public vs private as a student, and after you graduate
The three situations most international students move through. Figures are 2026 indicative monthly costs.
Public student
~€177/month, default
Private student tariff
€80-120/month, binding
After graduation
Depends on salary
Cost & fit
Choose a plan to compare
How to sort your student health insurance, step by step
Before you arrive
- For the visa appointment and your first days, most students show incoming or travel insurance as a temporary bridge.
- It is not valid for university enrolment, so line up proper German cover to start when you register.
Choose your fund (or exemption)
- If you stay public, pick any fund, the price is identical, so choose on service, English support and app. TK is popular with international students.
- If you are considering private, get advice first, the exemption is irreversible for the rest of your studies.
Confirm for enrolment
- Your fund issues an electronic confirmation to the university, which you need to complete enrolment and your residence permit.
- Keep the membership certificate for the Ausländerbehörde.
After graduation: your switch point
Graduation is the clean moment to reassess. If you take a regular job earning under the €77,400 income threshold, you join public employee insurance. If you earn above it, or go freelance or self-employed, private health insurance becomes an option, and switching at graduation carries no penalty. If you arrive on an EU Blue Card, note that the visa salary and the private-insurance threshold are two different numbers, our EU Blue Card guide explains the trap. A short conversation at this stage saves you from locking into the wrong system.
Student FAQs
Not sure which fund, or whether private fits?
Free 15-minute chat with an English-speaking adviser. We help you pick a public fund, check whether a private student tariff is worth the lock-in, and plan the switch after graduation. No cost, no pressure.
Related guides
Two more pages that come up most often when people are at this stage.
Newcomer survival guide
Visa-tied requirements and the first-90-days insurance sequence.
Learn moreEligibility full breakdown
What unlocks private cover after you graduate.
Learn morePrivate student insurance
When a private student tariff beats public, and the exemption you can't undo.
Learn moreEU Blue Card and insurance
Starting a job after your degree? The salary lines that decide public vs private.
Learn more