Health Insurance for Students in Germany: Statutory, Private and the Rules

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

In Germany you cannot enrol without proof of health insurance, and for most students the system decides which insurance that is. This guide explains the legal rule, the monthly cost insurers published for 2026, and the choices that are hard to reverse. It is based on the Social Code Book V (SGB V) and the pages of statutory insurers consulted in October 2026. The student visa guide for Germany covers the insurance needed for the visa application itself.

The rule for students

Section 5 of SGB V makes students enrolled at state or state-recognised universities compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance system, at most until the 30th birthday. Students older than 30 are insured under this rule only if the type of education or family or personal reasons justify exceeding the age limit, for example when the entry qualification was gained at a second-chance school. The rule applies where no other international or bilateral law gives you a claim to benefits.

Barmer, a statutory insurer, states that student insurance usually ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30 and that the subject semester does not matter. Exceptions are possible and you must ask your insurer. After that, voluntary statutory insurance is the normal route, with income-based contributions.

What it costs

By law, student contributions are calculated on a fixed share of the BAföG basic need rate, and the contribution rate is seven tenths of the general rate (SGB V sections 236 and 245). Each insurer then adds its own supplementary contribution. For 2026 Barmer publishes, on a basic need of EUR 855:

health insurance: EUR 87.38 plus the insurer's supplementary contribution, which is EUR 28.13 at Barmer
long-term care insurance: EUR 30.78 a month, or EUR 35.91 if you are over 23 and childless
total: EUR 146.29 a month, or EUR 151.42 for those over 23 without children

Other insurers publish different supplementary contributions, so the total depends on the insurer you choose. Compare insurers before you sign.

Choosing and enrolling

You take out the statutory insurance with an insurer of your choice and your university asks for proof of it at enrolment, so ask your university how it expects to receive the certificate. The base contribution is set by law, so insurers differ mainly in their supplementary contribution and service.

The private insurance option

Section 8 of SGB V lets students apply to be exempted from the compulsory insurance, which usually means going private for the whole of your studies. Know the conditions:

you must apply to the insurer within three months of the start of the insurance obligation
the exemption cannot be revoked
it is only effective if you prove that you have another claim to protection in case of illness

Barmer adds that a later return to the statutory system is possible only under certain conditions. This decision is difficult to undo, so check how premiums and benefits will change with your age and income before you apply for exemption.

International students

EU, EEA, Swiss and UK students: with an EHIC or GHIC you can use medically necessary services, but Barmer notes it does not replace German insurance if you work in Germany or stay for longer.
Students from other countries: you need proof of insurance accepted in Germany. Home-country cover is only valid if German law accepts it. Otherwise you take the statutory student insurance when you qualify, or a private policy.
Family insurance: a student can be insured through parents under 25 who are in the statutory system, or through a partner, subject to income limits (EUR 565 a month, or EUR 603 with a minor job, for 2026 according to Barmer).

After graduation

Barmer says that student insurance ends when you are exmatriculated, and that after a short gap the status can be restored retroactively if you inform the university and the insurer at once. If you stay on the job-search permit, which requires proof of health insurance, see working in Germany after graduation and talk to your insurer about voluntary cover before your enrolment ends.

Where to look next

Student housing in Germany: our catalogue lists 273 residences with monthly prices from €214 to €535
How much it costs to study in Germany

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.