€130–160
public student rate per month, set by law (2026)
30
the birthday that ends the student rate
3 months
exemption window, then the choice is binding for all your studies
Day 1
coverage required; enrollment and visa both check it
Guide by
Abdullah
Creator of Ankommo · Based in Germany
I moved to Germany and built Ankommo to help others navigate the same process I went through. We offer 1-on-1 video consultations on visas, Ausbildung applications, citizenship requirements and settling in.
Book a 1-on-1 consultationWhich insurance are you allowed to take?
For students the rules decide before prices do. Three inputs: your status, your age, your passport. You get back the route German law actually gives you, with honest caveats.
Employed or self-employed instead of studying? Use the general insurance guide.
What are you coming to Germany as?
Public student insurance: take it
~€130–160/month
Enrolled degree students under 30 get the subsidised public student rate (KVdS): full German public coverage, dependants co-insured free, no health questions, no exclusions. For almost everyone in this group it beats every private alternative. This is the boring, correct answer.
Before you sign anything
- You CAN file an exemption to stay private within 3 months of enrollment, but it is binding for your ENTIRE studies. Signing it to save €30/month is the classic expensive mistake; be certain before you file.
- Your university needs the electronic insurance confirmation (sent insurer→university) to complete enrollment; request it as soon as you have admission.
- The rate is set by law and nearly identical across insurers. Pick on service and English support, not price.
The one mistake you cannot undo
The 3-month exemption is binding for your entire degree
Degree students under 30 are insured in public insurance by default. Within the first 3 months you can file an exemption (Befreiung von der Versicherungspflicht) and stay on a private plan instead. Some agents push this hard, because private plans pay them commission and the premium looks €30–50 cheaper.
What the pitch skips: the exemption cannot be revoked for the entire course of study. If the private premium rises, if you develop a condition, if you simply change your mind in semester 5, the €130–160 public rate is closed to you until you graduate and take a job.
The public student rate comes with no health questions, no exclusions, free co-insurance for a spouse and children, and every doctor that takes the public card. Unless you have a specific, understood reason to stay private, take the public rate and spend your attention on your degree.
Every student case, one table
Degree student, under 30
Route: Public student rate (KVdS)
The default and, for almost everyone, the right answer.
~€130–160/mo
Degree student, 30 or older
Route: Voluntary public, or private (often cheaper)
The one group where comparing private is genuinely worth it.
~€210–280/mo public
Language course / Studienkolleg
Route: Private incoming plan (public is closed)
Required for the visa, before you fly.
~€30–90/mo
PhD with a university contract
Route: Employee public insurance, automatic
Employer pays half; nothing to arrange.
from your payslip
PhD self-funded / stipend
Route: Voluntary public or private
Stipends are not employment, so you arrange cover yourself.
~€210–280/mo public
EU/EEA/Swiss student
Route: EHIC from home
Until you take a German job.
€0 extra
Public rates are set by law and near-identical across insurers; private ranges depend on age, duration and coverage. Treat them as orientation, and compare actual quotes. Figures verified July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does student health insurance cost in Germany?
- The public student rate (KVdS) is around €130–160/month in 2026 including long-term care insurance. It is nearly identical across all public insurers because the law sets it. Private plans for those who cannot join public insurance range from roughly €30–90/month (incoming plans for language students) to €80–150+/month (private student tariffs at 30+).
- Can international students choose private instead of public insurance?
- Degree students under 30 can, by filing an exemption (Befreiung von der Versicherungspflicht) within 3 months of enrollment. But the exemption is binding for the ENTIRE course of study: you cannot switch back into the cheap public student rate later, even if the private premium rises. For most students the exemption is a mistake.
- What health insurance do I need for a language course visa?
- A private incoming/expat health plan: language course and Studienkolleg students are not admitted to public student insurance at all. The embassy requires proof of coverage with the visa application. Plans run roughly €30–90/month depending on age, duration, and coverage level.
- What happens to my student insurance when I turn 30?
- The subsidised student rate ends at your 30th birthday. Public insurance continues only as voluntary membership at ~€210–280/month (priced on a minimum assumed income), while private student tariffs are often cheaper at that age. Over 30 is the one student group where private insurance genuinely deserves comparison.
- Is an EHIC card enough to study in Germany?
- For EU/EEA/Swiss students, yes: German universities accept the European Health Insurance Card from your home country for enrollment. It stops being enough if you take a German job (German public insurance then takes over) or if your home coverage lapses.
- Do I need health insurance before I can enroll at a German university?
- Yes. Universities require an electronic insurance confirmation sent directly from a German public insurer (or a confirmation that you are exempt/privately insured) to complete enrollment. Arrange it as soon as you have your admission letter; it is also part of the residence-permit file.
Insurance letters arrive in German
Your insurer, your university, and your Ausländerbehörde will all write to you in German. Ankommo takes you from A1 to B1, free to start.
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