Health Insurance

According to the Social Security Code, students are required to take out statutory health insurance if they are enrolled at a state-recognized German higher education institution. In order to be enrolled, you must either have statutory health insurance or obtain exemption from insurance through a state health insurance agency.

Public health insurance providers inform universities about a student´s insurance status (publicly insured or exempt). Thus, once you receive your letter of acceptance, contact a public health insurance provider and have yourself insured or exempted so that Universität Hamburg can be notified about your insurance status. If we do not receive not receive notification about your insurance status, your enrollment cannot be finalized and you will not receive your final semester documents. 

The following students are exempt from statutory insurance:

• Students publicly insured in another European country, holding a European health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• Students holding a private health insurance that provides sufficient* coverage for the duration of their studies (* Any type of health insurance that is not provided by a German public health insurance provider must be reviewed by a public health provider).
• Students aged > 30 

Please note: If you are exempt from statutory insurance, you still have to contact a statutory health insurance agency so that your insurance status can be confirmed and reported to Universität Hamburg. In order to report your insurance status to Universität Hamburg, the health insurance agency may need Universität Hamburg's sender number: 16711009. 

Further information, in particular about exemption, is provided here.

International students who can take out valid insurance only once they are in Germany can notify us accordingly after their arrival. If they need proof of health insurance to apply for a visa, they can take out a provisional policy to cover the first 3 months of their stay. Once they arrive in Hamburg, they can take out health insurance for the duration of their studies. 

Please note: Travel health insurance does not provide sufficient coverage for studies in Germany. Therefore, do not take out travel health insurance for the duration of your stay. 

Students can take out insurance with any German health insurance agency they like. There are two systems in the Federal Republic of Germany:

1. Coverage under the statutory health insurance scheme ("Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung")
2. Coverage under the private health insurance scheme ("Private Krankenversicherung") 

Students with statutory health insurance pay the standard basic fee (ca. 120 Euro, under the age of 30) plus an additional contribution depending on the provider. With this insurance scheme you can go to the doctor / hospital at any time without having to worry about payment. All you have to do is show them your insurance card. The doctor / hospital will deal with your insurance directly. Some (alternative) treatments and medications are not fully covered under the statutory health insurance. But, don´t worry, there is always an option that is completely covered by the statutory health insurance, you will never have to go without treatment or medication. 

If you decide for private health insurance coverage, you will receive a bill when you go to see a doctor / hospital which you either first pay by yourself and then ask your insurance company for a refund, or forward to your insurance company to pay it. Private health insurance may offer you more treatment options than the statutory scheme, for example getting a private room in a hospital. The details depend on your insurance plan. Please note that you will not be able to switch to statutory health insurance coverage in Germany later on. 

Make sure to take out sufficient insurance coverage for the duration of your studies. You can either apply for it after your arrival or do it online, while you are still in your home country. It is often possible to send forms with you scanned signature and your acceptance letter as an attachment. Shortly thereafter, you will receive confirmation of your insurance coverage. Once you are in Germany, you can present your passport at one of your provider´s local offices. 

In case you need an enrollment confirmation, please send the blank form from your health insurance to the International Office to fill it and prove your student´s status. 

Please note that due do German law you must pay the monthly contribution until the end of the semester (winter term: 01 October-31 March; summer term: 01 April-30 September). In case you are leaving before the official end of the semester, you will have to be unenrolled and send the unenrollment certificate to the insurance agency.