Health Insurance

In order to be enrolled at the University of Hamburg, you must either have statutory health insurance or obtain exemption from insurance through a Public Health Insurance provider.  If we do not receive notification about your insurance status, your enrollment cannot be finalized.

Your insurance status needs to be confirmed to the University by a Public Health Insurance provider. Once you receive your letter of acceptance you need to contact one of them and send them 1) proof of your current insurance and 2) a copy of your ID/passport and ask them to check whether you can be exempt or not. If your insurance is sufficucient, the insurance will confirm your status to the University. They may need Universität Hamburg's sender number: 16711009.

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 

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

If you don't get exempt, you 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.  

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. 

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. 

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.