€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. I offer 1-on-1 video consultations on visas, Ausbildung applications, citizenship requirements, and German language — in English, Urdu, or German.
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 — and you get 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 — 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 — nearly identical across all public insurers because it is set by law. 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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