Health insurance

No enrollment without health insurance coverage

Every applicant must submit an insurance certificate of a German statutory health insurance at the latest at the time of enrollment at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. This certificate provides information,

  • whether the student is covered by health insurance or
  • whether the applicant is exempt from insurance, is exempt from the obligation to have insurance or is not subject to compulsory insurance.

If you change university, a new insurance certificate has to be submitted. Please note that before enrollment, you must decide on the type of health insurance (private or statutory) -  a change is usually not possible during the course of studies!

A list of all statutory health insurance providers can be found here.

Students with health insurance from the EU, Switzerland or Turkey, please read point Regulations for EU citizens and students from Switzerland and Turkey!

 

Student statutory health insurance

You can insure yourself with a German statutory health insurance provider (please note: if you are over 30 years old or already in the 15th semester or higher, you cannot take out a student statutory health insurance. This also applies to doctoral students.)
The monthly contribution (about EUR 90.00) and the scope of the services are regulated by law and you do not need to be afraid of high bills in case of illness. You do not have to pay any money for a doctor's visit or hospital stay. However, small co-payments with some prescription drugs (usually EUR 5.00) and during a hospital stay (EUR 10.00 per day) are incurred. Depending on income, exemption from statutory health insurance is possible. Also, not all services of dentists or ophthalmologists are fully covered. You will receive detailed information from the insurance provider.

If you choose a statutory insurance, you can get the necessary documents when you are enrolled in the IStO, or you can apply directly to one of the statutory health insurance providers. Please submit your registration form to the health insurance provider and ask for the documents for enrollment at university.

 

Documents for enrollment at university:

You need the insurance certificate from your health insurance provider for submission to a university (the so-called triple form). This certificate consists of the following elements:

  • 1x an insurance certificate for submission to the university (this provides information about the status of your insurance and remains with the university)
  • 2 x a not yet filled-out registration forms for the university (KIT completes these forms and informs the health insurance provider of the enrollment)
A simple confirmation of coverage or the copy of your health insurance card is not enough! You always need the special certificates for enrollment.

 

Please note:

  • The insurance coverage starts at the earliest with the official start of the semester (April 1st / October 1st - even if you are already enrolled several days earlier), but at the latest with the date of enrollment, you are not insured the days before. Therefore, you should ensure that you have a travel health insurance or other private insurance until enrollment.
  • If you do not pay the monthly contributions during your studies, you can lose insurance cover and be struck from the register of students by the university. If you are having difficulties making your payments, please contact your health insurance provider in good time; there is often the possibility to defer contributions or pay in installments.

 

Notification of change of address:

Please remember to always keep your health insurance provider up to date with your current home address. When you move, please immediately inform the health insurance provider.

 

Private health insurances

In Germany, there are a large number of private health insurance companies. Often the monthly contributions are initially lower than with the statutory insurance, but this can change over time and as a rule the contributions increase with increasing age. As a rule, you will have to pay doctors' fees and for medication, and you will be partially reimbursed by the health insurance upon request. Not all pre-existing medical conditions are covered by private health insurance, and hospital stays and medical consultations are very expensive in Germany. Many students do not have enough money to bear these costs.

Also, a foreign health insurance is considered a private insurance. Please note, however, that the high costs of the German health care system are not always covered by foreign insurance companies! Please note that your health insurance may only reimburse the costs corresponding to the usual treatment costs in your home country. In this case, if treatment in Germany is more expensive, you have to pay the difference yourself.

In addition, foreign health insurance is only accepted in Germany under certain conditions. You can find out from a statutory German health insurance whether your insurance is sufficient in Germany. There you must present the insurance policy of your private (German or foreign) health insurance.

If you are insured with a private health insurance in your home country, which is also valid in Germany, you must obtain a written confirmation of your health insurance (in German or English) in your home country.

That confirmation states that:

  • you have health insurance;
  • it is valid in Germany;
  • it provides you with adequate insurance cover (insurance sum of at least EUR 100,000).

Please note that regular travel health insurance cannot be accepted.

 

Documents for enrollment at university:

If you wish to take out private insurance for the duration of your studies, you will still need an insurance certificate from the German statutory health insurance for enrollment at the university. During the official enrollment, you will receive this certificate directly in the IStO or from one of the statutory insurances. Please present your registration and the insurance policy for private health insurance at the statutory health insurance provider.

You need the ”Versicherungsbescheinigung zur Vorlage bei einer Hochschule” (insurance certificate for submission to a university) from the statutory health insurance for enrollment. This certificate confirms that your private health insurance complies with the guidelines and that you have sufficient health insurance coverage.

A confirmation of insurance from your private health insurance or the insurance policy is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need the special insurance certificate for enrollment issued by a German statutory health insurance provider.

 

Notification of change of address:

Please remember to always keep your health insurance provider up to date with your current home address. When you move, please immediately inform the health insurance provider.

 

Regulations for EU citizens and students from Switzerland and Turkey

EU citizens

There is no need for additional insurance in Germany for applicants from EU Member States and Switzerland who have an EHIC European Health Insurance Card.

The EHIC card is not enough for enrollment at the university! You need a special insurance certificate for enrollment, issued by a German statutory health insurance provider. There you present your admission and your valid EHIC card. Then you will receive the insurance certificate. During the official registration, statutory health insurance providers are present in the IStO and you can get the necessary certificate directly in the IStO. Before and after the official enrollment period, please contact one of the statutory insurance providers directly.

The EHIC is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need the special insurance certificate for enrollment issued by a German statutory health insurance provider.

 

Citizens from countries that have a social insurance agreement with Germany (for example Turkey)

If you have a statutory health insurance in your home country, ask your insurance provider for a form that certifies your health insurance abroad. The forms have different names, depending on the country of origin e.g. E-111, AT 11, ATN11 or BH6.

This form can be presented to a German statutory health insurance together with the admission form. From the German statutory health insurance provider, you will receive the ”Versicherungsbescheinigung zur Vorlage bei einer Hochschule” (insurance certificate for submission to a university). This certificate confirms that your health insurance is valid and that your health insurance coverage is adequate. During the official registration, statutory health insurance providers are present in the IStO and you can get the necessary certificate directly in the IStO. Before and after the official enrollment period, please contact one of the statutory insurance providers directly.

The certificate of a social insurance agreement or an insurance policy from abroad is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need the special insurance certificate for enrollment issued by a German statutory health insurance provider.