Insurances
Health insurance
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! |
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 110.00) 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 proof of German statutory health insurance or exemption from compulsory insurance. This information is transmitted electronically to KIT by the statutory health insurance fund. To do so, please request the "Meldegrund 10 für das Karlsruher Institut für Technologie" from your chosen German statutory health insurance fund. The chip card/EHIC or a written membership certificate cannot be accepted.
| A simple confirmation of coverage or the copy of your health insurance card is not enough! You always need a confirmation of enrolment that is sent electronically to KIT. |
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.
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 unlimited insurance cover.
Please note that regular travel health insurance cannot be accepted.
Documents for enrollment at university:
If you have taken out or want to take out private insurance for the duration of your studies, they will submit the insurance policy of the private health insurance to the statutory health insurance fund. If your health insurance provides sufficient insurance cover for studying in Germany, the statutory health insurance fund can issue confirmation of exemption from the statutory health insurance obligation on your behalf. The notification is sent electronically to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
Please request the "Meldegrund 10 für das Karlsruher Institut für Technologie" from your chosen German statutory health insurance fund.
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A confirmation of insurance from your private health insurance or the insurance policy is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need your insurance policy to a German statutory health insurance company, which will send a notification electronically to KIT. |
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.
EU citizens
Applicants from EU countries and Switzerland who have an EHIC European Health Insurance Card do not need additional insurance in Germany.
However, the EHIC card is not sufficient for enrolment at the university! You must present your letter of admission and your valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to a German statutory health insurance company of your choice in order to receive a confirmation ("Meldung 10 an das Karlsruher Institut für Technologie") that you are exempt from compulsory insurance.
| The EHIC is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need your insurance policy to a German statutory health insurance company, which will send a notification electronically to KIT. |
Citizens from countries that have a social insurance agreement with Germany (for example Turkey)
If you have statutory health insurance in your home country, ask your insurance company for a form certifying your health insurance cover 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 submitted to a German statutory health insurance together with the notification of admission in order to obtain a confirmation ("Meldung 10 an das Karlsruher Institut für Technologie") that you are exempt from compulsory insurance.
| The certificate of a social insurance agreement or an insurance policy from abroad is not sufficient for enrollment! You always need your insurance policy to a German statutory health insurance company, which will send a notification electronically to KIT. |
Insurances
Private liability insurance
As an international student in Germany you must also hold a liability insurance taken out from your home country, which is valid in Germany as well, or a German one. This kind of insurance covers the responsibility for damage caused to persons, objects or assets up to a certain amount. The higher this amount, the higher the annual fee.
For students from Europe the liability insurance taken out in the home country is valid.
Health insurance
Please refer to the page Health Insurance for detailed information.
Household/property insurance
The household insurance covers damage caused by nature, e.g. thunder- or hailstorms, fire, explosions, as well as burglary, robbery or vandalism. For an additional charge, cycle theft insurance is included. It is, however, only possible for whole apartments and not for single rooms. The costs depend on the size and location of the flat. There are often special rates for students under 26. Commonly, the landlords ask for it.
Casualty insurance
Usually, you do not need such insurance because even students with a foreign passport are automatically insured against accidents during the course of their studies by the state accident insurance fund. The only condition is to be enrolled in a German institution of higher education.
In Germany, employers must take out an insurance against occupational accidents for all their employees. Whether an additional private casualty insurance against accidents during free time is necessary remains a personal decision.