Find out which student insurance you qualify for

Students aged 30 and over cannot enroll in GKV at the student tariff (€141.16–€146.29/month for 2026). They must use private health insurance (PKV) instead, or voluntary GKV (~€240–€260/month). This applies regardless of nationality or program type.

No. GKV is only available to students enrolled in a recognized degree program at a German university. Language course students and Studienkolleg students must use private health insurance (PKV) for the duration of their pre-university program.

Yes. All international students on an Australian Student visa (subclass 500) must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full duration of their visa. There are 5 approved providers: ahm, Allianz, Bupa, Medibank, and nib. Costs range from AUD 623–806/year for single cover.

Most US universities require F-1 visa holders to enroll in the university's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), costing $1,500–6,000/year. Some schools allow a waiver if you have comparable coverage from another provider. Use our Waiver Finder to check your school's requirements.

EU citizens can use their EHIC card for emergency treatment in Germany. However, for a full degree program lasting over 3 months, you are generally expected to enroll in GKV or PKV rather than relying on EHIC alone. Non-EU students cannot use EHIC and must have German health insurance.

Working more than 20 hours per week during the semester causes you to lose your student status for insurance purposes and you must be insured as a regular employee. Your employer contributes to your GKV contributions, but the total cost is much higher than the student rate.