Health insurance
In order to complete your enrolment (Immatrikulation) as a student, you need to provide proof that you have health insurance. This is a German legal requirement.
- Students from EU countries can usually stay with the health insurance coverage from their own country if they have a European health insurance card. However, if you work part-time alongside their studies, you also need to get German health insurance.
- Students from non-EU countries are required to get German health insurance.
IMPORTANT: You must provide proof of health insurance from the beginning of the semester (starting 01.10. or 01.04.). If you are entering Germany at a later date, you can submit a travel insurance for the interim period (up to three months). As soon as you enter Germany, you must register for German health insurance and submit proof to the Admissions Office of HAW Hamburg (Studierendensekretariat). This proof must be submitted to the Admissions Office within three months of the start of the semester; otherwise we will unfortunately have to de-register you from the university.
German health insurance – public or private?
Public health insurance
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If you are under 30 years of age, we recommend that you get public health insurance. It costs a little over €100 per month and includes insurance coverage for long-term nursing care. When you go to the doctor, the dentist or the hospital, you present your card and most of the costs are covered by your health insurance provider. You are required to (partially) cover the cost of extra services and treatments, such as ultrasounds and some dental procedures. If your doctor prescribes medication, you are required to pay a small fee at the pharmacy.
To apply for public health insurance you need the following documents:
- Passport or personal ID
- Residence certificate from the Einwohnermeldeamt (resident registration office)
- Proof that you have been admitted to study at the university
- Your bank account details (IBAN and BIC)
You can find more information about health insurance for students from the AOK and Techniker Krankenkasse (in German). Call for information in English.
Private health insurance
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If you are over 30 years of age or over, you will have to get private health insurance. Please check with the Immigration Office that they will accept the health insurance provider you have selected, as not all providers fulfil the necessary criteria.
For enrolment at HAW Hamburg you will also need, in addition to the proof of private health insurance, a release form (Befreiungsbescheinigung) from a public health insurance company. This confirms that your private health insurance is sufficient for enrolment. You can send your proof of private health insurance e.g. to AOKaxel.stein (at) rh.aok (dot) de together with the request to get this release form.
Important: The disadvantage of private health insurance is that you have to pay the costs of an appointment or treatment at the doctor or dentist up front and the health insurance provider reimburses you afterwards. This can be difficult, when you need an expensive procedure. Please make sure to clarify which costs will be covered by the insurance provider before undergoing a procedure.
Comparing health insurance providers
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- Comparison of health insurance providers from Krankenkassen Deutschland (in German only)
Important information
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Please remember your health insurance is important not only for your health, but is a legal requirement for your enrolment as a student. If you are not insured, the university is legally required to de-register you from your studies. In turn, your registration as a student is linked to your residence permit for Germany, so without your student status, you could lose your residence permit. Please ensure that you keep up with your payments to the health insurance provide, so that they do not cancel your contract. If you have difficulties paying, then please talk to your insurance provider to see what options you have, before you risk losing your insurance or talk to the International Office.
If you have questions about health insurance, you can get advice from Studierendenwerk Hamburg.
