Insurance and social security
All students (including exchange students) attending a German university are obligated to have a health insurance for the duration of their studies. International students who are covered by an insurance with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) [UK] in their home country or who have a private health insurance that covers the costs of health care during their stay in Germany, can be exempted from the compulsory insurance. This exemption must be certified by a German Health Insurance Company. Please find explained below how to get such an exemption.
Please also note that your health insurance may not cover you if you work in Germany while studying or doing an internship. We recommend that you check this beforehand and, if necessary, take out additional insurance for this.
How do I receive an exemption from the German health insurance?
Are you a citizen of an EU/EEA country (incl. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway ) or Switzerland?
✅ YES: Jump to point 1
❌ NO: Jump to point 2
1. Students from EU / EEA countries, UK or Switzerland
Students from EU / EEA countries, UK or Switzerland must apply for the health insurance exemption certificate in advance before their studies begin. For the application process, you will need your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC/GHIC [UK]). Depending on your health insurer at home, you will have to apply for the EHIC/GHIC additionally. Please contact your health insurer for this matter.
Example of the EHIC
Please send in the following documents as attachment via e-mail to one of the three big health insurers in Germany (options listed further below):
• a scan of your EHIC/GHIC
• a scan of your passport or official national ID card (the name and the date of validity must be visible)
• a copy of your Confirmation of Erasmus+ (search your E-Mail inbox for "letter of acceptance")
Option A: studentservice@nordost.aok.de (AOK)
Option B: ehic@tk.de (TK)
Option C: patrick.fehrmann@barmer.de (BARMER-GEK)
Please also specify the length of your study stay in the email and that you will be studying at the Freie Universität Berlin. For example: Winter Term 2020/21 at Freie Universität Berlin.
Please send your documents to only one of the addresses mentioned above, not to all of them to avoid double work with respect to the work of the people employed by the German health insurers! We recommend to send in your application for this confirmation as early as possible, as German health insurers have to process many e-mails and it tends to take 4-6 weeks for them to process your e-mail.
2. Students from other countries
Do you have private health insurance covering you in Germany?
✅ YES: Jump to point 3
❌ NO: Jump to point 4
3. Own (private) health insurance
Students covered by their health insurance in Germany from home, or who already have German health insurance, have to provide a German public health insurer with a copy of their health insurance policy. By being already insured by a private health insurer you are automatically exempted from the statutory health insurance obligation (which is how the vast majority of German citizens are health insured by law). You will receive a certificate from a German public health insurer stating this. You will need the document to enroll as a student at Freie Universität Berlin. Fortunately, this step can simply be done via e-mail:
A German public health insurer has to check whether your private insurance is sufficient or not, so you can obtain a legally valid exemption from the otherwise compulsory insurance obligation. First, you must have a certificate called 'insurance confirmation for submission to private insurance company abroad' confirming that you have health insurance signed by your private insurance company. Only, if this specific certificate is signed and stamped by your private insurance company, only then you will be able to apply for the exemption from the compulsory insurance obligation, at one of the mentioned German health insurers.
• See: Health Insurance Confirmation
Please send in the following documents as attachment via e-mail to one of the three big health insurers in Germany (options listed further below):
• a copy of your health insurance policy
• a scan of your passport or official national ID card (the name and the date of validity must be visible)
• a copy of your Confirmation of Erasmus+ (search your E-Mail inbox for "letter of acceptance")
Option A: studentservice@nordost.aok.de (AOK)
Option B: beate.nietsch@tk.de (TK)
Option C: patrick.fehrmann@barmer.de (BARMER-GEK)
4. Public Health Insurance
Students who do not have their own (private) health insurance – neither in Germany nor in their home country – will need to be insured by a German public health insurer. This costs around 91 € per month for those under the age of 30. For students who are older than 30 years of age, the cost is somewhat higher. Please contact one of the German public health insurers for more information (see above for contact information).
Note for students from Turkey: Please check whether you have a private or a public health insurance in Turkey and whether you can request the document A/T 11 from your own health insurance company. You can then send this document to
Option A: studentservice@nordost.aok.de (AOK)
Option B: beate.nietsch@tk.de (TK)
Option C: patrick.fehrmann@barmer.de (BARMER-GEK)
Please note that the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) does not accept copies/scans. In case you request your health insurance certificate at TK, you must hand in your A/T 11 form as original version!
|
AOK "Campus Point Freie Universität Berlin" |
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) |
Barmer GEK Krankenkasse |
|
Silberlaube, KL 26 / 104 |
Geschäftsstelle UniSport |
Bundesallee 104-105, |
|
studentservice@nordost.aok.d |
Beate.Nietsch@tk.de |
patrick.fehrmann@barmer.de |