Before arrival

Health Insurance

All students need health insurance to enrol at a university.

You must pay your premiums for the entire duration of your studies (including during the semester breaks or whilst studying abroad). 

Choose your health insurance carefully! The cheapest option is certainly not the best.

What happens if you do not pay your premiums?

  • your insurance cover will end
  • the insurance company will notify us
  • you will be de-registered 
  • your visa will become invalid, as it is linked to the purpose of your studies

Foreign or private health insurance policies with a maximum cover limit are generally not accepted.

The compulsory health insurance protects students. This is because if you require medical treatment without health insurance, the costs can quickly spiral out of control.

We also strongly recommend taking out private liability insurance. It covers many types of damage caused through the fault of the insured person.

What you should know

  • All EU countries, as well as Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, have a social security agreement with Germany. 

    Students from these countries require 

    • either the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) 
    • or appropriate proof of insurance in their home country.

    You must submit your insurance details to a German statutory health insurance fund and apply for exemption from the German compulsory insurance requirement. The health insurance fund will then confirm to OTH Regensburg that your insurance is valid in Germany. The exemption applies for the entire duration of your enrolment.

    There is a limited insurance agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Tunisia, which covers only emergencies and acute illnesses; preventive medical check-ups must be carried out in your home country. Please ensure you check with your insurance provider in your home country exactly which services are covered!


  • All other students whose countries of origin do not have a social security agreement with Germany must take out health insurance in Germany. Please follow the link and read the further information on our website.


  • We strongly recommend that students under the age of 30 take out statutory student health insurance, which covers the costs of medical treatment, medication, hospitalization, preventive measures and rehabilitation. It also ensures entitlement to continued payment of wages in the event of illness. You will need to provide proof of insurance for your visa application, so blocked account providers can recommend insurance companies to you. Please choose your health insurance company carefully, as you can only switch to another company after one year at the earliest. For statutory health insurance, you must first find accommodation, open a bank account and register with the city. Until then, you should be covered by travel insurance. Please note that once your insurance has been activated, you will have to pay the premiums from the first day of insurance cover (i.e. from the first day of the semester at the latest), not from the day you arrive in Germany.

    Students under the age of 30 can also take out private insurance if they wish. However, private insurance is usually either more expensive than statutory insurance or, if it is cheaper, it does not usually offer the same level of cover. Once you have opted for private insurance, you cannot return to statutory insurance for the entire duration of your enrollment.


  • Students over the age of 30 cannot be insured at the student rate. They must take out private health insurance. Privately insured persons must also apply for exemption from statutory health insurance by sending proof of insurance to a statutory health insurance fund.


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At a Glance: Before Arrival