Health Insurance
Health insurance coverage is mandatory for students under the age of 30 in Germany. You can either take out German statutory health insurance (appr. 100 € per month) or prove that you are sufficiently covered by a foreign or private health insurance policy. Your insurance status must be confirmed and officially reported to the university by a German statutory health insurance company, before you can complete your enrolment.
You are a resident of an EU/EEA country, the UK or Switzerland
Then you should ask your health insurance company at home to issue a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for you (called Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) in the UK). The EHIC / GHIC gives you access to necessary medical treatments in Germany at reduced cost or for free. Please ask your health insurance which treatments will be covered.
In order to complete your enrolment at UoC, please contact a German statutory health insurance company via e-mail and present your EHIC / GHIC. The company will then report your health insurance status electronically to the University of Cologne and confirm that you are sufficiently covered by a foreign health insurance policy. Details on the reporting procedure can be found here.
You are a resident of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (excluding Kosovo), Tunisia or Turkey
Then you should ask your health insurance company at home for certificate BH 6 (Bosnia-Herzegovina), D/RM 111 (Macedonia), DE/MNE 111 (Montenegro), DE 111 SRB (Serbia), A/TN 11 (Tunisia) or A/T 11 (Turkey). This certificate gives you access to state-provided healthcare during your stay in Germany. Please ask your health insurance company which treatments will be covered.
In order to complete your enrolment at UoC, please present the certificate to a German statutory health insurance company (via e-mail). The company will then report your health insurance status electronically to the University of Cologne and confirm that you are sufficiently covered by a foreign health insurance policy. Details on the reporting procedure can be found here.
You are a resident of another NON-EU/EEA country
We recommend you take out German statutory health insurance (approx. 100 € per month), as this will insure adequate and unbureaucratic medical treatment in Germany.
If you prefer buying health insurance in your home country or from a private provider, please make sure that the policy covers costs for medication, dental treatments, ambulant and hospital treatments in Germany, and that the sum insured is sufficiently high.
You must submit your health insurance policy (German or English translation) to a German statutory health insurance company for approval. If it is considered sufficient, the company will confirm and electronically report your health insurance status to the University of Cologne, so that you can complete your enrolment. Details on the reporting procedure can be found here.
PLEASE NOTE: If you take out German statutory health insurance, the insurance will not start until October 1 or April 1 (beginning of semester). If you arrive prior to this date, we recommend you take out private travel health insurance in the meantime.