Short answer: Enrolled students under 30 join statutory health insurance (TK, AOK, Barmer and others) at a fixed student rate of roughly €120 to €150 a month in 2026, long-term care included. You need proof of cover for the visa (a travel or incoming policy bridges the weeks before enrolment) and a confirmation from a statutory insurer to enrol. Choosing private cover at enrolment exempts you from statutory insurance for the rest of your degree, and that cannot be reversed.

Health insurance in Germany is compulsory. Everyone knows that part. What catches Pakistani students is that "insurance" means three different things at three different moments: the visa file, the first weeks after landing, and the enrolment desk.

Moment one: the visa file

The embassy checklist asks for proof that you are insured from the day you land. You cannot join a German statutory insurer before you are enrolled, so this is normally an incoming or travel health policy for the first one to three months. It costs tens of euros a month and exists only to bridge the gap. Blocked account providers often bundle one with the account.

Moment two: enrolment

To enrol, the university needs an insurance confirmation from a statutory insurer, sent to it electronically, or an exemption certificate if you went private. Pick an insurer online before you fly. TK, AOK and Barmer all have English sign-up pages and send the confirmation to the university themselves. The core cover is identical by law across every statutory insurer. They differ only in a small supplementary rate and in how good their app and English support are.

What the student rate costs in 2026

The student rate is set nationally, not by the insurer. In 2026 most students pay between €120 and €150 a month, made up of the health contribution plus long-term care insurance; the care part is a little higher if you are over 23 and have no children. The only price difference between insurers is their supplementary rate, so compare that number and ignore the marketing. Budget it as a fixed monthly cost on top of rent in your cost of living sheet; the blocked account proves you can pay for it, it does not pay it for you.

Statutory or private: the choice you cannot undo

At enrolment you may opt out of statutory insurance and buy a private student policy instead. Private policies advertise lower monthly prices, and for a healthy 24-year-old the headline number is real. The catch is the exemption: it is binding for your entire degree, you cannot switch back into statutory insurance even if you take a job or your situation changes, and private cover charges per person. For almost every Pakistani student the answer is statutory, and it is not close.

Bringing a spouse or children

This is where statutory insurance pays for itself. A spouse who earns little or nothing, and your children, can be covered under your statutory policy at no extra cost (Familienversicherung). Under a private policy each family member needs their own contract. If family reunification is part of your plan, this alone settles the question.

Over 30, or in a language course first

The student rate ends on your 30th birthday. After that you can stay in statutory insurance voluntarily at a higher rate, roughly €200 to €250 a month, or go private. Students in a language course or Studienkolleg before their degree are not yet eligible for the student rate either; they usually stay on a private incoming policy until matriculation.

What to do, in order

1. Buy an incoming or travel policy covering your arrival date onwards for the visa file.
2. Choose a statutory insurer online and have the confirmation sent to your university before enrolment.
3. After arrival, register your address and give the insurer your German bank details.
4. Cancel the incoming policy the day statutory cover starts.
5. If your spouse follows later, add them to your policy the week they arrive.

Frequently asked questions