Wellbeing and Health Insurance

In this rubric, you can find information about Health Insurance coverage for international students and other advisable insurances.

Health Insurance Guidance Video

This short informational video provides a concise introduction to the topic.

 

For enrolment, you need proof that you have health insurance. Here are a few more explanations:


1. Students from EU and countries with social security agreements

a)  Students from EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland should bring their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is valid as proof of entitlement in Germany. For recognition, contact any statutory German health insurance company (see the student advisors below) and present (or submit by e-mail) your European Health Insurance Card. Using the sender number H0000442, ask the health insurance company to transmit your insurance status electronically to Humboldt-Universität. This is extremely important for enrolment.

When visiting a doctor, you can name the health insurance company you have chosen.


b) Students from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Tunisia, with whom Germany has a social security agreement, proceed in the same way. However, if you need medical treatment, you would have to contact your health insurance company again.

2. Students with private health insurance

Students who have private health insurance in their home country are nevertheless obliged to take out statutory health insurance in Germany. After a personal consultation (e.g. at the AOK, BARMER, DAK, Die Techniker; see the student advisors listed below), you can also be exempted from compulsory insurance. In this case, you will receive the "Exemption from compulsory health insurance" (Befreiung von der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherungspflicht), which should be electronically transmitted to the university for enrolment under the sender number H0000442.

enlightened However, you should note that once you have been exempted from this compulsory insurance, you will no longer be able to switch to a statutory health insurance fund during your entire period of study in Germany. For uncomplicated billing at the doctor's or hospital, we recommend German health insurance.
► Selection of private health insurances

3. All other students

In principle, all students are required to be insured. Accordingly, you must take out insurance with a statutory health insurance company of your choice.
The German embassy often asks for proof of valid travel health insurance for 3 months when you apply for a visa. This can only be a stop-gap measure, as you will have to be covered by statutory health insurance from the start of the semester on 01.04. or 01.10.

The monthly contribution to the statutory health insurance funds for students is currently around 110 EUR and consists of a contribution for health insurance and a contribution for long-term care insurance. The additional contributions vary depending on the health insurance company.

If you have taken out health insurance with a statutory health insurance company, please ask them to transmit your insured status electronically to Humboldt-Universität using the sender number H0000442. This is extremely important for enrolment.

enlightened You can contact the AOK, BARMER, DAK or Die Techniker from home and, if necessary, take out health insurance; the student advisors listed below will be happy to help you.

4. Recognised Refugees

You must prove your insurance status before enrolment. To do so, please contact a statutory health insurance company of your choice. Inform the health insurance company that you would like to enrol at the Humboldt-Universität and request that, under the sender number H0000442, the health insurance company electronically sends proof of your insurance status to the university.

 

Students can find more information regarding health insurance in the guide for international students following this link or you can contact welcome-centre@hu-berlin.de with specific questions.

Doctoral candidates and reserachers should contact the International Scholar Services: int.scholars@hu-berlin.de.

Student advisors of statutory health insurance companies:
 

AOK Nordost
Christopher Manicke
Phone: (+49 331) 27 72-24632
Phone: 0800 26 50 80-24632 *)
E-Mail: christopher.manicke@nordost.aok.de
Web: www.aok.de/nordost/studium

BARMER
Julia Melchior
Phone: 0800 333004 101-241 *)
Mobile: (+49) 151 11 30 28 35
E-Mail: julia.melchior@barmer.de

DAK – Gesundheit
Jessica Meschkat
Phone: (+49 711) 47 07 97-11 11
E-Mail: jessica.meschkat@dak.de

Die Techniker (TK)
Lutz Matuschke
Phone: (+49 40) 460 65 10 37 07
E-Mail: lutz.matuschke@tk.de

Franziska Stiehm
Tel.: (+49 40) 460 65 10 36 68
E-Mail: Franziska.Stiehm@tk.de

www.tk.de/TK for students

*) free of charge in Germany


Important information on further insurance cover
enlightened We would like to draw your attention to the fact that you do not yet have student status in the period before the semester begins and that you are responsible for your own insurance cover (this applies, for example, to participants in the intensive language courses before the semester begins). We recommend that you take out travel insurance (Reiseversicherung) for the period between your journey and enrolment (this can already be helpful when applying for a visa).

When you enrol for the summer semester, you will have student status from 01.04., when you enrol for the winter semester, you will have student status from 01.10. This means that you will have proven your health insurance cover from this date on. Through the university, you will also be covered by the statutory accident insurance (gesetzliche Unfallversicherung) for your direct route to and from the university as well as for study-related activities that are directly connected to the university.
https://publikationen.dguv.de/widgets/pdf/download/article/1436

It would be conceivable to take out additional accident insurance (Unfallversicherung) for your leisure time.

We generally recommend that you take out personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) for your entire stay in Berlin in case you cause damage to third parties in your flat or elsewhere. Small damages can often lead to large costs, which is why this insurance is by far one of the most important insurance policies here.
www.tarifini.de/privathaftpflicht-studenten

► More information and private health insurance providers


Finding the right doctor:

In case of minor illness such as a cold, flu, minor injuries, etc., it is common in Germany to contact the so-called family doctor or general practitioner. In case of a special illness, the family doctor can refer you to a specialist. If you suffer from an illness that has already been treated by a specialist in your home country, you can also contact one of these directly without consulting your family doctor in advance.

Basically, it is up to you to decide which doctor's practice or hospital you would like to be treated in, as long as your health insurance company is accepted there. Please make sure in advance that your health insurance is recognized in the respective doctor's practice in order to avoid expensive medical bills.

When searching for a suitable family doctor you may want to visit the website from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. Your health insurance company may also be able to help you find a suitable doctor. Health insurance companies have detailed information and offers on their websites regarding health or professional help with illnesses.

Making an appointment:

Many family doctors’ practices offer open consultation hours without the need of booking an appointment in advanced. However, if you wish to avoid long waiting periods and there is no acute illness that needs to be treated urgently, it is recommended to contact the practice by phone before the visit and make an appointment. Depending on the practice, finding a free appointment can take up to several weeks (especially for specialists). If you are privately insured, you must cover your medical bill by transfering the amount according to the information given by the doctor's practice or hospital, the amount will then be reimbursed to you by your insurance company. Please take your insurance card with you every time you visit a doctor - it has to be checked every new quarter.

Medication:

In Germany you can only buy medication in pharmacies. Exceptions, such as headache pills, are available over the counter, but most medication requires a medical prescription The statutory health insurance will usually cover part of the costs for a prescription; however, a prescription fee may have to be paid at the pharmacy. Sometimes a private additional payment is necessary.

In case of emergency:

In case you require medical assistance in the middle of the night, on the weekend or on a public holiday, emergency services and night pharmacies are always available. You can find the nearest night pharmacy here:

Apotheken Notdienst Berlin | Notfallapotheke & Nachtdienst in der Nähe (meinestadt.de)

If you need medical assistance, the first thing you should do is contact a family doctor nearby. Generally, an answering machine will let you know where you can report an emergency if the doctor cannot be reached. If you require immediate help, you can also go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Here you will find an overview of the hospitals in Berlin

Krankenhäuser und Kliniken – BerlinFinder – Berlin.de

In the event of a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate assistance, call an ambulance at 112.

Healthcare / Hospitals - selected addresses:

Charité Krankenhaus
Philippstraße 10
10117 Berlin

Rescue center, first aid, emergency room: (+49 30) 450 53 10 00

Central: (+49 30) 450 50

Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain
Landsberger Allee 49
10243 Berlin

Rescue center:(+49 30) 130 23 17 35

Statutory health insurance physicians Emergency service: (+49 30) 310-031

Nationwide number for medical On-call service of the associations of statutory health insurance physicians:116 117

Poison Control: (+49 30) 1 92 40

Dental emergency service (information):(+49 30) 89 00 43 33

More...

Psychological and pastoral advice:

In case yo are looking for psychological and / or pastoral advice, you can contact the following institutions:

At the HU:

Information on pandemic mental health support can be found here

For HU students

HU students who study abroad stay enrolled at Humboldt-Universität. For this reason students have to maintain their German health insurance coverage.

More information and private health insurance providers for HU-students studying abroad are coming soon in English, for now you can check the German version

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Tel.: (+49 30)20 93-46 747

E-Mail: welcome-centre@hu-berlin.de