Health Insurance
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Comprehensive health insurance cover is mandatory for anyone living in Germany. It is therefore a requirement during your entire stay (for you and each joining family member) and for applying for your entry visa and residence permit after arrival.
Note that specific conditions apply for what is considered an acceptable comprehensive cover by the German authorities. That is why it is important that you only sign a contract with a German health insurance, which meets certain criteria. Different target groups are eligible for different kinds and providers of German health insurance, depending on various factors.
The German consulates and embassies provide information on their websites about which travel health insurances are acceptable for your initial journey to Germany. Apart from a travel health insurance for your initial journey (and at the very most for the first 3 months of your stay), do not sign a contract for a health insurance while still abroad as it may not be accepted by the German authorities later! Don’t hesitate to ask us for assistance if your are unsure.
For the essential information on this topic for incoming researchers, such as differences between private and public health insurance (coverage, procedures)
different target groups (EU/Non-EU nationals, employees, scholarship holders, family members, age groups), please see the corresponding section of our Welcome Guide carefully first.
