Health insurance during your studies

Health insurance is generally mandatory for students in Germany. You need proof of existing health insurance for enrollment. Here you will find the most important information on how to provide this proof to Ruhr University Bochum and which health insurance options there are.

Health and long-term care insurance is mandatory for students. Therefore, all students must provide proof of their insurance status when enrolling (legal basis: Section 199a (2) of the German Social Security Code V). Doctoral students, secondary students, guest students and German course participants are not affected by this registration procedure and do not have to provide proof.

Contents of this page

If you have any questions about student health insurance and in cases of doubt (e.g. if you are insured abroad), please always contact your health insurance provider directly or seek advice from a statutory health insurance provider in Germany. On this page we provide information on how to prove your insurance status and which forms and options of insurance are available.

How to prove your health insurance status

At your request, statutory insurance companies will send a digital proof of insurance (notification M10) directly to us as the university.

Proof of statutory health insurance

Ask your health insurance company to send proof of your insurance status to Ruhr-Universität Bochum (sender number H0002220) in accordance with Section 199a (2) SGB V. Please make sure that your full name in the information provided by your health insurance company is identical to the information provided to the Ruhr-Universität.

The health insurance company will then send us your proof (notification M10) digitally as part of the student notification procedure (SMV). We cannot process any form of paper proof or PDF files for system-related reasons.

For online enrollment

  • enter the company number of your health insurance fund.
    You can find the company numbers of the statutory health insurance funds on the Company number health insurance funds page.
  • enter your health insurance number, which you will usually find on your insurance card. We need this for the data comparison with the health insurance company.
  • upload a scan of your insurance card so that we can correct any typing errors in the health insurance number or company number more easily.

Please note this:

  • If the digital notification is not submitted, you may be de-registered as your insurance cover has not been verified.
Proof of private health insurance

The required digital proof is transmitted by a statutory health insurance company; your private health insurance company cannot send this notification to RUB itself.

Therefore, if you are privately insured and wish to remain so during your studies, you must apply for a so-called exemption from the statutory insurance obligation from your last statutory health insurance company or, if you have never been insured by a statutory health insurance company, from any statutory health insurance company.

Please state the sender number of Ruhr-Universität Bochum: H0002220

The statutory health insurance company will send the required certificate digitally directly to the Ruhr-Universität as part of the student registration procedure (SMV). We cannot process any form of paper certificates or PDF files for system-related reasons.

Please note this:

  • If the digital notification is not submitted, you may be de-registered as your insurance cover has not been verified.
  • If you want to be exempted from the statutory insurance obligation as a privately insured person, a maximum period of 3 months applies after the start of the insurance obligation as a student, i.e. the start of your studies. After this exclusion period has expired, exemption is no longer possible and you must take out statutory health insurance (legal basis §8 SGB V).

Make sure you obtain the necessary certificates in good time and seek advice on the formalities from a statutory health insurance provider. Further general information can be found below.

Proof of foreign health insurance

Foreign health insurance is only sufficient for studying in Germany in a few cases. This is the case, for example, with some health insurance companies within the EU or in certain non-European countries with which corresponding social security agreements have been concluded.

Please seek advice from a statutory German health insurance fund in good time before starting your studies, as we must receive a digital notification from this statutory German health insurance fund about your insurance status. The statutory German health insurance company may ask for a sender number from the university. The sender number of Ruhr-Universität Bochum is: H0002220


Please take care of this important formality in good time before the start of your studies, as otherwise you may incur higher costs.

This is the case, for example, if you can be exempted from compulsory insurance in Germany due to your foreign health insurance, but the notification described above is not received on time within a maximum of three months after the start of your studies - in this case you must take out additional insurance.

Changed health insurance during your studies?

For social law reasons, the Student Secretariat always needs the current data on how and where you have health insurance.

If you change your health insurance company or health insurance provider, apply to your new insurance company for a "Notification of change of health insurance company" (M11) to the sender number of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (H0002220).

The insurance company will then send the proof directly to the Ruhr-Universität.

Health insurance options for students

Statutory health insurance

As a student, you are generally assigned to statutory health insurance. In the case of statutory health insurance, students under 25 are often still covered by their parents' family insurance. Otherwise, the health insurance companies offer discounted student insurance.

Family insurance in a statutory health insurance scheme

Students can be insured free of charge with the statutory health insurance of their parents, spouse or registered partner. However, there are conditions and regulations for this:

Family-insured persons may not exceed a regular gross income of 470 euros per month (as of 2022). This does not apply to short-term employment during the semester break, i.e. jobs that are limited to three months or 70 working days in advance. Here, the amount of earnings is generally irrelevant.

Benefits under the BAföG or parental support are also not taken into account when determining the total income.

Studentische Krankenversicherung

Studierende, die nicht mehr kostenfrei in der Familienversicherung mitversichert sind, können der kostengünstigen studentischen Krankenversicherung beitreten. Diese Möglichkeit besteht allerdings in der Regel nur bis zur Vollendung des 30. Lebensjahres.

Voraussetzung ist, dass das Studium gegenüber einer Beschäftigung im Vordergrund steht, Sie also nicht mehr als 20 Stunden in der Woche arbeiten (der sogenannte Werkstudentenvertrag).

Ausnahmen:

  • In den Semesterferien dürfen Sie an insgesamt 182 Kalendertagen pro Jahr auch tagsüber und unter der Woche mehr als 20 Stunden arbeiten (26-Wochen-Regel).
  • In einigen Fällen gibt es weitere Ausnahmen, lassen Sie sich von Ihrer Krankenversicherung beraten.

Überschreiten Sie diese Grenzen, verlieren Sie die studentische Krankenversicherung und müssen deutlich höhere Beiträge zahlen.

Studentische Krankenversicherung: Verlängerungsmöglichkeiten

Die studentische Krankenversicherung lässt sich unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen bis maximal zum 37. Geburtstag verlängern. Dies ist beispielsweise möglich für:

  • die Zeit zur Erlangung der Hochschulzugangsberechtigung auf dem zweiten Bildungsweg
  • Pflege von Familienangehörigen
  • Eigene Krankheit von mindestens 3 Monaten (am Stück)
  • Eigene Behinderung (max. Verlängerung: 7 Semester)
  • Geburt eines Kindes und anschließende Kinderbetreuung (max. Verlängerung: 6 Semester)
  • Freiwilliges soziales oder ökologisches Jahr, Wehr- oder Zivildienst oder jetzt Bundesfreiwilligendienst
  • Mitarbeit in Hochschulgremien (wie etwa Fachschaftsrat, AStA, StuPa, Senat etc.)

Private Krankenversicherung: Befreiung von der gesetzlichen Versicherungspflicht

Als Studierende*r werden Sie grundsätzlich der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung zugeordnet. Vor der Einschreibung steht die Wahl, sich in der privaten Krankenversicherung zu versichern und somit von der gesetzlichen Versicherungspflicht befreien zu lassen.

Unbedingt beachten: Möglichkeiten und Konsequenzen der Befreiung

Studierende, die unmittelbar vor dem Studium pflichtversichert waren (etwa durch Ausbildung, FSJ, Bundesfreiwilligendienst), können sich nicht von der Versicherungspflicht befreien lassen. Auch müssen Sie in der privaten Krankenversicherung bleiben, wenn Sie selbst privat versichert und älter als 30 Jahre alt sind.

Studierende, die über Ihre Eltern bei einer privaten Krankenversicherung versichert sind oder sich privat krankenversichern möchten, sollten beachten:

  • Wer im Studium privat krankenversichert ist, kann bei einer anschließenden Selbstständigkeit nicht mehr in eine gesetzliche Krankenversicherung zurück wechseln. Auch wer nicht gleich einen Job bekommt, muss die Kosten der Versicherung selbst tragen.
  • Eine Befreiung von der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherungspflicht gilt für das gesamte Studium, unabhängig vom Alter und sowohl für den Bachelor als auch den Master.
Bildliche beispielhafte Darstellung eines Doktorhuts
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