One of the most well-liked health insurance companies in Germany is called TK (or TechnikerKrankenkasse), and it’s a terrific choice for students to use while they’re in school. In Germany, health insurance is a must. The sort of policy you select can vary, but it is required by law for all residents and students to have coverage of some kind.
Let’s examine how to locate the TK plan that would work best for you as an international student in Germany.
Students must first understand how contribution rates function. This basically refers to the cost that health insurance charge to offer coverage. German workers are required by law to contribute a minimum of 14.6% of their salary, split equally between employer and employee contributions.
Since they won’t have a consistent source of income, students typically aren’t covered by this. However, health insurance is a necessity for enrolment in German academic programs. How do contributions operate, and do students receive better rates than regular employees?
The good news is that all students under the age of 30 are required to get government-subsidized health insurance in Germany. This takes the form of a “discount” payment that brings your chosen health insurance policy’s monthly cost down to an average of €100.
However, this support expires at the age of 30, and as many students in Germany are older adults, additional options will be needed.
Because they have higher premiums for younger subscribers, public health insurance solutions are typically not the best choice in this situation. Private health care providers are frequently able to arrange the most cost-effective and individualised programmes, so it is definitely worth looking into them.
Be advised that you will automatically be registered in the state-run health insurance system if you turn 30 while you are still in Germany. Within three months of turning 30, you must submit an application to switch to a private supplier.
You will receive the same set of benefits when you purchase a TK Student Health Insurance coverage as regular German policyholders. There are no restrictions or unstated terms for students, and you will have unrestricted access to the same selection of suppliers.
The following elements are included in student policies:
Holders and their dependents are eligible for two dental exams each year. The majority of routine dental operations will be fully or partially covered, though you could have to make some co-payments.
Policyholders can pay for appointments with general physicians, physiotherapists, mental health professionals, podiatrists, back specialists, and even practitioners of complementary therapies like homoeopathy with their eHealth cards.
The majority of hospital procedures will be fully or partially reimbursed.
For clients who adhere to healthy criteria, the Bonus Points programme offers extra incentives like acupuncture visits or gym memberships. In the European Union, everyone is covered for health care.
The TK eHealth card is perhaps the most significant of the additional services that TK provides for students.
Policyholders must upload a passport photo through TK’s online site in order to get a TK eHealth card. TK will provide you instructions on how to apply for the card when you purchase a policy. Simply follow their recommendation and send the picture. Your card should be delivered within a few days.
Whether or not they purchase an eHealth card, students are fully covered by their TK health policy. Thus, it is not necessary to do so. It is a helpful addition to anyone’s wallet, though.
Your identity card when you visit a doctor is the TK eHealth card. You can use medical services in Germany and abroad more easily as a result. Simply show the convenient chip card to a doctor, hospital, or licensed therapist when you need medical care.
EU students will often be permitted to work 20 hours per week while enrolled in classes. A quota of either 120 full days or 240 half days can be worked by those who are not EU members.
Students are not subject to income tax on income up to a monthly cap of €450. You will also be required to pay German social security contributions and your student status may be terminated if you exceed the allotted number of working days.
While BAföG and other subsidies cover undergraduates, the situation for PhD applicants is a bit different.
In Germany, state financial aid is not available to PhD students while they are in school. This does not, however, imply that your healthcare expenses must skyrocket. Instead, the majority of PhD candidates choose affordable health insurance from companies like TK that fits their budgets and lifestyles.
During your PhD studies, you could alter your health insurance status if you decide to join academic research teams. Your company will likely convert you to a state-managed plan as your income will be below the threshold for switching to private insurance. In this scenario, the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze will be reflected in your premiums.
If you have enrolled in TK’s student health insurance programme, your coverage often expires after you turn 30. When the student subsidies expire, you will have to purchase one of TK’s over-30-year-old private health insurance policies.
Students receive significant discounts, but insurers like TK also factor on PhD students’ youth, athleticism, and low risk when determining premiums. Your payments need to remain within acceptable bounds as a result.
TK is primarily committed to provide complete healthcare insurance packages, and it provides products for a variety of circumstances.
Customers can turn to TK whether they are students looking for medium-term coverage through state subsidies or a head of home wanting to make sure their dependents are covered. Additionally, it is an insurer with a number of distinctive qualities that will interest immigrants to Germany. For example, TK provides:
| 1 Booking Service TK | When policyholders need to see a doctor, the TK-Appointment Service will schedule those appointments. For no additional cost, TK will handle reservations, making life simpler for non-native German speakers. |
| 2 Vaccinations for travel | Foreign guests will value that TK’s packages include travel vaccines. TK will cover the cost of the malaria or hepatitis vaccinations if you intend to visit a tropical location (although there may be a small supplementary fee for the vaccine itself). |
| 3 Homeopathy and complementary therapies | TK is a wonderful insurer to use if you like to rely on natural medicines and alternative therapies. To help members find homoeopathic doctors in their area, TK would gladly make referrals and pay for the first 60 minutes of visits. |
| 4 TK Online Services and App | The smartphone revolution has been welcomed by German private health insurers, making it possible to enrol in student health insurance coverage almost entirely online.
A good example is the TK App. The app, which is accessible on both Android and iOS mobile devices, enables you to submit paperwork, get the insurance certificate that colleges demand, and access particular fitness programmes for policyholders. |
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If you are covered by your parents’, married partner’s, or civil partner’s non-contributory dependants insurance, you are not required to pay anything for health and long-term care insurance while you are a student. If you are not (or are no longer) eligible for coverage under dependents’ insurance, you must get your own insurance.
Whether you are a current member or brand-new to TK will determine this.
The TK eHealth card will be mailed to you and any members of your family who are insured by your insurance around two weeks before coverage begins.
Simply fill out the online application form to apply. We will let your current health insurance fund know that you have switched to TK if you are a current member. Please don’t forget to inform your employer of your relocation to TK.
The TK health insurance contribution rate for 2023 is 15.8% of gross income. It comprises of the general payment rate of 14.6% and the individual supplementary contribution rate of 1.2% of the health insurance fund. Employers contribute half of the employee’s contribution rate.
