Do I have to take out medical insurance?

When you start doing your doctoral degree in Germany, you are obliged to have a health insurance. You must already be covered from your first day in Germany. So before you travel to Berlin please check with your health insurance if you have medical cover when you travel to Germany. If you are not covered you should take out travel insurance from any standard insurance company in your home country to cover at least your medical care during your journey and the first days in Berlin.

You need to have a health insurance according to the German standards seven days after your arrival at the latest. There are two types of medical insurance companies in Germany those belonging to the public health system which provide insurance for undergraduate students and employees and the private medical insurance companies for self employed persons and employees with a higher income. Stipend holders who do their doctoral degree do not have the status of an employee and they can get insurance from public or private medical insurance companies. Once you get private medical insurance you cannot change to the public health system at all. When you have signed a contract you are bound to this medical insurance company for at least 18 month. Doctoral students with an employment contract have to take out an insurance from the public health system

Click here for more information on health insurance in Germany