u/MeteoraRed

PSA for International Students in Germany: You might be overpaying for health insurance 👀

Been in Germany for 2 years now as an international student, and I recently realized a lot of students are automatically going with TK/public insurance without really knowing the alternatives.

For people under 30, TK usually costs around €140–150/month, and once you cross 30, it can jump to €300+ 💀

If you’re generally healthy, barely visit doctors, and plan to stay in Germany for less than 5 years, private expat/student insurance like Mawista can save you a LOT of money. I pay around €56/month.

A few things to know before everyone rushes to switch:

✅ Much cheaper than public insurance
✅ Designed for expats/international students
✅ Valid for up to 5 years
✅ Good option if you’re young and healthy

BUT:

⚠️ Since it’s private insurance, you usually pay medical bills first and then request reimbursement
⚠️ Not as convenient as TK/public insurance where clinics bill directly
⚠️ Probably NOT a good idea if you have chronic illnesses or need regular treatment

In my opinion, if you only visit a doctor maybe once every few months, private insurance can make more sense financially.

There are also other options like Ottonova, which is more expensive than Mawista but still attractive because the price doesn’t suddenly explode after turning 30 or starting a student job.

Just wanted to share because nobody told me this when I arrived, and I probably overpaid for way too long 😂

Would love to hear what insurance other internationals here are using and how your experience has been.

Has anyone here been admitted to the M.Eng. Robotics program at the Cham campus? I’d love to connect and learn more about the coursework, class structure, workload, and student life in Cham.