Health insurance, broadcasting fee

Health insurance

Students under the age of 30 are generally required to have health and long-term care insurance. Therefore, the university requires a health insurance certificate before you enrol. We have summarised the most common cases below:

Family insurance
If both of your parents have statutory health insurance and you are under 25 years old, you are covered by your parents’ family insurance. However, you must note that you cannot regularly earn more than 470 € during the lecture period if you want to remain a member of the family insurance. If this is the case, your family insurance will end and you will have to insure yourself. If you have completed a recognised voluntary service (e.g. FSJ, FÖJ, voluntary military service, etc.), your insurance period can be extended by this period beyond your 25th birthday, but by a maximum of 12 months.

Private health insurance
If one of your parents is privately insured and has a higher income (monthly more than 1/12 of the annual income limit and higher than the total income of the other parent), you can be exempted from compulsory insurance within the first three months of your studies in order to take out private insurance. This can be particularly interesting if one of your parents is a civil servant and entitled to benefits, as you can then also benefit from the benefits (however, only as long as you receive child benefit, i.e. usually up to 25). However, this exemption is valid for the entire duration of your studies and possibly even beyond! This means that you will have to take out private insurance for the duration of the exemption (even if you drop out of the allowance at 25). At the moment, the only time you can cancel this exemption is between your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees – but only as long as you are not enrolled for more than one month. The decision to be exempted should therefore be considered very carefully. If you decide against private health insurance, you will have to insure yourself.

Student health insurance
If you can no longer be insured through your family, but are still subject to compulsory insurance, you will be covered by student health insurance until you reach the age of 30 (since 2020, regardless of the number of semesters). The contribution is the same for all statutory health insurance funds and is calculated according to the BAföG maximum rate. It is currently €76.85 per month. On top of this comes the additional contribution, which can be set individually by each health insurance fund (in some cases, it depends on your income). You also have to pay the nursing care insurance contribution, which is currently 22.94 € or 25.57 € (for childless persons over 23) per month. If you receive BAföG at the same time, you will receive a health and long-term care insurance supplement of 109 €.

Voluntary insurance
If you can’t be insured as a student (any more), e.g. because you are over 30, you can take out voluntary health insurance. The contribution is based on your income. If you are also receiving BAföG, you can receive up to €84 (under 30) or €155 (over 30) per month as a subsidy. For more details, please contact your health insurance provider. You can also find detailed information here.

BROADCASTING FEE

New in Göttingen and forgot to register for the broadcasting fee in all the moving chaos? Don’t worry – here’s everything you need to know!

What is the broadcasting fee?
The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) funds public broadcasting services in Germany, including ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio. It ensures that radio, television, and online content are available to everyone.

How much is the broadcasting fee?
The monthly broadcasting fee is €18.36. If you prefer to pay less often, you can choose to pay €55.08 every three months, €110.16 every six months, or €220.32 annually.

Who needs to pay?
In every apartment, whether it’s a shared flat or a single household, one person must be registered to pay the fee. In shared flats, you can split the cost among yourselves, but officially, one person takes responsibility for the full amount. If this person moves out, another roommate must take over the registration.

If you receive BAföG, you can apply for an exemption from the broadcasting fee. However, this exemption only applies to you and not to your roommates. The entire household is only exempt if everyone in the flat receives BAföG or similar social benefits. An important exception: If you have a spouse or registered partner living with you, they are also covered by your exemption.

There are a few more reasons for being exempted from having to pay the fee. You can find the application here and official information in English here.

What if I’m studying abroad?
If you’re studying abroad for a semester and your apartment in Göttingen is empty while you’re away, you can pause your broadcasting fee payments. You’ll need to provide proof that the apartment is vacant or fully sublet. If your roommates are still living in the flat, they will need to continue paying the fee.

What should I do if I move?
If you’re moving within Göttingen or to another city, make sure to notify the broadcasting service of your new address. Your personal account number will stay the same and “move” with you. If you move into a flat where the fee is already being paid (for example, by a roommate), you can cancel your old account.

How can I pay?
You have several convenient payment options:

  • Direct debit: The easiest and safest way to ensure you never miss a payment.
  • Bank transfer: You can manually transfer the fee, either monthly or in larger installments (e.g., quarterly or annually).
  • Online management: You can manage your payment options and account easily online on the broadcasting service’s website.

Helpful links:

Note: We make every effort to ensure that the information is always up to date, complete and correct. Nevertheless, in case of doubt, the information cannot replace advice from the respective contact person.