Online-Enrollment
Health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany and must usually be proven when applying for a visa.
It is mandatory for students to upload proof of health insurance upon enrollment. In any case, you must contact a German statutory health insurance company once to do this. This insurance company then sends an electronic report to the HfM Saar and informs them whether you are legally insured or not.
For entry into Germany, travel health insurance that covers the period of travel is recommended.
Once you have arrived in Germany, however, you must take out valid health insurance for your stay. If you come from an EU country, you should clarify whether you can continue to use the insurance you have in your home country for your stay in Germany. If this is not the case or you come from a country outside the EU, you should take out health insurance in good time. Most German health insurance companies allow you to apply from abroad.
On the website of the GKV umbrella association you will find a list of all German statutory health insurance companies, many of which are also available in Saarland.
Spouses and children who travel to Germany with you can be covered by statutory health insurance free of charge.
List of health insurance companies for download (PDF, external link)
EU citizens
If you come from a member state of the European Union and have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a replacement certificate from your health insurance company, you do not need to take out additional German insurance, as this card is valid for medical care throughout the EU. In this case, please send proof of the EHIC to the German statutory insurance company so that they can send the electronic notification to the Hochschule.
Students from outside the EU
Students from countries outside the EU must take out insurance with a health insurance company in Germany at the student rate. If you are over 30 years old, please contact the statutory health insurance companies to find out whether you can still be included in their insurance. If statutory health insurance is not possible (e.g. due to age), you can check the possibility of private insurance.
Notes on private health insurance
Please note that private health insurance may have restrictions. Please always read the tariffs offered in detail and check whether there are any pre-existing conditions that are not covered. Private health insurance often has waiting periods and the tariffs are staggered according to age.
In many cases it may be necessary to take out private insurance (participation in preparatory studies, students older than 30, etc.). However, we advise against taking out private insurance exclusively because it seems cheaper. If possible, we always recommend joining the German statutory health insurance!
Deutschlandsemesterticket
The student parliament of the HfM Saar, as well as the parliaments of all other universities in Saarland, have approved the introduction of the Germany semester ticket from the winter semester of 2024/25. Once you enroll, all students will now receive the Germany Semester Ticket at a price of 60% of the regular price.
At its special meeting on September 23, 2024, the Conference of Transport Ministers decided to increase the price of the DE ticket by EUR 9.00 to EUR 58.00 per month as of January 1, 2025.
From the winter semester 2025/26, the DE semester ticket for students will cost 34.80 euros per month or 208.80 euros per semester instead of 29.40 euros.
The basic principle of solidarity is very important within the student body. Regardless of their own use, all students pay the same amount and are entitled to all services at the same time. Only under these conditions is it possible for a Germany ticket to be offered at prices that students can finance.
The semester ticket is being replaced by a nationwide Deutschlandticket for students
The Germany semester ticket can be purchased immediately after successful enrollment or re-registration and is valid from October 1st. It is the successor to the previous “top-up model for students”.
From now on, the semester ticket is only available as a digital ticket for the cell phone; the ticket is no longer printed on the student ID card.
Like the previous semester ticket, the Germany semester ticket is also issued in a solidarity model. This means that all enrolled students are obliged to purchase the Germany Semester Ticket, the price of which is set at 60% of the cost of the Germany Ticket. You pay automatically when you enroll or re-register with a portion of your semester fee.
FAQs Deutschlandsemesterticket
How do I get the semester ticket?
The semester ticket is provided as a digital ticket on your mobile phone. Unlike the previous semester ticket, the student ID card is no longer valid as a ticket. After successful enrollment/re-registration and payment of the fees, the ticket can be obtained via the portal of the Saarländischer Verkehrsverbund (saarVV). If your ticket is checked, you must show the digital Deutschlandsemesterticket together with a valid identity card.
During which period is the semester ticket valid?
The validity period covers the entire duration of the respective semester, i.e. for a winter semester from October 1st to March 31st, and for a summer semester from April 1st to September 30th.
Where is the semester ticket valid?
The DE semester ticket is valid nationwide on all local buses and trains, as well as on the Saarbahn to Sarreguemines (F), on the Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe buses to Carling (F), on the KVS buses to Creutzwald (F) and on the RGTR buses from Saarlouis, Dillingen, Merzig, Losheim am See, Mettlach and Perl to Luxembourg. The D-Ticket is not valid on the CFL bus line L40 (Saarbrücken - Luxembourg), but here the student ID cards from the Saarland universities are recognized as a valid ticket.
Can I use my certificate of enrollment as a semester ticket?
No. Enrollment certificates are not accepted as a replacement for the semester ticket; only the properly issued e-ticket is accepted. Screenshots or printouts of the QR code are also not permitted.
Why do I still need my student ID card?
The student ID card is still of great importance and must therefore, as before, be validated every semester after re-registration. The card will then receive a valid semester imprint, but from October 1, 2024, it will no longer have a saarVV imprint. It can then no longer be used as a ticket.
What happens if I am exmatriculated?
Only enrolled students are entitled to use the Deutschlandsemesterticket. If you are exmatriculated, the ticket is no longer valid from the time of exmatriculation, even if the semester has not yet ended.
What options for exemption or reimbursement are there?
The previous regulations on exemption/reimbursement remain essentially the same. What is new is that enrolled doctoral students and enrolled students in a further training program now have the opportunity to apply for reimbursement.
I'm currently using the upgrade model. Do I need to cancel it?
The upgrade model expires automatically with the new Deutschlandsemesterticket. Based on our current knowledge, we assume that no separate cancellation is required.
More questions?
Please contact: saarVV Call- & Abo-Center.
