Studenten

How student health insurance works in Germany

Studying at a recognised German university automatically triggers one of three insurance paths:

• Family co-insurance under § 10 SGB V if a parent is in the GKV and the student qualifies (typically up to age 25, longer in some circumstances)

• Statutory student insurance (KVdS, Krankenversicherung der Studenten) at a flat student rate

• PKV via formal exemption from GKV

The rules apply regardless of nationality, an international student studying at a German university is in the same framework as a German student.

The KVdS: default statutory path

The KVdS is a specialised statutory tariff for enrolled students. Key features:

• Flat contribution based on the BAföG-Bedarfssatz as the assessment base, applied at 10.22 % (= 7/10 of the general 14.6 % rate), giving a base KV contribution of about €87.38/month since winter semester 2024/25, plus the chosen fund's Zusatzbeitrag

• TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) 2026 total: €146.29/month including Pflegeversicherung (long-term-care insurance), the most-used reference among students. Other funds sit within a few euros of this figure.

• Full standard GKV coverage, doctor visits, dental, hospital, medication

• Age limit: until the end of the 30th year of life

• Semester limit: 14 Fachsemester in the main course of study; Masterstudies after a Bachelor's can extend the period

At age 30 or semester 14, the KVdS path ends. From that moment the regular GKV voluntary contribution applies (income-based), or you move to PKV under the standard rules.

The PKV alternative, and its one-way door

A student can opt out of the GKV and join the PKV instead. The mechanics:

• Apply for a Befreiung von der Versicherungspflicht at a statutory Krankenkasse

• Deadline: within 3 months of enrollment (§ 8 Abs. 1 Nr. 5 SGB V)

• PKV contract needs to be signed in parallel, proof is required for the exemption

Once granted, the decision is binding for the entire duration of studies. You cannot switch back to the KVdS later. If your circumstances change, you lose income, the tariff becomes expensive, you want the free Familienversicherung, you are locked in until you leave the student system.

Why it matters: the cost trajectory

For a healthy young student without a chronic condition, PKV student tariffs are often priced below the KVdS rate of around €146/month. That attractive price tag is why many students choose PKV. A specific quote depends on age, health, and chosen tariff scope.

But the cost trajectory changes at graduation. The moment you are no longer a student:

• If you start an employed job above the JAEG: you can stay in PKV on a regular tariff, priced at the entry age from your original PKV contract (favourable) or at your current age for upgraded coverage (less favourable)

• If you start an employed job below the JAEG: you become GKV-compulsory and return to the statutory system at regular rates

• If you become self-employed: you choose freely, PKV at your current tariff, or voluntary GKV at self-employed rates

A common pattern: a student enters PKV at 23 on €100/month, loves it, graduates into a €70,000-a-year salary, and remains in PKV on what is now a normal full-cover tariff costing €400-500/month. At that point the entry age was locked in well, which is a good outcome. The trap is for a student who ends up earning below JAEG, the GKV return is mandatory, and any ageing provisions built during student years are mostly lost.

The Familienversicherung option: free, but age-limited

A student whose parent is in the GKV and meets the income rule (below €565/month in 2026) can often stay co-insured for free under § 10 SGB V. Age limits apply:

• Up to 18 generally

• Up to 23 if not working

• Up to 25 if in education or vocational training

Once eligibility expires, the student transitions to KVdS, voluntary GKV, or PKV under the regular rules.

Recommendations: briefly

• Healthy, young, and no family ambitions: PKV student tariff is often financially optimal and pleasant in use

• Likely to have children during studies or soon after: GKV is usually simpler and cheaper at the family level

• Uncertain about staying in Germany long-term: KVdS is the low-risk default, no lock-in, no commitment

• International student on a fixed-term programme: the Incoming-Versicherung for the first weeks, then whichever path matches your visa and duration