Student health insurance in Germany 2026

As a student, public health insurance (German: GKV) costs around 146 euros a month in 2026. The student rate runs until the end of the semester in which you turn 30. If you are under 25 and earn little, you often stay covered for free through your parents’ family insurance. Private health insurance (PKV) only pays off in rare cases.

You need your own health insurance to enrol, there is no way around it. It sounds complicated, but it is not. We walk through the costs, the age limits and the public-vs-private question, with figures from official sources and a separate part for international students.

How much does student health insurance cost in 2026?

Student health insurance in the public system costs around 146 euros a month in 2026. The rate is almost the same nationwide, because it is based on the maximum BAföG student-grant figure, not on your income. The only difference between insurers is the supplementary contribution, worth a few euros.

Figures rounded, depending on your insurer’s supplementary contribution. Sources below. For the actual sign-up steps, see the guide on enrolling in student health insurance.

Family insurance: free until 25

Family insurance (German: Familienversicherung) is the biggest way to save during your studies. It keeps you covered for free under your parents’ insurer, as long as two conditions hold: you are under 25 and your income stays below the limit.

• Age limit: until your 25th birthday. Military or voluntary service extends it by the length of the service, up to twelve months.
• Income limit 2026: 565 euros a month. If you earn money in a Minijob, the higher limit of 603 euros applies.

Good to know: the two limits count separately. The 603 euros apply only to Minijob income; for other income the 565-euro limit stays. If you have both, do the maths carefully.

At 25 or over 30: the student rate

When you drop out of family insurance, because you turn 25 or earn too much, you move into your own public student rate, the so-called Krankenversicherung der Studenten (KVdS). It costs the roughly 146 euros from the first section.

This rate runs until the end of the semester in which you turn 30. The former 14-semester limit was abolished in 2020, so only your age counts now. If you keep studying after that, special cases like a second course of study or raising children let you stay in the cheaper rate longer. After that the normal voluntary public contribution applies, which is clearly higher.

Public or private health insurance as a student?

For most students, the public system is the right choice. Private health insurance (PKV) can be cheaper if you are healthy and family insurance no longer applies, with rates starting from about 80 euros a month.

Want to compare rates? Here you can check public and private offers for your situation, free and with no obligation. For a pure comparison of private student rates, see the guide on private health insurance for students.

International students: EHIC and agreements

Without proof of health insurance you cannot get through enrolment. What you need depends on where you come from.

• EU and EEA: you usually use your EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card). Check that the cover lasts your whole stay.
• Country with a social-security agreement: if you come from Türkiye, for example, your home insurance plus an entitlement certificate often suffices. You do not necessarily have to sign up with a German insurer.
• Country without an agreement: you need German health insurance, usually the public student rate. Only then can you enrol.

New to Germany and want an overview of every mandatory policy? See the insurance guide for newcomers. You do not need a Schufa (Germany’s credit score) for health insurance; that only matters for some other contracts.

What other insurance students need

Health insurance is mandatory. One thing you still should not put off:

• Personal liability insurance (from about 3 euros/month): covers damage you accidentally cause to others, often with several million euros of cover. During your first course of study you are co-insured under your parents’ policy up to around 25, depending on the contract. Ask first. Here is the liability insurance comparison.
• Household insurance: worth it if you own expensive items like a laptop or bike. See the household insurance comparison.
• Often not needed: your own accident or income-protection policy is usually optional during studies. Decide based on your situation.

For an overview of every type, see the insurance comparison.

Key terms (DE / EN / TR)

Frequently asked questions

Related comparisons and guides

Sources and methodology

Every figure on this page comes from official data sources. We name them openly so you can check them yourself.

• Section 10 SGB V and Section 5 SGB V: family insurance, age limit 25, student rate until 30.
• GKV-Spitzenverband and AOK cost overview: student rate around 146 euros, income limits 565 / 603 euros 2026.
• Verbraucherzentrale and Deutsches Studierendenwerk: PKV exemption, EHIC and social-security agreements.

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Last updated: June 2026. All information without guarantee. Contributions and limits can change.