Health insurance for part-time students with a child in Germany depends on three things: your enrolment at a university, how many hours you work, and your child’s age. This guide explains the rules that apply in 2026 and works through the contributions using figures from the GKV-Spitzenverband, the umbrella body of statutory health insurers. It does not replace advice from your health insurer.
Short answer: If you are enrolled at a university and are under 30, you are compulsorily insured as a student under the statutory student scheme (studentische Krankenversicherung, KVdS), unless another insurance takes priority (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 and para. 7 SGB V). For 2026 the contribution assessment base is 855 euros a month, and the total for health and long-term care insurance is about 143 euros a month. A child can be covered by your family insurance (§ 10 SGB V). Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- Part-time students are insured under § 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V as long as they are enrolled and under the age limit.
- Working more than 20 hours a week during lecture periods usually takes you out of the low-cost student scheme.
- With an assessment base of 855 euros and an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, the total is about 143 euros a month (assumption, see the worked example).
- A child up to 18 is covered by family insurance without further conditions, and up to 25 under certain conditions (§ 10 para. 2 SGB V).
- Family insurance has an income limit of 565 euros a month for 2026.
- If you have a child, the childless surcharge in long-term care insurance does not apply.
When are you insured as a part-time student?
The student insurance rule applies to people enrolled at a state or recognised university. The law does not set a rule on how much you study. Ask your university’s student administration how part-time students are enrolled.
Other cover takes priority. If you are already compulsorily insured, for example through employment with pay, or covered by family insurance, the student scheme does not apply (§ 5 para. 7 SGB V). The age limit is the completion of your 30th year of life (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V).
How does paid work affect your cover?
Many parents studying part-time also work. The hours limit is the decisive factor. According to the Verbraucherzentrale NRW (the consumer advice centre of North Rhine-Westphalia), you leave the low-cost student compulsory insurance if you work more than 20 hours a week during lecture periods. A voluntary insurance with an income-based contribution remains possible. Work in the evening, at night or at weekends may be permitted above 20 hours if your studies take priority. Different rules apply in the semester break.
Several jobs are added together. If your working hours change, it is worth asking your health insurer before you sign a new contract.
What does the insurance cost with a child? A worked example
For students who do not live with their parents, the contribution assessment base is 855 euros a month. This figure follows the BAföG needs rate (§ 236 SGB V, as of 1 January 2026). The contribution is 7/10 of the general rate of 14.6 percent (§ 245 SGB V), plus the additional contribution that your health insurer sets.
| Component | Rate | Amount per month | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health insurance without additional contribution | 10.22 percent | 87.38 euros | As of 1 January 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband |
| Additional contribution | 2.9 percent (average) | 24.80 euros | Assumption, your insurer’s rate may differ |
| Long-term care insurance with a child | 3.6 percent | 30.78 euros | As of 1 January 2026, no childless surcharge |
| Total | 142.96 euros | Assumption: average additional contribution |
Worked example. Assumption: you do not live with your parents, your additional contribution equals the average of 2.9 percent, and your child is covered by family insurance, so the child pays no separate contribution. In that case you pay 142.96 euros a month for health and long-term care insurance. The calculation contains no taxes and no one-off payments.
If your own additional contribution differs from the average, the total changes accordingly. Your health insurer can give you the exact amount.
How is your child insured?
In statutory health insurance, children are covered through family insurance by a member. The member reports the child and any later changes to the insurer (§ 10 para. 6 SGB V). The age limits are set out in the law and are summarised here:
| Age of the child | Condition | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 18 | No further condition | § 10 para. 2 no. 1 SGB V |
| Up to 23 | Only if the child is not in paid work | § 10 para. 2 no. 2 SGB V |
| Up to 25 | In school or vocational training, including studies, up to age 25 | § 10 para. 2 no. 3 SGB V |
In addition, the child’s total income may not exceed 565 euros a month in 2026. This amount is one seventh of the monthly reference income (§ 10 para. 1 SGB V, as of 1 January 2026).
The other parent’s income also counts. If the child’s spouse or registered partner is not a member of a statutory health insurer, earns more than one twelfth of the annual earnings threshold, and earns more than you, the child is not covered by family insurance (§ 10 para. 3 SGB V). One twelfth of the threshold is 6,450 euros a month in 2026.
Child benefit and BAföG: which benefits apply?
Child benefit (Kindergeld) is 259 euros per child per month in 2026 (§ 66 EStG, as of 1 January 2026). For a first training or first degree, it is paid until the child turns 25. A mini-job does not affect this. You apply to the Familienkasse, the family benefits office of the Federal Employment Agency. More on eligibility and special cases is in the guide on child benefit for students (in German).
If you receive BAföG (state student financial aid), you may get a childcare supplement of 160 euros per month for each child under 14 (in force since 1 August 2022). Whether part-time study qualifies for BAföG is decided case by case by the responsible BAföG office (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung).
When is a personal check worthwhile?
If you have several sources of income, a partner with separate insurance, or a child close to one of the age limits, it is worth getting a written statement from your health insurer. For a personal assessment of your situation you can also contact Academycon: https://academycon.de/so-arbeiten-wir/ (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay a separate contribution for my child?
Usually not, if the child is covered by family insurance. The conditions in § 10 SGB V must be met, in particular the age limit and the income limit. Then the child pays no separate contribution.
Does the childless surcharge apply to me as a parent?
No. The surcharge of 0.6 contribution-rate points applies to members without children from the month after they turn 23. Students with a child pay the standard rate of 3.6 percent, which is 30.78 euros a month on an assessment base of 855 euros (GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 1 January 2026).
What changes when the child turns 18?
From the age of 18, the conditions in § 10 para. 2 no. 2 and 3 SGB V also apply. A child up to 23 is covered only if not in paid work. Up to 25, training is the condition.
Do I have to report changes to my health insurer?
Yes. As a member, you report family insureds and changes to the insurer (§ 10 para. 6 SGB V). If your status changes, for example through work of more than 20 hours a week or through de-registration from university, clarify the consequences with your health insurer.
Is there a subsidy towards health insurance?
If you receive BAföG and are 25 to 29 years old, you get a supplement for health and long-term care insurance. For this age group it was 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance per month (BAföG needs rates, as of 1 August 2024, Studierendenwerke). Check the current amounts with the responsible office.
What to do now
- Check your status: enrolled, under 30, not covered by family insurance, and not compulsorily insured through employment.
- Register your child with your health insurer and provide evidence of age and income (§ 10 para. 6 SGB V).
- Calculate your contribution with your insurer’s additional rate and compare it with the worked example.
- Apply for child benefit at the Familienkasse and clarify with the BAföG office whether you can receive BAföG.
- If questions remain, ask your health insurer for a written statement before you plan a new job or a change of course.
Related guides
- Student Family Insurance 2026: Income Limits and Age
- Studying with a child: money, benefits and insurance
- Child Benefit First Training: Age Limit and Work Rules
- Part-Time Study: Requirements, Costs and Health Insurance
- Student Health Insurance Costs by Age in Germany
Sources: Social Code Book V, § 5 (accessed October 2026, in German); Social Code Book V, § 10 (accessed October 2026, in German); Social Code Book V, § 236 (accessed October 2026, in German); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables for contribution law 2026 (as of 1 January 2026, in German); Income Tax Act, § 66 (child benefit 2026, in German); Verbraucherzentrale NRW, student health insurance (as of 5 November 2024, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
