Short answer: Maternity benefit (Mutterschaftsgeld) is paid by the statutory health insurer and is linked to employment. The University of Kassel names these cases for students: an employment contract, a mini-job without sick-pay entitlement, or a student job (status: March 2022). The health insurer pays at most 13 euros per calendar day (section 24i(2) SGB V). Without employment, clarify your entitlement with your health insurer and your university.
Maternity benefit for students is a topic many people only look into when it becomes relevant. The type of work you do decides whether money is paid and how much. This guide explains the rules, shows a worked example and lists what to clarify in advance with your health insurer and your university.
The key points in brief
- The statutory health insurer pays maternity benefit. If the employment continues, the employer can pay the difference to your net income as a supplement.
- The health insurer pays at most 13 euros per calendar day (section 24i(2) SGB V). Your insurer confirms the calculation in your individual case.
- Maternity protection applies to students only under certain conditions set by § 1 para. 2 no. 8 of the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG).
- Without employment, the entitlement is not regulated in the source, so clarify it early with your insurer.
- Maternity benefit and parental allowance (Elterngeld) are two separate benefits with separate applications.
What is maternity benefit and who receives it?
Maternity benefit is meant to offset lost income around the time of birth. It is paid through the statutory health insurance and is linked to paid work. For students, the situation is not uniform, because study and employment often run side by side. The University of Kassel describes the main cases in its information on maternity protection for students (status March 2022).
The legal basis for maternity protection is the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG). For students, § 1 para. 2 no. 8 MuSchG sets the scope. Under this rule, maternity protection applies to students if the training place requires fixed times, places and the course of the training, or if a compulsory internship is part of the degree. Your university decides whether this applies to your course.
Which types of work trigger an entitlement?
According to the University of Kassel (status March 2022), students with an employment contract are entitled, regardless of marital status or nationality. The source also names students with a mini-job without sick-pay entitlement and students with a student job. The table sorts these cases.
| Situation | Entitlement according to the source | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Employment contract | yes | If the employment continues, the employer pays the difference to your net income |
| Mini-job without sick-pay entitlement | yes | Clarify the details with your health insurer |
| Student job | yes | Same check as for an employment contract |
| No employment | not regulated in the source | Ask your health insurer and university in writing |
How high is maternity benefit?
Maternity benefit from the health insurer is at most 13 euros per calendar day (section 24i(2) SGB V, applicable law). The amount also depends on your average net income in the three months before the protection period begins. If your net income is higher, the employer pays the difference as a supplement, provided the employment continues.
Worked example with an assumption
Assumption: your average net income is 900 euros per month, which is about 30 euros per day. The health insurer pays at most 13 euros per day. The remaining 17 euros per day is the amount the employer can pay as a supplement while the employment continues. The health insurer makes the exact calculation.
For the application you usually need proof of your employment, such as the contract or confirmation of the student job, and the payslips for the three months before the protection period begins. Collect these documents early, so the amount can be clarified without time pressure.
What applies if you have no employment?
In that case, an entitlement to maternity benefit from the health insurer is not automatic. The University of Kassel source does not address this case explicitly. Ask your health insurer in writing which benefits you are entitled to during maternity. Get advice from your university as well, and keep a record of every answer.
The general overview of the Federal Social Insurance Office (Bundesamt für Soziale Sicherung) on maternity benefit helps you understand the terms. For your personal situation, however, it does not replace the answer from your health insurer.
Maternity protection at the university
The university shares responsibility for maternity protection for students where the training falls under the MuSchG. In practice, contact the family office or the responsible maternity protection office early. There you receive information on exam dates, compensation for disadvantages (Nachteilsausgleich) and course sessions that fall into the protection period.
Reporting early lets you plan exams and sessions in time. The university decides, within its examination regulations, how dates can be moved or made up. The guide Parental Allowance for Students: Minimum Amount, Application and BAföG covers the parental allowance side. For the German overview of benefits during pregnancy, see Schwanger im Studium: Leistungen und Beträge 2026 (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I get maternity benefit if I only study?
This cannot be answered in general terms. According to the source, the entitlement is linked to employment, and for students without employment the situation is not regulated. Clarify the entitlement in writing with your health insurer and ask your university as well.
Does maternity protection apply to students at all?
Yes, under conditions. Under § 1 para. 2 no. 8 MuSchG, maternity protection covers students if the training prescribes fixed times, places and the course of the training, or if a compulsory internship applies. The university checks the individual case.
How much is maternity benefit?
The health insurer pays at most 13 euros per calendar day (section 24i(2) SGB V). In addition, the employer can pay a supplement if the employment continues. The exact amount depends on your net income.
Do I have to interrupt my studies?
The university decides this within its examination regulations and the maternity protection rules. Ask the family office or the examination office early. Written information helps you if you have to assert claims later.
Is maternity benefit the same as parental allowance?
No. Maternity benefit is paid around the birth through the health insurer. Parental allowance follows the birth and is applied for at the parental allowance office. Both benefits have their own conditions and deadlines.
What to do now
- Report your pregnancy early to the family office or the examination office responsible at your university.
- Ask your health insurer in writing whether maternity benefit is possible for your situation and in what amount.
- Check whether you have an employment contract or a student job, and clarify the employer supplement.
- Agree with the university how exams and sessions are handled during the protection period.
- Apply for parental allowance after the birth at the responsible parental allowance office.
Related guides
- Parental Allowance for Students: Minimum Amount, Application and BAföG
- Studying with a child: money, benefits and insurance
- Child Benefit First Training: Age Limit and Work Rules
- Studying with a Child: Supplements and Benefits in Germany
Sources: University of Kassel, information on maternity protection for students (status March 2022); MuSchG 2018, § 1 para. 2 no. 8 (gesetze-im-internet.de); section 24i SGB V, maternity benefit (gesetze-im-internet.de, applicable law) ; Federal Social Insurance Office, overview of maternity benefit (accessed October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
