If you receive a doctoral scholarship (Promotionsstipendium) in Germany, you have to arrange your health insurance yourself, because a scholarship is not an employment relationship. The question “who pays what?” is therefore answered by the insurance rules and by the funding conditions of the scholarship provider, not by an employer. This guide explains the routes, the contributions with their status date, and the points to clarify before you accept a scholarship.
Short answer: With a doctoral scholarship, you usually pay for your health insurance yourself. An employer does not contribute, because you are not employed. According to TU Dresden, scholarship holders are not treated as employees and usually have to insure themselves. Voluntary statutory health insurance costs at least 222.80 euros per month in 2026 (status: 01.01.2026).
The most important points at a glance
- A scholarship is not an employment relationship, so no employer pays a share of your contributions.
- According to TU Dresden, scholarship holders are not treated as employees and must usually insure themselves.
- According to the University of Göttingen, a scholarship usually includes no health or social insurance. The exception is the DAAD, which includes a combined insurance.
- Voluntary insurance has a minimum contribution. For health and long-term care insurance, the calculated amount in 2026 is 270.26 euros per month without the childless surcharge.
- If you want to be covered as a family member, you must stay within the income limit, which is 565 euros per month in 2026.
Why a scholarship is treated differently from a position
In a position (Stelle), you are an employee. The statutory insurance obligation then applies through the employment relationship, and the employer pays half of the contributions. A scholarship has no employment relationship. Insurance is therefore your own task, which you clarify with your health insurer (Krankenkasse). TU Dresden describes exactly this situation: scholarship holders are subject to the insurance obligation under German social insurance law, but usually have to insure themselves. The page was last changed on 17.07.2026, according to its own note.
For the difference to a position, the guide Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany compares all funding routes side by side.
Which routes are possible with a scholarship
TU Dresden lists four insurance routes for scholarship holders. Which one fits you depends on your personal situation and on the conditions that the health insurer checks in each case.
- Student health insurance (Krankenversicherung der Studierenden), if its conditions are met
- Voluntary insurance in the statutory health insurance (freiwillige Versicherung)
- Compulsory insurance, if another rule applies
- Family insurance (Familienversicherung), if you stay within the income limit
Whether you can stay in student health insurance as a doctoral candidate, the University of Mannheim answers clearly on its website: according to that page, doctoral candidates have no access to the cheaper student tariff of the statutory insurance. It gives a ruling of the Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht) as the reason. The page carries no date, so check the statement with your health insurer before you decide.
What voluntary insurance costs
With voluntary insurance, you pay the full contribution yourself. The minimum contribution depends on a minimum assessment base (Mindestbemessungsgrundlage), which is 1,318.33 euros per month in 2026. For health insurance, the reduced rate of 14.0 percent applies to members without a claim to sick pay. The insurer’s additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag) is added.
| Component | Calculation | Amount per month |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | 1,318.33 euros times (14.0 plus 2.9) percent | 222.80 euros |
| Long-term care insurance without childless surcharge | 1,318.33 euros times 3.6 percent | 47.46 euros |
| Total without childless surcharge | Health insurance plus long-term care insurance | 270.26 euros |
The figures apply to 2026 (status: 01.01.2026) and use the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent. Your own additional contribution may differ. From the age of 23, people without children also pay the childless surcharge of 0.6 contribution points in long-term care insurance.
Worked example: monthly budget with voluntary insurance
Assumption: A doctoral scholarship is 1,750 euros per month. The person is 22 years old, has no children and is voluntarily insured. The rent is 600 euros.
- Scholarship: 1,750 euros
- Contributions for health and long-term care insurance: 270.26 euros
- Rent (assumption): 600 euros
- Remaining for all other costs: 879.74 euros
The example shows how much insurance and rent weigh on the budget. Whether the scholarship counts toward the minimum contribution is for your health insurer to decide. The total is therefore only a guide.
Family insurance and a scholarship
Family members who are insured through a relative may not exceed a total income of 565 euros per month in 2026 (status: 01.01.2026, section 10 of the Social Code Book V). The limit applies to spouses, registered partners and children. Whether a scholarship counts toward this total income is checked by your health insurer in each case. Do not rely on family insurance before this has been clarified.
What the DAAD and other providers offer
The University of Göttingen names one special case in its overview of doctoral funding. For DAAD scholarships, the page says, a combined health, accident and private liability insurance exists. For other providers, insurance is possible under conditions. These statements have no date on the page. The funding conditions of each provider remain the binding basis.
Before you accept an offer, clarify three questions: Does the scholarship include insurance, does the provider contribute to the contributions, and how does the scholarship affect family insurance? The answers are in the funding conditions or in the provider’s information.
Frequently asked questions
Does the foundation pay my health insurance?
That depends on the provider. According to the University of Göttingen, scholarships usually include no insurance, except for DAAD scholarships. Whether another provider pays or subsidises contributions is set out in its funding conditions.
Can I stay in statutory insurance with a scholarship?
Yes, if you meet the conditions of one of the four routes. Voluntary insurance is one of these options. Your health insurer checks which route applies to you in each case.
Do I need private health insurance?
Not necessarily. Private insurance is an alternative with its own tariffs and contributions. If you consider it, compare benefits and contributions. The German guide PKV oder GKV als Student: Was lohnt sich mehr? (in German) explains the comparison.
What happens if I do not pay my contributions?
If you are not insured, you risk unpaid contributions and gaps in your health insurance cover. Your health insurer explains the details. Ask for the consequences in writing before you decide.
What to do now
- Read the funding conditions of the scholarship provider and check specifically whether insurance is included.
- Ask your health insurer for the route that fits your situation, and get the answer in writing.
- Include the contributions for health and long-term care insurance in your monthly budget.
- Check the income limit for family insurance before you rely on it.
Related reading
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- Scholarships for students: types, providers, requirements
- Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance
- Krankenversicherung als Doktorand: GKV, PKV oder Familienversicherung? (in German)
- Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z
Sources: TU Dresden, Finance and insurance for doctoral candidates (status: 17.07.2026); University of Göttingen, funding options for a doctorate (no date given); GKV-Spitzenverband, social insurance reference values 2026 (status: 01.01.2026); section 10 SGB V.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
