Lateral entry into teaching (Seiteneinstieg ins Lehramt) means that you bring a degree that is not a teaching degree, teach in a shortage subject and train part-time for the teaching qualification. Whether you become an employee or a civil servant is decided by state law. This guide explains the basics using Rheinland-Pfalz as an example and shows which insurance questions follow from that.
Short answer: In Rheinland-Pfalz you work as a salaried teacher during lateral entry. The pedagogical add-on training comprises 40 training units and usually lasts 24 months. As an employee you are compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance. Becoming a civil servant is the usual next step there (as of September 2025, Bildungsministerium Rheinland-Pfalz).
The essentials in brief
- In Rheinland-Pfalz, lateral entry requires a non-teaching master’s degree in an advertised shortage subject.
- The pedagogical add-on training there comprises 40 training units at the teacher training seminar.
- Lateral entry usually leads to employment, not to a probationary civil servant appointment.
- Salaried teachers are paid under the collective agreement for the federal states (TV-L). In the Rheinland-Pfalz example the usual grade is E 12.
- As long as you are an employee, you are compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance (section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V).
- Civil service appointment ends compulsory insurance and brings Beihilfe plus private or voluntary cover (section 6(1) no. 2 SGB V).
How does lateral entry differ from the other route into teaching?
Both routes open the school system to people with a degree from another subject. They differ in status and training. In the other route (Quereinstieg) the training runs as a probationary civil servant, in lateral entry you work as a salaried teacher from the start. The table compares the features for Rheinland-Pfalz.
| Feature | Other route (Quereinstieg) | Lateral entry (Seiteneinstieg) |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | Non-teaching master’s degree with a strong link to a needed subject and a partial link to a second subject | Non-teaching master’s degree in a shortage subject advertised regionally or by school, with a strong link to a needed subject and a partial link to a second subject |
| Admission | Preparatory service | Pedagogical add-on training |
| Duration | Usually 24 months | Usually 24 months |
| Status | Probationary civil servant | Salaried teacher |
| Training units at the seminar | 100 | 40 |
| Final qualification | Second state examination | Pedagogical examination |
| Usual outcome | Application for permanent posts | Usually staying at the school and becoming a civil servant |
Source: Bildungsministerium Rheinland-Pfalz, special measures for the other route and lateral entry at a glance (as of September 2025). For fine arts and music, lateral entry does not require a second subject for grammar schools and Realschule plus.
Which requirements do you need to meet?
In lateral entry the first criterion is your degree. Rheinland-Pfalz requires a non-teaching master’s degree in a shortage subject advertised regionally or by school. It must have a strong link to a needed subject and a partial link to a second subject. Whether your subject counts as a shortage subject in the year you apply is decided by the current advertisement.
Before you apply, read the wording of the advertisement and not an older list. Ask yourself three questions: does your degree fall into an advertised shortage subject, does it match the needed subject, and is there a partial link to a second subject? If one of these answers is no, lateral entry is probably not the right route for you.
How are you paid during lateral entry?
As an employee you are paid under the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states (TV-L). In the Rheinland-Pfalz example the ministry usually names pay grade E 12. Your step within the grade is set out in your employment contract.
This guide therefore does not state a fixed sum. Amounts change with each collective bargaining round and depend on your step and grading. The pay table of the TV-L and the figure in your contract are the binding basis.
How are you insured during lateral entry?
As long as you are an employee, you are compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance under section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V. Your employer pays half of the contribution and you pay the other half. The calculation is explained in detail in Referendariat ohne Verbeamtung.
Becoming a civil servant changes that. Civil servants with a right to Beihilfe are exempt from insurance under section 6(1) no. 2 SGB V. Beihilfe then covers part of the costs. The rest is usually covered by private health insurance or by voluntary membership of the statutory insurance, which depends on pre-insurance periods (section 9(1) no. 1 SGB V).
What happens with the civil service appointment after lateral entry?
In the Rheinland-Pfalz example, the civil service appointment is the usual outcome, but it is not automatic. It depends among other things on fitness for service and on a successful training. Which conditions apply in an individual case is set out in the state civil service act.
Ask early at your training seminar or the responsible school supervisory authority about the procedure. Once you have a written confirmation of the appointment, you can plan your health insurance more reliably.
Frequently asked questions
Is lateral entry regulated the same way in every federal state?
No. Admission routes, training length and status differ by state. The Rheinland-Pfalz example shows how it can work, but it does not replace checking the rules in your own state. The advertisement and the responsible state education ministry are your reference points.
Do I get Beihilfe during lateral entry?
Not as an employee. Beihilfe is for civil servants, not for employees. While you are employed, your health insurance follows the rules for statutory health insurance described above.
How do I find a post in lateral entry?
Posts are advertised regionally or by school. The advertisement names the subject, the school type and the admission requirements. Check whether your subject counts as a shortage subject in the year of the advertisement and apply in time.
What changes for my pension?
Employees are generally insured in the statutory pension scheme. Civil servants build up their pension under the civil service pension rules. How this affects you depends on your career path, so it helps to know the differences early.
So what should you do now?
- Check whether your degree counts as an advertised shortage subject.
- Read the advertisement carefully: status, pay under the TV-L and length of the training.
- Clarify your health insurance before you sign the contract.
- Ask how and when a civil service appointment is possible and which conditions apply.
- Stay in touch with the training seminar so that admission and examination run on schedule.
Related reading
- Teacher training insurance: from studies to traineeship
- Trainee Teachers in Statutory Health Insurance: How Voluntary Cover Works
- Trainee Teacher Salary in Germany by State
- Civil Servant Health Aid: Rates and How It Works
- Health Insurance After the Trainee Period: What Comes Next
Sources: Bildungsministerium Rheinland-Pfalz, special measures for the other route and lateral entry (as of September 2025, German), Section 5 SGB V (German), Section 6 SGB V (German), Section 9 SGB V (German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
