Psychotherapists in training (Psychotherapeutinnen und Psychotherapeuten in Ausbildung, PiA) often work in their practical training under conditions that have long been disputed. The reform of psychotherapy training was meant to change this. This guide shows what the page of the Federal Ministry of Health says about pay, which details that page lacks, and how to check the current status.
Short answer: The Bundestag adopted the reform of psychotherapy training on 26 September 2019. For trainees who are in training under the old law after 31 August 2020, section 27(4) of the Psychotherapists Act (PsychThG) provides for monthly pay of at least 1,000 euros on a full-time basis during the practical training, proportionately less part-time. According to the ministry page of 2019, health insurers are to refinance it. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- The ministry page is dated 27 September 2019 and describes the law on the reform of psychotherapy training.
- The Bundestag adopted the law on 26 September 2019. It requires the consent of the Bundesrat.
- For trainees in training under the old law after 31 August 2020, section 27(4) PsychThG prescribes a minimum pay of 1,000 euros per month on a full-time basis, proportionately less part-time.
- Health insurers are to refinance this minimum pay.
- The further training (PiW) has its own rule: a fixed share of the payments that health insurers make must be passed on to the supervising trainers.
- The ministry page carries the 2019 status, and the statutory text in section 27 PsychThG is more recent.
What does the reform of psychotherapy training regulate?
The law is known by the short title PsychThGAusbRefG. It fundamentally changes training to become a psychotherapist and provides for a new degree programme. The table reproduces the statements of the ministry page. The right-hand column shows how each statement is to be read.
| Area | Statement on the ministry page | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Law | law on the reform of psychotherapy training, adopted by the Bundestag on 26 September 2019 | date of the page: 27 September 2019 |
| Promulgation | planned for the second half of 2019, the page gives no date of entry into force | statement of the page |
| Degree programme | new degree programme from the winter semester 2020 | statement of the page |
| Pay for trainees | minimum pay of 1,000 euros per month, full-time, during practical training | applies to trainees under the previous system |
| Funding | health insurers are to refinance the minimum pay | statement of the page |
The table shows that the page is a snapshot from 2019. The current version of the Psychotherapists Act (section 27 PsychThG, retrieved 2 November 2026) confirms the minimum pay: anyone in training under the old law after 31 August 2020 receives at least 1,000 euros per month from the institution for full-time practical work. For your planning you also need the information of your chamber.
Who is a PiA, and who falls under the minimum pay?
PiA stands for psychotherapists in training. The page names the minimum pay for trainees who began their training under the previous system. For training in the new degree programme, the page names no comparable pay rule. Under section 27 PsychThG, training under the old law can in principle still be completed until 1 September 2032, and in hardship cases on application until 31 August 2035 at the latest. If you are unsure which system applies to you, clarify it with the responsible body before you sign any contract.
The distinction matters because it determines which amount is the starting point at all. If you are offered a training contract, check whether the pay is stated expressly and on which legal basis it rests.
How high is the pay, and what does full-time mean?
The minimum pay of 1,000 euros per month applies to full-time work under section 27(4) PsychThG. For part-time work it is reduced proportionately, and the act names no fixed amount for it. A worked example shows the annual sum. Assumption: you work twelve months full-time in practical training and receive exactly the stated minimum pay.
| Case | Amount according to the page | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, practical training, previous system | at least 1,000 euros per month | 12 months give 12,000 euros |
| Part-time | proportionate, no fixed amount in the act | see training contract and chamber |
Neither the page nor the statutory text says whether the figure is gross or net or how it is to be treated for tax and social insurance. Clarify this with your training employer and a tax adviser before you use the figures in your planning.
What applies to further training?
Alongside training there is further training to become a psychotherapist, in which trainees are called PiW. For them, the page provides a separate rule. A fixed share of the payments that health insurers make for outpatient treatment to the further training institutions must be passed on to the supervising trainers. According to the page, the same rule applies to PiA under the previous system.
If you work in a further training post, do not rely on the training pay alone. The passing on of the share is a separate point and should be stated clearly in the contract.
Why health insurance during training matters
During training, questions about health insurance arise that depend closely on whether you are an employee or a trainee. Our article on psychotherapy and private health insurance (in German) describes which benefits are typically covered. Your own insurance status depends on your contract and should be checked individually.
What remains open?
- How the minimum pay is calculated for part-time work in an individual case.
- How the states and chambers implement pay for training under the previous system.
- How pay is designed in the new degree programme, for which the page names no comparable rule.
- Whether the Federal Ministry of Health has planned further changes since 2019.
Frequently asked questions
Do I receive 1,000 euros per month as a PiA for certain?
Under section 27(4) PsychThG, trainees in training under the old law after 31 August 2020 are entitled to a minimum pay of 1,000 euros per month on a full-time basis for the practical work. Whether your contract states it, and in what form, you check in the contract and with your chamber.
Does the rule also apply to further training?
No, for further training the page names a different rule. It concerns the share of health insurance payments that must be passed on to the supervising trainers. The minimum pay for trainees in training must be kept separate from it.
Where can I find the current status?
The ministry page is dated 27 September 2019. You learn the current status from the Federal Ministry of Health and from the responsible state psychotherapy chamber, and you find the statutory text as section 27 PsychThG on gesetze-im-internet.de. Ask specifically about pay under the previous system and about the new degree programme.
What does this mean for my financial planning?
Count on the minimum pay only once your training post confirms it in writing. Also plan for periods without income, for example part-time work, waiting times or training phases that are not paid.
What does PiA stand for exactly?
PiA is the abbreviation for psychotherapist in training. The term covers trainees who carry out the practical training within their education.
What you should do now
- Read the pay clause in your training contract and check whether it refers to full-time work.
- Clarify whether you are trained under the previous system or in the new degree programme.
- Ask your state psychotherapy chamber about the current status of pay.
- Check at a further training post how the share of health insurance payments is passed on.
- Clarify your insurance status before you start your training.
Related reading
- Private Health Insurance and Psychotherapy: Costs
- PKV und Psychotherapie: Was wird übernommen? (in German)
- Staatsexamen and Referendariat: Reforms, deadlines and rules at a glance
Sources: Federal Ministry of Health, page on psychotherapy training, status 27 September 2019 (in German); Section 27 PsychThG, transitional provisions for training (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, retrieved 2 November 2026)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
