After your degree you need health insurance without a gap. If you stay in Germany on a job seeker visa (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche, § 20 AufenthG), that permit can run for up to 18 months, and you need cover the immigration office accepts. Once you take a job with social insurance, statutory membership as an employee normally applies. The period in between is the risk, because your student cover ends with your deregistration (Exmatrikulation), and you must bridge the gap yourself.
Key facts
| Key fact | Stand |
|---|---|
| Job seeker permit: up to 18 months for graduates, subject to proof of living costs (§ 20 AufenthG, Stand 20.10.2026). | 20.10.2026 |
| Everyone who lives in Germany must hold health insurance (§ 193 Abs. 3 VVG). | 20.10.2026 |
| Voluntary statutory insurance without income is calculated on a minimum basis of €1,318.33 a month (2026). | 20.10.2026 |
| Above the insurance threshold (Versicherungspflichtgrenze), employees may choose private cover: €6,450 a month in 2026. | 20.10.2026 |
Do you need health insurance during the job seeker visa?
Yes. The job seeker permit requires that your living costs are secured, and the immigration office expects proof of health cover as well. Without a job subject to social insurance, you have no automatic cover from the employer. The usual options are a follow-on membership in statutory insurance, a voluntary statutory membership, or a private policy that meets the statutory minimum. Which one fits depends on how long your search lasts and what you earn in the meantime.
Can you stay in the student insurance after your last exam?
The student insurance ends when your student status ends, that is, with your deregistration (Exmatrikulation). Many former students then move into a follow-on membership (Anschlussversicherung) in statutory insurance. This route is usually tied to an application and a deadline, so check it with your fund before the end of the semester. You can leave the follow-on insurance within two weeks of your fund’s notice if you prove other cover (§ 188 para. 4 SGB V). Do not let the date pass without a decision, because a gap in cover can lead to contribution arrears.
What does the gap cost?
Without income, voluntary statutory insurance is calculated on the minimum basis. Based on the 2026 figures, the health and care contribution comes to about €270.26 a month. A job search of three months therefore costs about €810 at the average supplementary contribution of 2.9%. Your own fund’s rate can change the figure.
- Minimum basis: €3,955.00 reference income ÷ 3 = €1,318.33.
- Health insurance at 14.0% plus 2.9%: 1,318.33 × 16.9% = €222.80.
- Care insurance at 3.6%: 1,318.33 × 3.6% = €47.46. Total: €270.26 a month.
- Three months: 3 × €270.26 = €810.78.
What changes when you start your first job?
With a job subject to social insurance, statutory membership as an employee usually starts on the first day of employment, and the employer pays half of the contributions. Minijobs are different. A minijob alone does not create compulsory statutory cover, so you need your own solution for the health insurance. The minijob limit for 2026 is €603 a month, and it rises to €633 in 2027 once the regulation takes effect.
| Situation | Usual cover | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Job seeker, no income | Voluntary statutory or private cover | Acceptance by the immigration office, minimum basis |
| Minijob while searching | Own cover, minijob does not create compulsory membership | Family insurance usually no longer applies at this age, so check with your fund |
| Employee with social insurance | Statutory membership as an employee | Choice of fund, employer contribution |
| Employee above the threshold | Statutory or private, your choice | Private offer with the full tariff, decision is hard to reverse |
Can you choose private insurance as an employee?
Yes, but only above the insurance threshold (Versicherungspflichtgrenze), which is €6,450 a month or €77,400 a year in 2026. Below that threshold, statutory membership is compulsory for employees. Private cover then requires a more detailed comparison, because the way back into the statutory system is limited. The steps are explained in PKV nach dem Studium (in German) and in Rückkehr in die GKV (in German).
What should you do in the right order?
- Ask your university when your student status and student cover end, and get the date in writing.
- Before the end, decide between follow-on membership, voluntary statutory cover and private cover, and ask for written offers.
- Confirm the chosen cover with the immigration office before you apply for or extend the job seeker permit.
- On your first job, inform your fund and your employer, and check whether the statutory membership starts that day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need health insurance during the job seeker visa?
Yes. Everyone who lives in Germany must be insured, and the immigration office asks for proof of cover when you apply or extend the permit.
Can I stay in the student insurance after my last exam?
Not automatically. The student insurance ends with your deregistration. A follow-on membership in statutory insurance is possible in many cases, but it is tied to an application and a deadline.
Do I have to join the statutory system when I start my first job?
With a job subject to social insurance, yes, in most cases. Below the insurance threshold, statutory membership as an employee is compulsory.
Can I choose private insurance as an employee?
Only if your income is above the insurance threshold, which is €6,450 a month in 2026. Private cover should be compared with individual offers, because the return to statutory cover is limited.
Check your own situation with the online check: Online check for your situation.
Sources and review
- § 20 AufenthG (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche), gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved 20.10.2026.
- § 193 Abs. 3 VVG (Krankenversicherungspflicht), gesetze-im-internet.de.
- § 5, § 188 Abs. 4 and § 240 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved 20.10.2026.
- Sozialversicherungsrechengrößen 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband, Stand 1.1.2026 (Versicherungspflichtgrenze, Bezugsgröße).
- Minijob limit 2027 (€633), Minijob-Zentrale, Stand Oktober 2026.
Related guides
- Health insurance for students in Germany
- Health Insurance for Erasmus Exchange Students in Germany
- German Health Insurance Terms for Newcomers
- Health Insurance for International Students in Germany
Information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.
