Family insurance for students is usually free of contributions if you are under 25: you are co-insured through a parent who is a member of a statutory health insurer, as long as you study and your total income in 2026 is no more than 565 euros a month. For a mini-job as your only job, the limit is 603 euros. If you earn more or turn 25, you move into student health insurance (KVdS) and pay about 143 to 148 euros a month there.
The key points at a glance
- Family insurance applies to students up to 25 if a parent is a member of a statutory health insurer.
- The income limit in 2026 is 565 euros a month, 603 euros for an exclusively marginal job, and up to 667.50 euros of earnings in dependent employment.
- BAföG, child benefit and parental maintenance do not count as income.
- If you regularly exceed the limit, you move into KVdS and pay contributions. You must inform the insurer.
Who qualifies for family insurance for students under 25?
Family insurance is the contribution-free co-insurance of relatives of a statutorily insured person. As a child you can be co-insured through a parent who is a member of a statutory health insurer. The rules are set out in section 10 SGB V.
Five conditions have to be met together:
- You have your residence in Germany.
- You are not compulsorily insured in your own right, for example as an employee, and not voluntarily insured either.
- You are not exempt from insurance and not exempt from compulsory insurance.
- You are not self-employed as your main occupation.
- Your total income is at most one seventh of the monthly reference quantity, which is exactly 565 euros in 2026.
Family insurance takes precedence over compulsory student insurance. So anyone who can be family insured does not automatically end up in KVdS. Dual students with a training salary, on the other hand, are compulsorily insured as employees and therefore generally not family insured.
Until what age are you family insured as a student?
Students are family insured up to 25. The age limits depend on your situation.
| Situation | Age limit |
|---|---|
| No further condition | up to 18 |
| Not in gainful employment | up to 23 |
| School or vocational training, study, voluntary social or ecological year | up to 25 |
| Training delayed by statutory compulsory service | beyond 25 for the duration of the service |
| Voluntary military service, federal voluntary service, youth voluntary service | beyond 25, for at most twelve months |
If you finish your studies, family insurance continues until the end of the semester, but at most until your 25th birthday. What follows is explained in the article health insurance after your 25th birthday (in German). The general decision between family insurance and private health insurance is in the article family insurance or private insurance during study (in German).
How much may I earn as a family-insured student?
The income limit in 2026 is 565 euros a month for all income together. For a mini-job as your only job, the marginal employment limit of 603 euros applies. If you work in dependent employment, you may deduct the flat-rate work-related expenses of 102.50 euros, which allows earnings of up to 667.50 euros.
| Type of income | Limit 2026 per month |
|---|---|
| Total income in general | 565 euros |
| Exclusively mini-job | 603 euros |
| Dependent employment, with flat-rate work-related expenses | up to 667.50 euros in earnings |
| Self-employed side job | 565 euros profit, without flat rate |
| Interest | counts only above the saver’s allowance of 1,000 euros a year |
The check under income tax law combines all income: side jobs, profits from self-employment, rental and interest income. An occasional, unforeseeable exceedance of the limit can be harmless. How long that applies is set by your health insurer, so ask it beforehand.
What counts as income and what does not?
Income includes earnings from employment, profits from self-employment, rental and interest income (interest only above the saver’s allowance), and severance pay for a specific period. BAföG, child benefit, parental maintenance, housing benefit and parental allowance are not counted.
BAföG therefore does not endanger your family insurance. How long child benefit is paid to students is explained in the article child benefit during study (in German).
How do minijobs and side jobs affect family insurance?
The calculation is simplest for a mini-job. You stay family insured up to 603 euros a month, as long as it is your only job. For a working-student job with higher pay, the insurer deducts the flat-rate work-related expenses of 102.50 euros from your earnings, so you may earn up to 667.50 euros.
Three examples for 2026:
| Example | Earnings per month | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lea, 21, mini-job as her only job | 520 euros | below 603 euros | family insured |
| Jonas, 23, working-student job | 640 euros | 640 euros minus 102.50 euros = 537.50 euros, below 565 euros | family insured |
| Mara, 22, working-student job | 900 euros | 900 euros minus 102.50 euros = 797.50 euros, above 565 euros | no longer family insured, KVdS |
More on side jobs and health insurance is in the article side job and health insurance (in German). If you work at most 20 hours a week during the lecture period, you remain in KVdS even if your earnings exceed the family insurance limit.
From 1 January 2027 the mini-job limit rises to 633 euros (decided). The income limit for family insurance is to be 590 euros under the calculation values for 2027, which is not yet final.
What applies during a leave semester, an internship or the semester break?
During a leave semester, the type of insurance basically stays the same: the duty to hold student insurance also applies to students on leave, and family insurance takes precedence over that duty. Details are in the article health insurance during a leave semester (in German).
If you do a paid internship before or after your studies without being enrolled, you are subject to social insurance contributions. If your earnings exceed 603 euros, you must insure yourself as a family-insured person.
For short-term holiday jobs limited to at most three months or 70 working days in the year, it is best to clarify how your earnings are counted with the insurer before you start.
What applies if one parent is privately insured?
If only one parent is statutorily insured, you can be family insured through that parent. If a parent is privately insured, a limit applies to that parent’s income: if their gross income is above the insurance compulsory limit of 6,450 euros a month (2026), children are generally not family insured. The insurer of the statutorily insured parent examines the specific conditions in each case.
Family insurance is ruled out if you were exempted from compulsory insurance at the start of your studies. The exemption generally applies for the whole course of study. How the application works is explained in the article applying for exemption from compulsory insurance (in German).
How do you register for family insurance?
The connection runs through the health insurer of the parent who is a member there. The insurer tells you which details and proof it needs. For enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer about your insurance status. It can be requested from 1 June at the earliest for the winter semester and from 1 December at the earliest for the summer semester.
If something changes later, for example a new job or higher income, inform the insurer. This also applies if you become self-employed as your main occupation.
What happens when family insurance ends?
Family insurance ends if you exceed the income limit, become self-employed as your main occupation, become compulsorily or voluntarily insured in your own right, or are exempted. As a student you then generally move into KVdS.
In 2026 you pay a basic contribution of 87.38 euros plus the additional contribution and long-term care insurance, together about 143 euros (under 23) or 148 euros (childless from age 23) at the average additional contribution. The calculation is shown in the article health insurance costs for students by age (in German).
| Feature | Values 2026 | 2027 (status) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income limit (total income) | 565 euros a month | 590 euros (calculated, planned, not yet decided; Bundesrat consent pending) | section 10 SGB V; planned ordinance |
| Mini-job special case | 603 euros a month | 633 euros (official) | section 10(1) sentence 5 SGB V; Minijob-Zentrale |
| Age limit in training | 25 years | unchanged | section 10(2) SGB V |
| Extension of the age limit | by the duration of service and voluntary service | unchanged | section 10(2) SGB V |
| Monthly reference quantity (basis) | 3,955 euros | 4,130 euros (planned, not yet decided; cabinet 7 October 2026) | BMAS, planned ordinance |
Frequently asked questions
How much may I earn as a family-insured student?
In 2026 it is 565 euros a month for all income together, or 603 euros for a mini-job as your only job. In dependent employment, earnings after deducting the flat-rate work-related expenses of 102.50 euros count, so up to 667.50 euros is possible. An occasional, unforeseeable exceedance can be harmless. Clarify how long that applies with your insurer beforehand.
Does BAföG count as income for family insurance?
No. BAföG, child benefit, parental maintenance, housing benefit and parental allowance do not count as income and do not endanger family insurance. Interest and rental income are counted, although interest only above the saver’s allowance of 1,000 euros.
Am I family insured during a leave semester?
As a rule, yes. The duty to hold student insurance also applies during a leave semester, and family insurance takes precedence. The age limit, the income limit and the membership of the parent in a statutory insurer remain decisive. Clarify the individual case with your insurer.
What applies if a parent is privately insured?
You are family insured only if a parent is statutorily insured and the conditions are met. If the privately insured parent earns more than 6,450 euros gross a month (2026), children are generally not family insured. The insurer of the statutorily insured parent checks your case.
How do I register for family insurance?
Contact the health insurer of the parent who is a member there. The insurer names the details it needs. The university also requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer before enrolment.
So what do you do now?
- Check whether at least one parent is statutorily insured and whether you are under 25.
- Add up your income and compare it with 565 euros, or 603 euros for a pure mini-job.
- Contact the insurer of your parent and clarify the confirmation for the university.
- Inform the insurer immediately if you exceed the limit or start self-employment.
- Prepare the switch to KVdS when you turn 25.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- Health insurance after your 25th birthday (in German)
- Family insurance or private insurance during study (in German)
- Child benefit during study (in German)
- Health insurance costs for students by age (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
