Second degree insurance depends on whether your studies continue without a break. If you were exempted from compulsory insurance to take out private health insurance (PKV) at the start of your first degree, you stay privately insured. Student compulsory cover also applies to postgraduate and extension degrees, until the end of the semester in which you turn 30. If there is a gap of more than one month between the two degrees, a return to statutory health insurance (GKV) is possible. The basics of the obligation are in the guide health insurance during your studies (in German).
Quick answer
You stay privately insured in a second degree if you were exempted in your first degree and did not interrupt your studies for a month or more. After a longer gap you can return to the GKV. Student cover runs until the semester you turn 30 and costs €118.16 to €123.29 plus the additional contribution (2026).
The key points at a glance
- Student compulsory cover also applies to a second degree. The age limit of 30 remains, and extensions are granted only for valid reasons.
- The exemption in favour of PKV applies to the whole course of study, as long as it is not interrupted for at least one month.
- If the second degree starts more than one month after a break, a return to the GKV is possible.
- In 2026, student compulsory cover costs between €118.16 and €123.29 per month plus the additional contribution.
- If you newly take out PKV, you must answer health questions. The student tariff is aimed at young first-time insureds up to age 30.
Does student health insurance also apply to a second degree?
Yes. Compulsory insurance also applies to postgraduate and extension degrees. What matters is that you are enrolled at a state or state-recognised university and have no primary insurance, for example as an employee or through a family member. The age limit remains. Membership ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. Beyond that, it applies only if the type of training or family and personal reasons justify the overrun, for example in the second educational pathway.
Distance learners on a second degree do not have to provide the proof of insurance again to their first university if it is already on file there. You will find the statutory text on compulsory insurance in § 5 SGB V at Gesetze im Internet.
What applies to second degree insurance with PKV?
If you were exempted at the start of your first degree, you stay privately insured. The exemption is irrevocable and applies as long as your studies are not interrupted for at least one month. If your second degree follows directly, you do not need to do anything. A leave of absence does not count as an interruption. More on this is in the guide on health insurance during a leave of absence (in German).
If there is more than one month between the first and second degree, the studies count as interrupted. You can then return to the GKV, and the new course of study starts a new obligation to insure. For an exemption, the three-month deadline after the start of compulsory insurance applies as always. How the exemption works in principle is described in the guide switching to PKV as a student (in German).
Can I return from PKV to the GKV during a second degree?
That is possible in narrow cases, and a second degree after an interruption of more than one month is one of them. Employment subject to social insurance below the insurance threshold also leads back into the GKV, which in 2026 is €6,450 per month. A mini-job is not enough.
If you become subject to statutory compulsory insurance, you can terminate the private contract within three months, retroactively to the start of the obligation. The insurer may ask for proof, which you must then provide within two months of the written request. Think in advance about whether you want to return to PKV later. An expectancy policy secures your return without a new health check. The small expectancy policy records your state of health, while the large one also records your entry age and the ageing provisions. The small one costs about 5 to 10 percent, the large one about 25 to 45 percent of the tariff contribution. These are ongoing costs, and private contributions can rise later.
Important. Age matters when you think about returning. If you became subject to compulsory insurance after your 55th birthday, you may no longer be able to return to the GKV under certain conditions. For a second degree this usually plays no role, but for long-term planning it does.
Can I switch to PKV newly during a second degree?
That depends on the timing. The exemption must be applied for with your health fund within three months of the start of compulsory insurance, and it only takes effect if you can prove that you are otherwise insured, in practice through a private contract. It takes effect retroactively from the start of the obligation if you have not used any benefits by then, otherwise from the month after the application.
The student tariff is intended for students who are exempted at the start of their studies, and afterwards it is usually open only to young first-time insureds up to age 30. The contribution depends on your entry age, and the application contains health questions that you must answer truthfully. With incorrect or missing details, the insurer may under certain circumstances withdraw from the contract. An anonymous risk enquiry before the application can clarify whether the insurer will accept you. Remember that the exemption is irrevocable.
Note that before enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health fund. This also applies to privately insured students. With first-time insurance you can choose the fund freely.
What happens if I start a second degree after my 30th birthday?
Then student compulsory cover applies only if the type of training or family or personal reasons justify exceeding the age limit. Without such a reason, depending on the situation, voluntary statutory insurance or PKV may be considered, and the student tariff rarely, because it is aimed at young first-time insureds. The guide PKV for students over 30 (in German) explains the routes available.
Am I covered as a family member during a second degree?
That is possible if the conditions are met. Children are covered as family members up to age 25 while they study. Beyond 25, family cover is extended only for federal voluntary service or a voluntary social year. Total income may not exceed €565 per month in 2026, or €603 if the only work is a mini-job. While an exemption in favour of PKV is in place, family cover is excluded.
Will I receive BAföG during a second degree?
Whether your second degree is funded is decided case by case by the BAföG office of your student services. You apply online via BAföG Digital. For health insurance, the point is this. The basic contribution under student compulsory cover does not depend on receiving BAföG. The BAföG needs allowance includes supplements for health and long-term care insurance for students up to age 30 of €102 and €35.
What does health insurance cost during a second degree?
Student compulsory cover charges the same amounts as during the first degree. In 2026 the contribution is calculated on the basis of €855 and amounts to €123.29 plus the additional contribution for childless students from age 23, and €118.16 plus the additional contribution for students under 23 or with a child.
| Case (2026) | Contribution excluding additional contribution |
|---|---|
| Under 23 or with a child | €118.16 |
| Childless from age 23 | €123.29 |
Example: Ben is 27, has no children and starts a second degree after two years of employment. His fund charges an additional contribution of 2.9%. The additional contribution is €855 × 2.9% = €24.80. Ben pays €123.29 + €24.80 = €148.09, so around €148 per month. He remains compulsorily insured until the end of the semester in which he turns 30.
Private contributions cannot be stated as a flat amount, because they depend on entry age, tariff and state of health. Keep in mind that the insurer can adjust them later. A trustee must agree to the adjustment, and with an increase you may be able to terminate the contract at short notice. Your insurer will tell you the deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to return to student health insurance for a second degree?
Yes, if you are enrolled at a state or state-recognised university, are under 30 and have no primary insurance, for example as an employee or through a family member. Compulsory insurance also applies to postgraduate and extension degrees. If you are exempted and your studies continue without interruption, you remain privately insured.
Can I keep my PKV during a second degree?
Yes, if you were exempted at the start of your first degree and the studies were not interrupted for at least one month. The exemption is irrevocable. If there is more than one month between the two degrees, you can return to the GKV. You then terminate your contract only with proof of compulsory insurance.
Does a master’s count as a second degree for health insurance?
For compulsory insurance, what matters is that you are enrolled, not whether the course counts as a first or second degree. Compulsory insurance also applies to postgraduate and extension degrees. For the exemption, what matters is whether there is more than one month of interruption between the courses. If in doubt, ask your health fund.
Can I be family insured during a second degree?
Yes, if you are under 25, are studying and earn no more than €565 per month, or €603 with a mini-job. With an exemption in favour of PKV, family cover is excluded. The fund must be informed if the conditions cease to apply.
So proceed now
- Find out how you were insured during your first degree. Were you under student compulsory cover or exempted from compulsory insurance?
- Check whether there is more than one month between the first and second degree. This decides between exemption and return to the GKV.
- Use your age to plan. Student compulsory cover ends with the semester in which you turn 30.
- If you want to newly take out PKV, apply for the exemption within three months of the start of compulsory insurance and make an anonymous risk enquiry beforehand.
- Inform your health fund and university early about your second degree, and ask the BAföG office whether funding is possible.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Sources
- Section 5 SGB V, compulsory insurance (para. 1 no. 9, in German), retrieved on 25.10.2026
- Section 8 SGB V, exemption from compulsory insurance (in German), retrieved on 25.10.2026
- GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 reference values (in German)
Related reading
- Switching to PKV as a student. Process, application and documents (in German)
- PKV for students over 30. Your options at a glance (in German)
- PKV for international students (in German)
- Health insurance during a leave of absence (in German)
- Extending student health insurance beyond 30 (in German)
- Second degree. Costs, BAföG, child benefit and taxes (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
