With a part-time job abroad, your German student health insurance generally continues, as long as you are enrolled at a German university and keep your residence in Germany. If you are employed abroad, however, local social security law may apply there. For stays in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, the EHIC covers necessary treatment, but the statutory insurer does not pay for medical repatriation. Outside these countries, you generally need cover in the country of study or private travel health insurance. What applies in your case depends on where you work, how you are insured and how long you stay.
The key points in brief
- Statutorily insured students stay in the student health insurance during a semester abroad in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, if they are enrolled and have not exceeded the age limit of 30.
- The EHIC covers medically necessary services under the rules of the country you are staying in. Local co-payments apply.
- The statutory insurer does not pay for medical repatriation to Germany. Private travel health insurance covers this.
- For family-insured students, total income counts: the limit is €565 per month in 2026, or €603 for a mini-job.
- Clarify in advance with your health insurer and employer which social security system is responsible for a job abroad.
Do I stay insured with a part-time job abroad?
In principle yes, if you remain enrolled at a German university and keep your residence in Germany. Employment abroad can change this, more on that below. Student health insurance ends with the last enrolled semester after you are de-registered, or with the semester in whose course you turn 30. This applies to a semester abroad in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Family-insured students pay no contributions, while self-insured students continue to pay their health and long-term care contributions.
It is different if you move your entire degree abroad. When you are de-registered, membership ends on the day you give up your residence in Germany. In this case, speak to your health insurer about your status before you leave. If you plan a degree abroad beyond one semester, you will find background information in the article on a master’s degree abroad (in German).
What applies in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland?
In these countries, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on the back of your health insurance card is sufficient for medically necessary treatment. You are treated under the rules of the country you are staying in, like someone insured there. Local co-payments apply, for example in France. Repatriation to Germany is not covered.
Important with a part-time job: if you are employed abroad, you may fall under the local social security system. Within the EU, the A1 certificate often plays a role, as it confirms which national law applies to social security. Clarify with your health insurer and your employer whether you need it, and what it means for your cover, before you start the job.
What applies outside the EU?
Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, you generally need cover in the country of study or private travel health insurance. In countries without a social security agreement, for example the USA or Australia, the statutory insurer does not pay in the event of illness. Private cover is strongly recommended there.
When choosing travel health insurance, check whether it fits the length and scope of your stay and includes repatriation. Standard travel insurance often covers only a limited number of days per trip. For stays of several months, you need a long-term policy. The article on health insurance outside the EU (in German) gives an overview.
What role does family insurance play?
If you are family-insured through your parents, your total income counts. In 2026, the limit is €565 per month for all income combined, or €603 for a mini-job. Employees can deduct the flat-rate work expenses allowance of €102.50, which allows total income of up to €667.50. An unforeseeable exceedance is harmless in at most three calendar months per year.
Example: you are 22, family-insured, and earn €500 gross per month from a job in the host country alongside your semester abroad. You are below the €565 limit. If you earn more on a permanent basis, family insurance ends and you need other cover. Ask your insurer in advance whether income earned abroad is counted in the same way as domestic income. Inform them as soon as you exceed the limit.
You can be family-insured until age 25 while studying. From then on, you are generally subject to compulsory student health insurance until the end of the semester in which you turn 30.
How does it work as a working student with a job in Germany?
If you work as a working student in Germany alongside your studies, at most 20 hours per week during the semester keeps you exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance, and you stay protected through the student health insurance. Pension insurance remains compulsory. This rule comes from German social security law, and jobs abroad follow local requirements. More on taxes for part-time jobs is in the article on part-time jobs and taxes (in German).
What changes with an internship abroad?
For an internship, it depends on whether it is compulsory, whether it is paid, and where it takes place. A compulsory unpaid internship can lead to its own insurance obligation. The article on health insurance during an internship abroad (in German) explains the details.
What changes for privately insured students?
For privately insured students, the tariff and its conditions determine the protection abroad. Check your contract documents to see whether, and for how long, the destination country is covered, and ask your insurer if in doubt. You also usually pay medical bills first and then submit them for reimbursement. The amount reimbursed depends on your tariff. So make sure you can pay costs abroad upfront, and keep all invoices. You can submit them within three years from the end of the year in which the invoice was issued.
| Situation | What generally applies | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Statutorily insured, job in the EU, EEA or Switzerland | Student health insurance continues, EHIC for necessary services | Local co-payments, no repatriation, clarify responsibility if employed |
| Statutorily insured, job outside the EU | Cover in the country of study or private travel health insurance | In countries without an agreement, the insurer does not pay for illness |
| Family-insured | Contribution-free up to the income limit | €565 per month (2026), €603 for a mini-job |
| Privately insured | Protection according to tariff | Check the geographical scope, advance payment of costs |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need additional health insurance for a part-time job abroad?
In the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, the EHIC is usually enough for necessary treatment. Private travel health insurance still closes gaps, especially for repatriation. Outside these countries, additional cover is generally necessary.
Can I cancel my German health insurance if I work abroad?
You should not do this without speaking to your insurer first. As an enrolled student, you are subject to compulsory insurance in Germany. Clarify any cancellation or suspension with your insurer beforehand, otherwise you risk gaps in your cover.
What is the A1 certificate?
The A1 certificate is proof of which national social security law applies to work in another EU state. Whether you need it for your part-time job depends on the individual case. Ask your health insurer and your employer.
Does a mini-job abroad count for family insurance?
For family insurance, your total income counts: in 2026, up to €565 per month, or up to €603 for a mini-job. Your health insurer can tell you how income earned abroad is assessed.
What to do now
- Clarify with your health insurer whether you stay insured as before during your stay abroad and with the part-time job.
- If you are offered a job in an EU country, ask whether an A1 certificate is needed.
- Apply for the EHIC before you leave, unless you already have it on your health insurance card.
- If needed, take out private travel health insurance that covers the duration of your stay and repatriation.
- If you are family-insured, check your income limit.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage (in German).
You can find reviews of us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon was mentioned, among other things, in a report in VersicherungsJournal. You will find a full list of mentions on the press page (in German).
Related articles
- Erasmus and semesters abroad: planning tips (in German)
- Financing a degree abroad (in German)
- Health insurance during an internship abroad (in German)
- Part-time jobs and taxes (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
