Part-time study insurance works differently from full-time study insurance. Private cover requires an exemption from compulsory student insurance, which you apply for within three months of the obligation starting and which cannot be revoked. Compulsory student insurance is linked to enrolment at a state or state-recognised university (KVdS). For comparison, statutory student insurance costs at least €118.16 per month in 2026 (under 23 or with a child) or €123.29 (childless from age 23), plus the insurer’s additional contribution. The 20-hour rule for part-time jobs also matters while you study.
Key takeaways
- Compulsory insurance for students requires enrolment at a state or state-recognised university and ends with the semester in which you turn 30.
- You must apply for the exemption for private cover within three months of the obligation starting. It normally applies for the entire course of study.
- As a working student, you remain exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance with no more than 20 hours per week during the lecture period. Your studies must still predominate in time.
- Dual and part-time degree programmes usually do not fall under compulsory student insurance.
Does student health insurance also apply to part-time studies?
Compulsory insurance applies to students enrolled at a state or state-recognised university (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V), unless a prior insurance exists, such as family insurance or a job as an employee. What counts is therefore your enrolment. Your health insurance fund can best confirm before the start of your studies how your part-time model is recorded, because it reports the status to the university.
The obligation begins with the semester, or on the day of enrolment if you enrol later. It ends when you are deregistered or at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. Beyond that, extensions are only granted with reasons, for example illness, care duties or a voluntary service. The details are in our article on the age limit of 30 for compulsory student insurance (in German) and in the legal text of § 190 SGB V. An overview of all options is given in our article on health insurance during your studies (in German).
How does the exemption work for part-time study insurance?
On application, you are exempted if enrolment makes you compulsorily insured (§ 8 para. 1 no. 5 SGB V). You submit the application to your health insurance fund within three months of the obligation starting. It takes effect retroactively if you have not claimed any benefits by then; otherwise it takes effect from the calendar month after the application. The exemption only becomes effective with proof that you are covered for illness elsewhere, in practice with a private policy. The process is explained in our article on exemption from compulsory insurance (in German).
You should know the consequences before deciding:
- The exemption cannot be revoked and normally applies for the entire course of study.
- A switch back into statutory insurance is normally only possible after your studies have ended, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance. A mini-job is not enough for this.
- Beitragsfreie family insurance is excluded for the duration of the exemption.
- Private premiums can rise, and the way back into statutory insurance is narrow.
What does part-time study insurance cost compared with statutory insurance?
The private premium depends on entry age, state of health, tariff and deductible. Student tariffs are aimed at young first-time insureds up to the age of 30, and the premium depends on the entry age. When you apply, you must answer health questions truthfully. If you want to clarify beforehand whether acceptance is realistic, you can submit an anonymous risk enquiry.
The benchmark for comparison is statutory student insurance. The contribution is calculated on a fixed assumed requirement of €855, the same nationwide and independent of receipt of BAföG. The additional contribution is added depending on the insurer; the average rate in 2026 is 2.9 percent.
| Item (statutory, 2026) | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Health insurance (basic contribution) | €87.38 |
| Long-term care insurance under 23 or with a child | €30.78 |
| Long-term care insurance childless from 23 | €35.91 |
| Total without additional contribution | €118.16 or €123.29 |
| Additional contribution (example, average rate of 2.9 percent on €855) | around €24.80 |
Private premiums are not fixed either. The insurer reviews them regularly and can adjust them if benefits and mortality probabilities deviate from the calculation. An independent trustee must approve this. The criteria for a tariff include the scope of benefits, the deductible, past premium adjustments and the option to switch tariffs later.
How do side jobs during part-time study affect your insurance?
Anyone studying part-time often works alongside. The type of employment then decides whether your student status in health insurance is preserved. As a working student, your studies must predominate in time, and during the lecture period you may work no more than 20 hours per week. The amount of your salary does not matter. Anyone who regularly works more than 20 hours is generally considered an employee.
| Situation | Consequence for health insurance |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 hours per week during the lecture period, studies predominate | Exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance; student insurance remains. Pension insurance remains compulsory. |
| Regularly more than 20 hours | Generally employee status |
| Extra work only at weekends, in the evenings, at night or during semester holidays | Up to 26 weeks per year harmless if unforeseeable or limited from the outset |
| Family-insured with a mini-job | Limit of €603 per month (2026) |
| Family-insured without a mini-job | Limit of €565 total income per month (2026) |
| Self-employment as a main occupation | Compulsory student insurance does not apply |
Several jobs are added together for health and long-term care insurance. During part-time studies, you should therefore clarify with your fund before signing a contract whether your studies still predominate given your working hours. As a student, you remain family-insured up to the age of 25, provided the income limit is observed.
What applies to dual and part-time degree programmes?
In dual and part-time degree programmes, compulsory student insurance generally does not apply. Which insurance applies instead depends on your contract. The rules for this case are explained in our article on insurance during a dual degree programme (in German). If you study medicine, you will find specific points in the article private insurance during medical studies (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Can I take out private health insurance during part-time study?
Yes, if you apply for an exemption from compulsory insurance. You submit the application to your health insurance fund within three months of the obligation starting. The exemption cannot be revoked and only takes effect with proof of a private policy. The insurer checks your health information, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
How many hours may I work alongside part-time study?
As a working student, no more than 20 hours per week during the lecture period, and your studies must predominate in time. During semester holidays, or when working in the evenings, at night and at weekends, it can be more, up to 26 weeks per year. Your health insurance fund confirms whether your study model meets the requirement that studies predominate.
Do I remain family-insured during part-time study?
That is possible as long as you stay within the age limit (23, or 25 while studying) and your income in 2026 does not exceed €565 per month, or €603 with a mini-job. If you have been exempted from compulsory insurance, you cannot be family-insured while the exemption applies.
What happens after my 30th birthday?
Compulsory student insurance ends with the semester in which you turn 30. An extension is only granted on a reasoned application per semester, for example due to illness, care duties or a voluntary service. Afterwards, depending on your situation, compulsory insurance as an employee, voluntary statutory insurance or private insurance may come into consideration.
How to proceed now
- Before enrolment, ask your health insurance fund how your part-time study is recorded there, and obtain the digital insurance confirmation for the university.
- Decide within three months of the obligation starting whether you want an exemption. Check the consequences beforehand and, if needed, submit an anonymous risk enquiry.
- Calculate your weekly hours in your side job and compare them with the 20-hour limit.
- If you want to discuss your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
You can find reviews of us on ProvenExpert, Trustlocal and Trustindex. Academycon has been mentioned, among other places, in a press release on Nachrichten Heute. An overview of all mentions is on our press page (in German).
Related reading
- Health insurance for students: compulsory cover, options and special cases (in German)
- PKV for dual students: what you need to know (in German)
- PKV for students over 30: your options at a glance (in German)
- Child benefit during your studies in 2026: entitlement, amount and duration (in German)
- Part-time study: requirements, costs and insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
