Your health insurance when changing course stays the same as long as you remain enrolled without interruption. A change of subject at the same university changes nothing about your status. When you change university, your insurance status is reassessed and reported. It only becomes critical if there is a gap between deregistration and new enrolment. Health insurance during your studies at a glance (in German) shows how everything fits together.
Key points at a glance
- A change of subject at the same university leaves your enrolment and compulsory insurance unaffected.
- When you change university, your insurance status is reassessed. Compulsory insurance does not end if you re-enrol within one month of the end of the semester.
- The basic contribution is the same nationwide. When you change insurer, only the additional contribution changes.
- The exemption in favour of PKV applies as long as your studies are not interrupted for at least one month.
- The age limit of 30 (end of the semester) remains in place after the change.
What happens to health insurance when changing course?
When you change the subject or degree programme at the same university, you remain enrolled. Compulsory student health insurance (KVdS) is tied to enrolment, so it continues unchanged. Your contribution, your insurer and your status stay as they are. If in doubt, ask your insurer briefly.
Compulsory insurance applies to state and state-recognised universities. If you move to a private institution or to a dual study programme, clarify your status with your insurer beforehand.
What applies when changing university and during a gap between semesters?
When you change university, you are deregistered at the old university and enrolled at the new one. Membership in student health insurance then ends at the end of the semester for which you were last enrolled or re-registered. If you re-enrol at a state or state-recognised university within one month of the end of the semester, it does not end (section 190 para. 9 SGB V, Gesetze im Internet (in German)).
| Your case | What applies to insurance |
|---|---|
| Change of subject at the same university | Enrolment and compulsory insurance continue |
| Change of university, re-enrolment within one month of the end of the semester | Membership does not end |
| Change of university with a longer gap | Compulsory insurance ends at the end of the semester, followed by family insurance, employment or voluntary insurance |
| Change with moving out of Germany | Membership ends at the end of the day on which you give up your residence |
If a longer gap arises, the situation is similar to dropping out of studies: family insurance, employment or voluntary membership then apply. The details are in the article Health insurance after dropping out (in German). In addition, an extended entitlement to benefits of up to one month may exist after membership ends (section 19 para. 2 SGB V), as long as you are not in employment and no other insurance takes precedence.
Which proof does the new university require?
Before enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer (section 199a para. 2 SGB V). This also applies to privately insured students and civil servants. For a first-time insurance, you can choose your insurer freely. If you change insurer, the new insurer informs the university. The confirmation can be retrieved no earlier than 1 June for the winter semester and 1 December for the summer semester. Plan it in good time before the enrolment date, because without it the university will refuse enrolment.
Can I change my health insurer when I change course?
Whether and when a change of insurer is possible for you is something you clarify with the new insurer. Your contributions differ only in the additional contribution: the basic contribution for students is the same nationwide, and in 2026 it is €87.38 for health insurance. The additional contribution is calculated on a contribution assessment base of €855. Long-term care insurance is added at €30.78 (under 23 or with a child) or €35.91 (childless from age 23).
Example: Mara, 22, compares two insurers and uses two additional contribution rates for the calculation. Insurer A charges 2.5%, which is €855 × 2.5% = €21.38 a month. Insurer B charges 3.5%, which is €29.93. The difference is €8.55 a month and €102.60 a year. You can see your insurer’s actual additional contribution in its contribution overview.
What applies to changing course and PKV?
If you were exempted at the start of your studies, you remain privately insured. The exemption is irrevocable and applies to the whole course of study, as long as it is not interrupted for at least one month. A change of subject or university without a gap changes nothing about this. If a gap of more than one month arises, a return to the statutory health insurance (GKV) is possible. Note that private contributions may rise later.
If you were statutorily compulsorily insured until now, you generally cannot simply obtain the exemption when changing course. The three-month deadline runs from the start of compulsory insurance. How the exemption works is described in the route to private health insurance (in German).
Am I still family-insured when changing course?
That depends on age and income. Children are family-insured up to age 25 if they are studying. Without training, family insurance ends at the 23rd birthday, until training begins again. Total income may not exceed €565 a month in 2026, or €603 if the employment is exclusively marginal. Family insurance is excluded if you are exempt in favour of PKV.
What applies if I am over 30 when changing course?
Compulsory student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. Beyond that, it only continues if the type of training or family or personal reasons justify exceeding the age limit, for example in the second education pathway. An extension is applied for by a reasoned application for each semester. Plan a change after your 30th birthday in advance with your insurer.
What applies when changing course abroad?
If you are deregistered in Germany, the rules on deregistration apply. If you move away, membership ends at the end of the day on which you give up your residence. If you remain enrolled at a German university and keep your residence here, you remain in compulsory student insurance in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, as long as the age limit is observed. Outside these countries, you generally need insurance in the country of study or private travel health insurance. Statutory insurance does not pay for medical repatriation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to inform my health insurer when changing course?
For a change of subject at the same university, this is usually not necessary, although a short notice does no harm. When changing university, your insurance status is reassessed and reported. If you also change insurer, the new insurer informs the university. Also tell your insurer if your status changes.
Am I health-insured between two courses of study?
Yes, if the gap is short. If you re-enrol within one month of the end of the semester, your membership does not end. For longer gaps, compulsory insurance ends at the end of the semester, after which family insurance, employment or voluntary insurance apply. An extended entitlement to benefits of up to one month may also apply.
Does my contribution change when I change university?
The contribution without the additional contribution is the same nationwide: in 2026 it is €118.16 (under 23 or with a child) up to €123.29 (childless from age 23) for health and long-term care insurance. The additional contribution depends on your insurer. If only the university changes but not the insurer, your contribution stays the same.
Can I stay with PKV if I change university?
Yes, as long as your studies are not interrupted for at least one month. The exemption applies to the whole course of study and is irrevocable. If the interruption is longer than one month, a return to the statutory health insurance (GKV) is possible.
What you should do now
- Clarify whether you are planning a change of subject or a change of university, and whether a gap will arise in between.
- Enrol at the new university within one month of the end of the semester so that your membership does not end.
- Request your insurer’s confirmation in good time. This also applies to privately insured students.
- Check the additional contribution of the new insurer before changing insurer.
- If you are privately insured, make sure your studies are not interrupted for one month or longer. Over 30, you need an extension application for each semester.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the route to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- Health insurance after dropping out: how to stay covered (in German)
- PKV and a second degree: which insurance and contribution rules apply (in German)
- PKV during part-time study (in German)
- Switching to PKV as a student: process, application and documents (in German)
- Extending student health insurance beyond age 30 (in German)
- Deregistration and health insurance: how to avoid gaps (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This article provides general information and does not replace individual advice.
