For students over 30, compulsory student health insurance (KVdS) usually ends with the semester in which they turn 30. After that, the options are a justified extension, voluntary statutory insurance, compulsory insurance as an employee, family insurance through a spouse or registered partner, or private health insurance (PKV). The special student tariffs are aimed at young first-time insured persons up to 30 and are usually no longer open after that. For a PKV you must also answer health questions.
Key points at a glance
- Student health insurance ends at the close of the semester in which you complete your 30th year of life.
- Compulsory insurance only continues for longer if the type of training or family or personal reasons justify the extension. You apply for the extension with reasons, each semester.
- Afterwards your membership continues automatically as voluntary insurance if no other cover applies. In 2026 contributions are calculated on an income of at least 1,318.33 EUR per month.
- Student tariffs in the PKV are usually aimed at first-time insured persons up to 30. For other PKV tariffs, the insurer checks your health.
- Switching to the PKV is a decision with consequences: contributions can rise, and returning to statutory insurance is not always possible.
Until when are you statutorily insured as a student?
Compulsory insurance for students under section 5 SGB V ends under section 190 SGB V at the close of the semester by the end of which you complete your 30th year of life. If your studies end earlier, deregistration ends your membership at the close of the semester for which you were last enrolled or re-registered.
Our overview of health insurance for students (in German) explains compulsory insurance, contributions and exemption during your studies. If you study part-time, the article on insurance status during part-time study (in German) covers your status.
When is student insurance extended beyond age 30?
Beyond the age of 30, compulsory insurance only applies if the type of training or family or personal reasons justify going beyond it. One example is acquiring the entry requirements through the second education pathway. Membership then only ends at the close of the extension period at the end of the semester.
The extension is not automatic. You apply to your health fund with reasons, each time for one semester. Possible reasons include illness, caring for a relative, a voluntary service or the birth of a child. Ask your health fund which evidence it requires.
What options do students over 30 have?
| Option | Requirement | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Extended student health insurance | justified application each semester | Calculated as for student health insurance |
| Voluntary statutory insurance | continues automatically if no other cover applies | calculated on income of at least 1,318.33 EUR (2026) |
| Compulsory insurance as an employee | employment as an employee, for example regularly more than 20 hours per week, and pay below 6,450 EUR per month (2026) | contribution based on earnings |
| Family insurance through a partner | spouse or registered partner is statutorily insured, residence in Germany, total income at most 565 EUR per month (2026) | contribution-free |
| Private health insurance | health check by the insurer | depends on entry age, state of health and tariff |
If you work alongside your studies, your cover depends on how much and in what form you work. The details are in the article on health insurance with a part-time job (in German). An unpaid internship prescribed by your study or examination regulations leads to compulsory insurance under section 5 (1) no. 10 SGB V, at most until the age of 30. By contrast, a prescribed intermediate internship is free of social insurance contributions, and compulsory student insurance remains possible. Our separate article explains social insurance during a compulsory internship (in German).
Voluntary statutory insurance as a student: what does it cost?
After student health insurance ends, your membership with your health fund automatically continues as voluntary insurance (section 188 (4) SGB V) if no other cover applies. Contributions depend on your income, but are calculated on a minimum assessment base of 1,318.33 EUR per month.
Worked example for 2026 with an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent: voluntary members have no entitlement to sickness benefit, so the reduced contribution rate of 14.0 percent applies (section 243 SGB V). On 1,318.33 EUR this gives a health insurance contribution of 222.80 EUR per month. Together with long-term care insurance, the minimum contribution is 278.17 EUR per month without a child (4.2 percent) and 270.26 EUR with a child (3.6 percent). For comparison, in student health insurance you pay at least 123.29 EUR plus the additional contribution if you are childless from age 23.
Private health insurance for students over 30: what do you need to know?
Student tariffs are aimed at students who were exempted from compulsory insurance at the start of their studies. They target young first-time insured persons up to 30 and are usually no longer open after that. If you want to move into the PKV over 30, you generally need a different tariff. The contribution depends on your age at entry.
The application contains health questions that you must answer truthfully. Ongoing treatment and recommended operations often lead to rejection. An anonymous risk enquiry before the application shows whether an insurer will accept you. If information is false or incomplete, the insurer may in some cases withdraw from the contract.
Private contributions do not stay constant. Insurers review at least once a year whether contributions need to be adjusted, and an independent trustee must consent. If there is an increase, you have a special right of termination, which is tied to a deadline from receipt of the notice.
Without a health check, the basic tariff offers benefits comparable to statutory insurance, without risk surcharges and exclusions. Access is open, among others, to voluntarily insured members within six months of the start of their voluntary insurance. Our separate article describes how a switch to the PKV (in German) works. If you move from voluntary statutory insurance to the PKV, you must prove the new cover before the statutory insurance ends.
Consider the way back as well: before the age of 55 it is generally possible to return to statutory insurance, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance below the compulsory insurance threshold. A minijob is not enough for this.
Frequently asked questions
Up to what age am I compulsorily insured as a student?
Student compulsory insurance ends at the close of the semester by the end of which you complete your 30th year of life. An extension is only possible for special reasons, such as the type of training or personal circumstances, on application and for each semester.
Am I still statutorily insured as a student over 30?
Yes, if the extension applies or you insure yourself voluntarily. After student health insurance ends, your membership automatically continues as voluntary insurance if no other cover applies. Compulsory insurance as an employee or family insurance through a spouse or registered partner is also possible.
What does voluntary insurance cost for students?
In 2026, contributions are calculated on an income of at least 1,318.33 EUR per month. With the reduced contribution rate of 14.0 percent, an average additional contribution and long-term care insurance, and no child, the amount is 278.17 EUR per month, or 270.26 EUR with a child. Your health fund’s additional contribution changes the figure.
Are there PKV student tariffs for students over 30?
Student tariffs are aimed at young first-time insured persons up to 30 and are usually no longer open after that. Over 30, a different tariff is generally the option. The insurer asks health questions, and the contribution depends on entry age and state of health.
What you should do now
- Check when the semester ends in which you turn 30, and if necessary submit a justified extension application to your health fund in good time.
- Clarify whether voluntary insurance, employment as an employee or family insurance through your partner suits you.
- If you are considering the PKV, first make an anonymous risk enquiry and have contributions, health questions and the option of returning checked.
- Tell your health fund about changes to your studies, employment or residence.
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 for students: compulsory insurance, options, special cases (in German)
- Private health insurance for students: costs and benefits (in German)
- Switching to the PKV as a student: process, application and documents (in German)
- Health insurance with a part-time job: family insurance, student insurance or PKV (in German)
- Health insurance as a student over 30: compulsory insurance, costs and routes (in German)
- Extending student health insurance beyond 30 (in German)
- Family insurance through a spouse during your studies (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This article provides general information and does not replace individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
