Private health insurance for students requires an exemption from the statutory insurance obligation, which you apply for within three months of its start. The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the entire course of study. Statutory student insurance costs about €143 to €148 a month in 2026. The private premium depends on entry age, health, tariff and deductible.
The key points in brief
- You apply for the exemption at your health insurer no later than three months after compulsory insurance begins. It takes effect retroactively if you have not used any benefits by then.
- The exemption normally applies for the entire course of study. A switch back to statutory insurance is usually only possible after your studies, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance.
- Statutory student insurance costs at least €118.16 (under 23 or with a child) or €123.29 (childless and 23 or over), plus the additional contribution of your health insurer.
- The private premium depends on entry age, health and tariff. The insurer asks health questions that you must answer truthfully.
- As long as the exemption applies, there is no free family insurance.
Who can take out private health insurance as a student?
You can be exempted if you are enrolled at a state or state-recognized university and are therefore subject to compulsory statutory health insurance. The legal basis is § 8 (1) no. 5 SGB V in conjunction with the compulsory insurance of students under § 5 SGB V. The exemption only takes effect if you prove that you are otherwise covered in case of illness. In practice, this means a private health insurance contract.
If you are covered under your parents’ family insurance, you are not subject to compulsory insurance. In this case the three-month period only starts when compulsory insurance begins, for example because family insurance ends. Family insurance requires a total income of no more than €565 a month in 2026 (€603 for a mini-job), and during a course of study it lasts until age 25. More on this is in our comparison family insurance or private health insurance while studying.
A special case are students entitled to Beihilfe, the state allowance for civil servants, for example children of civil servants. For children, the Beihilfe rate is usually 80 percent, so private insurance only covers the rest and the premium is initially low. Beihilfe for children usually ends when the entitlement to the family supplement or child benefit lapses, often at the age of 25. The rules differ between employers. After that, the burden can rise considerably. Your employer’s Beihilfe office provides details.
Student tariffs are aimed at young first-time insureds up to age 30 and are usually no longer open after that. Some are based on the conditions of private student health insurance (PSKV), which only a few insurers offer. Whether you meet the conditions is explained in our article on requirements for private health insurance while studying. An overview of compulsory insurance, options and special cases is provided by health insurance while studying at a glance.
What does private health insurance for students cost?
There is no flat figure. The premium depends on entry age, health status, the chosen tariff and the deductible. Get concrete offers and check for each one whether long-term care insurance is included in the premium. Otherwise, the comparison with statutory insurance does not hold.
The benchmark is the premium for statutory student insurance. It is calculated on a fixed basis of €855 (BAföG basic need plus housing allowance) and is the same nationwide, regardless of whether you receive BAföG.
| Component 2026 | Under 23 or with a child | Childless and 23 or over |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance (10.22% of €855) | €87.38 | €87.38 |
| Long-term care insurance | €30.78 | €35.91 |
| Subtotal | €118.16 | €123.29 |
| Additional contribution at 2.9% of €855 | €24.80 | €24.80 |
| Monthly premium, rounded | about €143 | about €148 |
Each health insurer sets its own additional contribution. The average set by the Federal Ministry of Health is 2.9 percent, but in practice insurers charge more than 3 percent on average. Your premium may therefore be somewhat higher.
A low entry premium in private insurance does not automatically stay low. At least once a year, the insurer compares the calculated benefits with the actual ones and adjusts premiums if the deviation exceeds the threshold. By law, the threshold is 10 percent; tariff conditions may lower it to 5 percent. An independent trustee must approve the adjustment. In addition, from the calendar year after your 21st birthday at the latest, the insurer usually charges a statutory surcharge of 10 percent, which flows into the ageing provisions. More calculation examples are in our article how much does private health insurance really cost for students?.
What benefits does private health insurance offer while studying?
Your tariff determines what is reimbursed; there is no standard benefit package. Privately insured people first pay the doctor’s bill themselves and submit it to the insurer. This is called the cost reimbursement principle. You can submit a bill up to three years after the end of the year in which it was issued. For a bill from March 2026, the deadline ends on 31 December 2029. In hospital, the hospital usually bills the insurer directly.
Doctors bill according to the Scale of Fees for Doctors (GOÄ). For personal medical services, rates up to 2.3 times the standard rate (threshold) require no justification. Above that, up to 3.5 times the standard rate (maximum rate), the doctor must justify the bill. Whether your tariff also reimburses amounts above the threshold is an important tariff feature. A reform of the GOÄ is in preparation; until a regulation by the federal government is issued, the existing version applies.
For aids, tariffs distinguish between an open catalogue, which reimburses all medically necessary aids, and a closed one, which only covers aids explicitly listed. Reimbursement rates of 75, 90 or 100 percent are common, often with maximum amounts. The statutory aids directory is not binding in private insurance, except in the basic tariff. How this works for visual aids is explained in our article glasses and visual aids in private health insurance. As a guide: Statutory insurance only pays for glasses for adults in cases of severe visual impairment, for example more than 6.0 dioptres of short- or long-sightedness, and never for the frame.
With premium refunds, you get back part of the annual premiums if you submit no bills for a year. Success-dependent refunds depend on the insurer’s surplus; guaranteed refunds are rare. As a rough guide, up to about 50 percent of an annual premium is possible, but this is not guaranteed. The payment reduces deductible special expenses in the year of payment. Our article on premium refunds in private health insurance explains the details.
In statutory insurance, co-payments apply, usually 10 percent of the sales price, at least €5 and at most €10. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, co-payments are planned to rise by 50 percent, which would mean at least €7.50 and at most €15. The ministry does not state a date for the entry into force.
What are the advantages and risks of private health insurance while studying?
A detailed comparison is provided by our articles on the advantages of private health insurance for students and on the disadvantages of private health insurance while studying. Here are the main points at a glance.
This speaks for private health insurance
- The premium can be lower during your studies than in statutory student insurance, especially with a deductible or if you are entitled to Beihilfe.
- You choose the scope of benefits and the deductible yourself. The earlier you enter, the lower the entry premium.
- Part of the premiums can flow back through the premium refund.
This speaks against it
- The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the entire course of study.
- There is no free family insurance as long as the exemption applies.
- The insurer asks health questions. Ongoing treatments and recommended operations often lead to refusal.
- Premiums can rise, and you have to advance bills yourself.
- If premiums fall into arrears, the contract automatically moves to the emergency tariff after reminder stages. It only covers acute illness, pain and a few other benefits.
Taking out private health insurance as a student: How does the exemption work?
The application goes to the health insurer within three months of the start of compulsory insurance (§ 8 (2) SGB V). The exemption takes effect retroactively from the start of compulsory insurance if you have not used any benefits by then. Otherwise, it takes effect from the calendar month after the application. The Verbraucherzentrale describes the options for student health insurance in detail.
- Prepare your health information: Before applying, an anonymous risk enquiry is worthwhile, so you know whether and under which conditions an insurer will accept you.
- Conclude a private contract: The exemption only takes effect once other cover has been proven.
- Obtain a digital confirmation from a statutory insurer for enrolment. The university also requires it from privately insured students. It can be retrieved from 1 June (winter semester) or 1 December (summer semester) at the earliest.
- Submit the exemption application to the insurer and do not use any statutory benefits until the decision.
- Keep the notice and the private insurance certificate. At enrolment, you must prove that you are statutorily insured or exempt and otherwise covered.
The process with deadlines and forms is described in our article how to apply for exemption from compulsory insurance.
Private or statutory insurance while studying: What suits which situation?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The table below classifies typical situations. A more detailed comparison is in our article statutory or private insurance.
| Your situation | What to consider |
|---|---|
| You are covered under your parents’ family insurance and are below the income limit (€565, mini-job €603). | Family insurance costs you no premium of your own. An exemption is usually not necessary in this situation. |
| Your parents are entitled to Beihilfe. | With Beihilfe, the private premium is initially low. Expect Beihilfe for children to often end at 25 at the latest. |
| You have pre-existing conditions or ongoing treatments. | The insurer checks your health, and ongoing treatments often lead to refusal. Make an anonymous risk enquiry beforehand. |
| You are healthy and young and want to control the premium through age and deductible. | Compare the total premium including long-term care insurance with the about €143 to €148 of statutory insurance, and check how the premium is likely to develop. |
| You work full time as self-employed. | Compulsory student insurance then does not apply. Alternatives include voluntary statutory or private insurance. |
| You will soon turn 30. | Statutory student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. Student tariffs are usually no longer open after that. |
Students over 30 will find further options in our article private health insurance for students over 30.
Private health insurance for academics: What applies after your studies?
The exemption applies for the duration of your studies. A switch back to statutory insurance is normally only possible afterwards, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance below the annual earnings threshold. For 2026, it is €77,400 a year (€6,450 a month, Deutsche Rentenversicherung). For 2027, €84,150 is planned; the Bundesrat has not yet approved it. A mini-job is not enough. What the limit means for you is explained in our article compulsory insurance threshold for students.
Employees who earn above the threshold remain exempt from insurance and can stay in private insurance. Civil servants appointed for probation also remain privately insured. Separate rules apply to the traineeship period (Referendariat), which our article on health insurance during the traineeship explains.
From age 55, returning to statutory insurance is generally excluded (§ 6 (3a) SGB V). An exception is free family insurance through a statutorily insured spouse or civil partner, if your own total income does not exceed €565 a month. If you switch to statutory insurance after your studies and may want private insurance again later, you can keep open the option of returning to private insurance without a new health check, using an expectancy policy (Anwartschaft). The small expectancy policy secures your health status. The large one also secures your entry age and continues to build up ageing provisions. Providers quote costs of around 5 to 10 percent or 25 to 45 percent of the tariff premium. Whether this makes sense for students is clarified in our article expectancy policies in private health insurance.
Which is the best private health insurance for students? What matters when choosing a tariff
A ranking of individual tariffs helps little, because age, health and priorities decide. More meaningful are criteria you can ask about for every offer.
- Deductible: It lowers the premium. Reducing the deductible later counts as additional benefit, and the insurer may then require an exclusion of benefits or a risk surcharge and possibly a waiting period (§ 204 VVG). More on this in deductibles in private health insurance explained simply.
- Reimbursement limits: Is the rate above 2.3 part of the tariff? Is the aids catalogue open or closed? Are there maximum amounts?
- Premium development: What is the tariff threshold for adjustments, 5 or 10 percent?
- Right to change tariff: With your own insurer, you have a right to switch to tariffs with equivalent cover. Acquired rights and ageing provisions are carried over.
- Premium refund: Is it success-dependent or guaranteed?
- Long-term care insurance: Is it included in the stated premium?
On the application, the duty of disclosure under § 19 VVG applies. You must answer truthfully the questions the insurer asks in text form. In case of breaches, depending on severity, it may withdraw from or terminate the contract. These rights generally expire five years after the contract is concluded, or ten years in case of intent or fraudulent deception. Our article PKV and health check: What you need to know shows how the check works.
Frequently asked questions
How much does private health insurance for students cost?
This cannot be stated as a flat figure. The premium depends on entry age, health, tariff and deductible, and long-term care insurance belongs in every comparison. Statutory student insurance costs about €143 to €148 a month in 2026, including long-term care insurance. Concrete offers show whether private insurance comes in below that in your case.
Can I return to statutory health insurance as a student?
The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the entire course of study. A switch to statutory insurance is generally only possible after your studies, for example through employment subject to compulsory insurance below the earnings threshold. A mini-job is not enough. If you continue your studies, you remain bound to private insurance.
By when do I have to apply for exemption from compulsory insurance?
The application must reach the health insurer within three months of the start of compulsory insurance. If you have not used any statutory benefits by then, the exemption takes effect retroactively. Otherwise, it only begins in the calendar month after the application. So put the deadline in your calendar early, ideally right after enrolment.
Will my family insurance continue if I am exempted?
No. Anyone exempted from compulsory insurance does not meet the requirements for family insurance, which is excluded for the duration of the exemption. If you are covered free of charge through your parents and your income is below the €565 monthly limit, you should weigh this step especially carefully.
Is private health insurance for students available without a health check?
Normally not. The application contains health questions that you must answer truthfully, and insurers often refuse in case of ongoing treatment. Therefore, make an anonymous risk enquiry before applying, so you know an insurer’s assessment before you commit.
Your next steps
- Clarify with your university or health insurer whether you are in compulsory or family insurance, and note the start of compulsory insurance and the three-month deadline.
- Compare statutory insurance at about €143 to €148 with concrete offers, including long-term care insurance, deductible and adjustment threshold.
- If you have pre-existing conditions, make an anonymous risk enquiry before every application and answer all questions truthfully.
- First obtain the confirmation for the private contract, then submit the exemption application without using any statutory benefits beforehand.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage. Academycon is an insurance intermediary and provides the initial information pursuant to § 15 VersVermV. This article is also advertising for our brokerage activity.
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Related articles
- How to apply for exemption from compulsory insurance
- How much does private health insurance really cost for students?
- Returning to statutory health insurance: Is it possible?
- Health insurance during the traineeship
- Student health insurance 2026 in figures
- Glossary of health insurance terms for students: A to Z
- Frequently asked questions during studies: Short answers
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
