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The timeline from school leaving to 30 shows up to which age child benefit, family insurance, BAföG and student health insurance apply and what changes in between. All figures are for 2026. Draft figures for 2027 are not shown.
Quick answer
Child benefit of €259 per month and free family insurance generally end at 25. From 23, childless people pay 4.2 instead of 3.6 per cent for long-term care insurance. Student health insurance runs until the end of the semester in which you turn 30. BAföG requires that training starts before your 45th birthday.
What does the timeline look like?
What applies at which age?
The table gives the same information as text, ordered by the age at which something changes.
| Age | What applies or changes | 2026 figure | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 18 | Family insurance applies without further conditions. Child benefit is paid without special conditions. | Child benefit €259 per child and month | Section 66 EStG (in German) and Section 10 SGB V (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Up to 23 | Family insurance applies as long as you are not in employment. After that it applies only in training or university. | Income limit €565 per month | Section 10 SGB V (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| From 23 | The surcharge for childless people in long-term care insurance applies from the month after the 23rd birthday. The total rate for childless people is 4.2 instead of 3.6 per cent. | Surcharge 0.6 points | Federal Ministry of Health, surcharge for childless people (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Up to 25 | Child benefit in training or a first degree, and family insurance in university, generally end on the 25th birthday. A gap of up to four months between training stages is allowed. | Child benefit €259, income limit €565 | Section 32(4) EStG (in German) and Section 10 SGB V (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| 25 to 29 | If you are not family-insured, BAföG adds a surcharge for health and care insurance. The maximum rate away from home is €855 plus €137, which is €992. The asset allowance is €15,000. | Surcharge €102 and €35 | German Student Services, BAföG FAQ January 2026 (in German) | Jan 2026 |
| Up to 30 | Student health insurance generally ends with the semester in which you turn 30. The base contribution is €87.38 per month plus supplement and care insurance. | Base contribution €87.38 | Section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V (in German) and Section 236 SGB V (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
| From 30 | BAföG surcharges rise to up to €185 and €48. The maximum rate away from home is up to €1,088. The asset allowance is €45,000. | Surcharges up to €185 and €48 | German Student Services, BAföG FAQ January 2026 (in German) | Jan 2026 |
| Before 45 | BAföG is only paid if training starts before the 45th birthday. | Age limit 45 | Section 10(3) BAföG (in German) | 20 Oct 2026 |
How high is the student health insurance contribution?
You can recalculate the contribution with the 2026 figures. The assessment basis is €855 per month, the average supplementary contribution 2.9 per cent.
- Health insurance without supplement. €855.00 times 10.22 per cent is €87.38.
- Supplementary contribution. €855.00 times 2.9 per cent is €24.80.
- Care insurance up to 23 or with a child. €855.00 times 3.6 per cent is €30.78. Total €142.96 per month.
- Care insurance from 23 without a child. €855.00 times 4.2 per cent is €35.91. Total €148.09 per month.
The difference of €5.13 per month comes from the surcharge for childless people alone. The figures in detail are in Student health insurance 2026 in figures (in German).
What applies in 2027?
There are drafts for 2027, for example for child benefit and the BAföG reform. They are not in the timeline because they are not yet adopted. The dates with their status are in the Deadline calendar for winter semester 2026/27.
What to do now
- Enter your age and the limits 23, 25 and 30 in your calendar.
- Check at your 25th birthday how you are insured afterwards, ideally half a year earlier. The guide Family insurance or private insurance at university (in German) helps.
- Clarify before your 30th birthday what comes after student health insurance. The guide Health insurance at university over 30 (in German) describes the options.
- You apply for child benefit at the family benefits office. Conditions and application are explained in Child benefit at university (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Does family insurance end automatically at 25?
Generally yes. The age limit may be extended by the length of a statutory or voluntary service. Whether that applies to you, you clarify with your health fund.
Does the 14-subject-semester limit still apply?
No. The former limit for student health insurance has not applied since 2020. The age limit of 30 is what counts, with narrowly defined grounds for extension.
Where do I find the figures with their date?
The table names source and date for every item. Child benefit, BAföG and contributions usually change at the turn of the year or with the semester. The data page Student finance in figures 2026/27 (in German) has more values.
How to cite this page
If you quote from this page, please give the date and the retrieval date. The figures change with the annual limits.
- APA: Academycon GmbH (2026, October). Timeline from school leaving to 30. Child benefit, health insurance and BAföG. Academycon. Retrieved (date), from https://academycon.de/en/ratgeber/timeline-school-leaving-to-30/
- In text: Academycon GmbH (2026), Timeline from school leaving to 30, as of 10/2026, https://academycon.de/en/ratgeber/timeline-school-leaving-to-30/, retrieved (date).
- Link: Timeline from school leaving to 30 (Academycon, October 2026)
Please check quoted figures against the primary source named in the table.
Sources and review
- Income Tax Act, sections 32 and 66, and Social Code Book V, sections 5, 10 and 236, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German), retrieved on 20 October 2026.
- BAföG surcharges and asset allowances according to the German Student Services, as of January 2026. Check against the current statute before deciding.
- Long-term care insurance. Federal Ministry of Health, page dated 14 September 2026.
- The graphic is a presentation of the table and contains the same figures.
Information, not individual advice. If you want to talk through your situation, the online check helps with a first assessment.
Related reading
- Deadline calendar winter semester 2026/27
- Student health insurance 2026 in figures (in German)
- Health insurance at university over 30 (in German)
- BAföG age limit. Funding over 30 and 45 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
