Short answer
Health insurance in part-time study follows the same rules as in full-time study. According to the joint guidance of the statutory funds, the insurance obligation for students does not distinguish between full time and part time. The cap on subject semesters has gone, the age limit of 30 remains. What matters is any work alongside your studies. Up to 20 hours a week you generally remain a student.
Does health insurance in part-time study work like full-time cover?
Yes. Under the joint guidance of the umbrella associations (version of 20 March 2020, section 1.1.1) there is no distinction between full-time and part-time study. You need to be enrolled and below the age limit. The obligation ends with the semester in which you turn 30. The former maximum number of subject semesters has not applied since 2020.
We have not seen the wording of the version of 23 December 2025. Check the current version before you take important decisions. The guide PKV bei Teilzeitstudium (in German) explains the switch to private cover in part-time study.
| Item | Value | As of | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full or part time | no difference for the insurance obligation | 20 Mar 2020 | administrative practice | Joint guidance, section 1.1.1 |
| Cap on subject semesters | abolished since 2020 | version of 23 Dec 2025 | administrative practice | Joint guidance |
| Age limit | ends with the semester of the 30th birthday | current law | official | Section 5 SGB V |
| Working student privilege | up to 20 hours a week exempt from health, care and unemployment insurance | circular of 23 Nov 2016 | administrative practice | Joint circular |
| Minimum wage | 13.90 euros in 2026, 14.60 euros in 2027 | 2026 and 2027 | official | MiLoV5 |
| Minijob threshold | 603 euros in 2026, 633 euros in 2027 | 2026 and 2027 | official | Section 8 SGB IV |
When do you stop counting as a student in part-time study?
If you work alongside your studies, the fund assesses whether you still belong to the students by your overall profile (section 1.5.1 of the guidance). The working student privilege serves as a rule of thumb.
- Up to 20 hours a week you stay exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. You are compulsorily insured in the pension scheme.
- Several jobs are added together.
- More hours are possible outside lecture periods. If you work over 20 hours in more than 26 weeks a year, the privilege lapses.
The hours limit comes from the joint circular of 2016. Check later versions before you apply it.
What does health insurance cost in part-time study?
As long as you are covered by the KVdS, the contribution base is 855 euros a month. The 2026 calculation for people without children, with the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, runs as follows.
- Health insurance. 855.00 times 10.22 percent equals 87.38 euros.
- Additional contribution. 855.00 times 2.9 percent equals 24.80 euros.
- Long-term care insurance with the surcharge for people without children. 855.00 times 4.2 percent equals 35.91 euros.
- Total. 148.09 euros a month. With a child it is 142.96 euros.
How much can you work alongside part-time study?
Example with the minimum wage of 13.90 euros (2026).
- Working student with 20 hours. 20 times 13.90 euros equals 278.00 euros a week, times 52 divided by 12 equals 1,204.67 euros a month.
- Pension insurance on that pay. 1,204.67 times 9.3 percent (the employee share of 18.6 percent) equals 112.03 euros.
- Minijob threshold. 603 divided by 13.90 equals 43.38 hours a month, which is about 10 hours a week.
- With the 2027 minimum wage of 14.60 euros and the threshold of 633 euros, the result is 43.36 hours a month.
These are worked examples and not a promise. Your fund decides case by case whether you count as a student.
How to proceed
- Ask your university for a certificate of part-time enrolment and show it to your fund.
- Record the weekly hours of all jobs in writing, including outside lecture periods.
- Tell your fund straight away about changes in working hours or study status.
- Plan your follow-up insurance before the semester of your 30th birthday.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay less for health insurance in part-time study?
No. The contribution base of the KVdS does not depend on the scope of your studies. In 2026 it is 855 euros a month.
Is there a cap on subject semesters in part-time study?
No. The former limit on the number of subject semesters has not applied since 2020.
What happens if I work more than 20 hours?
The exemption as a working student can lapse, and you become compulsorily insured as an employee. The fund judges this on the overall picture.
Does the same apply to a degree alongside a job?
Not necessarily. With a full-time job, insurance as an employee usually takes precedence over student insurance. See Master berufsbegleitend (in German).
Sources
- Joint guidance of the umbrella associations on the KVdS, version of 20 March 2020. Check the current version of 23 December 2025.
- Joint circular on employed students and interns, version of 23 November 2016.
- Section 5 SGB V and section 236 SGB V, Gesetze im Internet, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
- GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 contribution figures, as of 1 Jan 2026.
- BMAS, Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance and Minijob-Zentrale on the 2027 threshold.
Related guides
- Teilzeitstudium: Voraussetzungen, Kosten, Versicherung (in German)
- PKV bei Teilzeitstudium (in German)
- Werkstudent und Krankenversicherung (in German)
- Studieren mit 30 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
For a first look at your situation, use the online check (in German).
