Becoming self-employed after your studies means you have to arrange your health insurance yourself. Your student health insurance (studentische Krankenversicherung) ends with your studies, and family insurance (Familienversicherung) generally stops once you work self-employed on a full-time basis. This guide explains your options, what they cost in 2026 and which deadlines matter.
Short answer: After your studies you are usually voluntarily insured with a statutory health insurer (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) or privately insured (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) as a self-employed person. In the GKV the minimum contribution for health and long-term care insurance in 2026 is 270.26 euros per month without the childless surcharge (last updated January 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband). Family insurance ends once you are self-employed full time.
The Most Important Points at a Glance
- Student health insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you are deregistered or turn 30 (§ 5 SGB V, German law).
- Health insurance is compulsory for everyone with a residence in Germany, whether employed or self-employed (§ 193 para. 3 VVG).
- The GKV minimum contribution for voluntary members in 2026 is 270.26 euros per month for health and long-term care insurance, or 278.17 euros with the childless surcharge (January 2026).
- Whether you must join the statutory pension insurance (Rentenversicherung) depends on your occupation (§ 2 SGB VI). There is no general obligation for all self-employed people.
- If your compulsory membership ends, you must notify the voluntary membership within three months (§ 9 para. 2 SGB V).
- As a self-employed person you can generally choose private insurance, but you need an application and a health check.
When Does Student Health Insurance End?
As a student you are compulsorily insured until you are deregistered or reach the age limit. Membership ends at the end of the semester in which this happens (joint circular of the German health insurance associations). If you start self-employment straight after graduating, plan the transition early. A gap is not permitted, because everyone with a residence in Germany must have health insurance. The details of the handover from studies to work are explained in our guide on health insurance after studies without a job.
Which Health Insurance Suits Self-Employment After Your Studies?
Self-employed people have two routes. Both come with advantages and drawbacks, which weigh differently depending on your income, your health and your plans.
| Feature | Voluntary GKV | Private insurance (PKV) |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution | Based on your income, with a minimum contribution base | Based on tariff, age and health, not on income |
| Admission | Joining needs no health check | Health check; surcharges or exclusions are possible |
| Family members | Family insurance is only possible if you are not self-employed full time | Each person needs a separate contract |
| Sick pay | Generally not included with voluntary membership | Depends on the tariff |
| Changing later | Switching to the PKV later is only possible under conditions | Returning to the GKV is only possible under strict conditions |
What Does Voluntary GKV Cost? A Worked Example
For voluntary members the contribution follows your income, but never falls below a minimum contribution base. For 2026 this base is 1,318.33 euros per month, one third of the reference income (Bezugsgröße) of 3,955 euros (GKV-Spitzenverband, last updated January 2026). Assumption for this example: your profit is below this threshold, you are 27 years old, have no children and no entitlement to sick pay.
- Minimum contribution base: 3,955 euros divided by 3 gives 1,318.33 euros.
- Health insurance: 1,318.33 euros times (14.0 + 2.9) percent gives 222.80 euros. The reduced rate of 14.0 percent applies without a sick pay entitlement (§ 243 SGB V).
- Long-term care insurance: 1,318.33 euros times 3.6 percent gives 47.46 euros. From the month after your 23rd birthday, childless members pay a surcharge of 0.6 points: 1,318.33 euros times 4.2 percent gives 55.37 euros.
- Total without the childless surcharge: 222.80 + 47.46 = 270.26 euros. With the surcharge: 222.80 + 55.37 = 278.17 euros.
The average additional contribution of 2.9 percent is a nationwide figure (Federal Ministry of Health, last updated September 2026). Your sickness fund can charge a different rate, so check the actual figure. The reference income for 2027 is so far only a draft ordinance, so the 2027 values are not yet binding.
Do I Have to Pay Pension Insurance as a Self-Employed Person?
Not every self-employed person is compulsorily insured in the statutory pension insurance. The duty only applies to certain groups, for example teachers and educators who employ no insured staff, midwives, artists and publicists within the artists’ social insurance scheme (Künstlersozialversicherung), craftspeople registered in the trade register (Handwerksrolle), and people who work mainly for a single client (§ 2 SGB VI). If you do not fall into one of these groups, you can join voluntarily or provide for your old age in other ways. The German Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) decides on individual cases.
Which Deadlines Do I Need to Watch?
Deadlines decide whether your cover stays seamless. Joining the voluntary statutory scheme must be notified within three months after your compulsory membership ends (§ 9 para. 2 SGB V). You qualify if you were insured without interruption for at least twelve months immediately before leaving, or for at least 24 months within the previous five years (§ 9 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V). If you were insured without interruption as a student, you usually meet this requirement. Your sickness fund will check the exact calculation.
Private insurance works differently. The contract starts with your application and the health check. Plan the start date so that it follows on directly from your current cover. You can find more about switching in our guide on private insurance at career start (in German).
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I obliged to have health insurance as a self-employed person?
Yes. Everyone with a residence in Germany must take out and maintain health insurance that covers at least treatment costs (§ 193 para. 3 VVG). This applies equally to employees and self-employed people. You can meet the obligation either through the GKV or the PKV.
Do I have to pay the minimum contribution if I earn little?
In the GKV a minimum contribution base applies. If your profit falls below it, the sickness fund still calculates with that value. The contribution is then about 270 euros per month for health and long-term care insurance (January 2026). Whether private insurance is cheaper or more expensive in your case depends on tariff, age and health.
Can I switch to private insurance after my studies?
As a self-employed person you can generally choose private insurance. You submit an application and go through a health check. The insurer may impose surcharges or exclusions. Returning to the GKV later is only possible under certain conditions, so think the decision through carefully.
What happens to family insurance?
Family insurance ends once you work self-employed full time. Whether you can still be covered as a family member depends on how your work is classified. The sickness fund decides this on a case-by-case basis.
Does the childless surcharge also apply to self-employed people?
Yes. In long-term care insurance, childless members pay a surcharge of 0.6 contribution points from the month after they turn 23. The total contribution for childless members is therefore 4.2 percent (Federal Ministry of Health, last updated September 2026). A rise of the surcharge to 0.7 points is planned for 2027, but it has not yet been adopted.
What to Do Next
- Set your end date: the end of the semester in which you are deregistered or reach the age limit, whichever comes first.
- Estimate your profit for the first year realistically. It determines the GKV contribution once it exceeds the minimum contribution base.
- Compare the GKV minimum contribution with a private offer, including tariff conditions, the health check and how contributions develop with age.
- If you choose the GKV, notify the voluntary membership within three months.
- Clarify whether your occupation makes you subject to pension insurance with the German Pension Insurance. For a personal assessment you can also seek advice, as explained at academycon (in German).
Related Reading
- Health Insurance After Studies Without a Job: Options and Costs
- Student Health Insurance in Germany 2026: Key Figures
- Voluntary Health Insurance Germany: Rates 2026
- Student Family Insurance 2026: Income Limits and Age
- Self-Employed During Your Studies: Trade, Taxes and Health Insurance (in German)
Sources: § 5 SGB V, compulsory membership of students (accessed October 2026), § 9 SGB V, voluntary membership (accessed October 2026), § 2 SGB VI, compulsory pension insurance of self-employed people (accessed October 2026), § 193 VVG, duty to hold health insurance (accessed October 2026), GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 reference values (status 1 January 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
