The health and care insurance supplement (Kranken- und Pflegeversicherungszuschlag) in BAföG is meant to cover part of the contributions you pay as a student yourself. Its amount depends on how and where you are insured. This guide sets out the amounts under § 13a BAföG, the differences between statutory and private insurance, and the planned adjustment.
Short answer: If you are compulsorily insured under the statutory scheme, BAföG adds 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance (§ 13a para. 1 BAföG). Voluntary members receive up to 185 and 48 euros (para. 2). Under private insurance, the health insurance supplement is capped at 102 euros, and with limited benefits at the proven contribution (para. 3). Status: October 2026.
Key points
- The amount depends on the type of insurance, not on your income.
- Compulsorily insured students in the statutory scheme receive 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance.
- Voluntary members receive up to 185 and 48 euros (§ 13a para. 2 BAföG).
- Under private insurance, the health insurance supplement is capped at 102 euros. With limited benefits, the proven contribution counts.
- The government draft of the BAföG reform provides for higher supplements from April 2027. This is not yet law.
Which amounts apply to which insurance?
The supplement depends on the type of insurance and is therefore not the same for everyone. The table shows the amounts under current law, status October 2026.
| Type of insurance | Health insurance | Long-term care insurance | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsorily insured under the statutory scheme, for example the student health insurance (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V) | 102 euros | 35 euros | § 13a para. 1 BAföG |
| Voluntary members or members under § 5 para. 1 no. 13 SGB V | up to 185 euros | up to 48 euros | § 13a para. 2 BAföG |
| Privately insured | up to 102 euros, with limited benefits at most the proven contribution | 35 euros | § 13a para. 3 BAföG |
Status: October 2026. Amounts are monthly. Your insurer or health fund confirms which type of insurance applies to you.
When is there no separate supplement?
The supplement is tied to your own health insurance contribution. The wording of § 13a para. 1 BAföG refers to the health insurance contribution of the trainee. Anyone who is covered as a family member under their parents pays no contribution of their own and therefore receives no supplement of this kind.
Which type of insurance applies to you follows from your personal situation, not only from the choice of health fund. The supplement is not a refund for every contribution. It follows the amounts set in law and, under private insurance, the proof of contributions.
Worked example: how the supplement affects the requirement
Assumption: you study at a university, live away from home and are compulsorily insured. Your maximum requirement then consists of 475 euros basic requirement, 380 euros housing allowance, 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance. That makes 992 euros per month, before income and assets are counted.
| Assumption: university, living away from home | Supplements for health and care insurance | Maximum requirement before counting |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsorily insured | 102 and 35 euros | 992 euros |
| Voluntary members (maximum amounts) | 185 and 48 euros | 1,088 euros |
| Privately insured (maximum amounts) | 102 and 35 euros | 992 euros |
The maximum amounts match the figures of the Studierendenwerke (FAQ on BAföG, status January 2026). A maximum is an upper limit and is not paid automatically. The actual grant follows only after income and assets have been counted.
What does the BAföG reform change?
The government bill for the 30th BAföG amendment (Bundestag printed paper 21/8405, status 7 October 2026) provides for gradually higher supplements. For statutory health insurance, the planned increase is from 102 to 121 euros from 1 April 2027, then 124 euros from 1 August 2027 and 132 euros from 1 April 2029. The long-term care amount is to rise from 35 to 43 euros. For voluntary members, the health insurance amount is to rise from 185 to 223 euros, and the long-term care amount from 48 to 56 euros.
This is a draft and nothing in it is law. Current funding periods usually receive higher rates only in the next funding period.
How to check your entitlement
- Clarify which type of insurance you have: compulsory statutory, voluntary, private, or family insurance.
- Have your health fund or insurer confirm the type of insurance before you file the application.
- If you are privately insured, keep the proof of contributions. It counts if your benefits are limited.
- State the details fully in the application and ask the responsible office if you are unsure.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the supplement if I am covered as a family member?
According to the wording of § 13a para. 1 BAföG, the supplement relates to your own health insurance contribution. Family members have no such contribution and therefore receive no supplement of this kind.
How does the supplement work with private health insurance?
Under § 13a para. 3 BAföG, the health insurance supplement is at most 102 euros. If the benefits are limited to a share of the eligible costs, the proven contribution counts instead, but at most 102 euros. Private long-term care insurance adds 35 euros. Check with your insurer whether your tariff meets these conditions.
Does the supplement also apply to long-term care insurance alone?
The care component is linked to the long-term care insurance named in paragraphs 1 to 3. For compulsory members it is 35 euros, for voluntary members up to 48 euros. Without proof of long-term care insurance, no corresponding amount is paid.
What if I change my type of insurance during funding?
Your case then falls under a different paragraph of § 13a BAföG, and the supplement follows the new type of insurance. Report the change to the responsible office so the requirement is calculated correctly. The office decides in your individual case from when the change takes effect.
Will the amounts change soon?
According to the draft, yes, in stages from April 2027. Until a law is promulgated, today’s amounts apply. An overview of the reform is available in the guide to the BAföG reform 2027 (in German).
Related guides
- BAföG-Zuschlag zur Krankenversicherung: glossary entry (in German)
- BAföG-Zuschuss zur Krankenversicherung (in German)
- Studentische Krankenversicherung: PKV oder GKV (in German)
- Student Health Insurance in Germany 2026: Key Figures
- Student Health Insurance Costs by Age in Germany
If you want to know which figures apply to your tariff and situation, you can get personal advice from Academycon: how we work (in German). Student health insurance depends on the individual case, so this guide gives no general recommendation for a type of insurance.
Sources: § 13a BAföG, supplement for health and long-term care insurance (German law text) (status: October 2026); Draft bill, 30th BAföG amendment, Bundestag printed paper 21/8405 (status: 7 October 2026); Studierendenwerke, FAQ on BAföG (German) (status: January 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
