Your career start as a psychotherapist in further training (Weiterbildung) is a step between university and licence (Approbation). In this phase, you often find no fixed collective pay, and conditions differ by institution. This guide explains what is sourced, what to ask before accepting a post, and how health insurance and disability cover apply.
Short answer: No nationwide pay figure for further training as a psychotherapist is stated here, because no checked source exists for one. Pay depends on the institution and the contract, and its funding has been debated for years. If your annual earnings stay below EUR 77,400 (2026 limit), you are compulsorily insured. Last updated: October 2026.
Key points
- After the reform of psychotherapy training, further training is part of the route to the licence.
- Fixed pay is not guaranteed everywhere. Your contract or the job advertisement states what is paid.
- Professional associations such as the BDP have asked for years for reliable funding of further training (statement from June 2023).
- Employees below EUR 77,400 per year (2026) are compulsorily insured. The contribution of 14.6 percent plus the additional rate is shared equally.
- Disability insurance assesses your last job. Ask how the tariff classifies your work during training.
What do you earn during further training?
There is no single figure for further training as a psychotherapist. Whether training posts are paid, and how much, depends on the provider, clinic, outpatient service or institute. Job advertisements show offers from individual institutions, but they are not a salary statistic.
The debate itself shows that funding is not settled. The German Association of Psychologists (BDP) published statements in 2023 on the petition about financing further training (German Association of Psychologists (BDP), statements on the petition about financing further training, June 2023 (in German)). Such positions describe the situation from the association’s point of view. They are not pay data.
| Question before accepting | Why it matters | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Is the training paid? | Decides your income | Contract or advertisement |
| Are you employed or engaged otherwise? | Determines contributions and type of insurance | Employment contract |
| How are supervision and personal therapy organised? | Affects time, costs and workload | Training regulations and contract |
| How long does the post run? | Decides planning and the next step | Fixed-term clause in the contract |
How does further training affect health insurance?
If you are employed, you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance as long as your annual earnings stay below EUR 77,400 (2026). Only above that limit does the exemption in Section 6 of the Social Code Book V (SGB V), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German) apply. Employer and employee split the contribution equally (Section 249 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)).
Assumption: gross salary EUR 3,000 per month, statutory health insurance, childless from age 23, status 2026.
- Health insurance share: 8.75 percent of EUR 3,000 is EUR 262.50.
- Care insurance share: 1.8 percent of EUR 3,000 is EUR 54.00.
- Childless surcharge, paid by you alone: 0.6 percent of EUR 3,000 is EUR 18.00.
- Total: 262.50 plus 54.00 plus 18.00 is EUR 334.50 per month.
Income tax and pension and unemployment insurance are not included. Calculate net pay with the tax and contribution calculator of the German Federal Ministry of Finance (in German). The contribution rates come from the GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German).
Which disability cover suits further training?
Disability insurance pays based on the job you last did (Section 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German), paragraph 2). During training it is unclear whether a tariff already treats the work as that of a psychotherapist or as a training placement. Ask for the job description in writing and check how the insurer applies the referral clause (paragraph 3).
An early application benefits from your current health status. Its contributions start earlier. Waiting keeps you flexible, but an illness in the meantime can make cover harder. Before applying you must disclose pre-existing conditions, otherwise the insurer may reduce benefits (Section 19 VVG, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). For an overview of the start, see Disability insurance for students: costs and start.
What changes after you are licensed?
With the licence, pay, fields of work and social insurance change. Whether you are employed, work in a practice or are self-employed decides your health insurance. Self-employed people in voluntary statutory insurance have a minimum assessment base of EUR 1,318.33 per month (2026). This gives a calculated minimum contribution of EUR 222.80 per month (assumption: reduced rate of 14.0 percent plus additional rate of 2.9 percent, source GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German)).
Frequently asked questions
Do I receive sick pay during further training?
Sick pay depends on your type of insurance. As an employee, your employer continues to pay wages during illness at first. The rules are in the Continued Pay Act (Section 3 of the Continued Pay Act (EFZG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). Ask how this works in your post.
Is further training required for the licence?
After the reform of psychotherapy training, further training is part of the route to the licence. Whether and how this applies to your training path is set by the statute and the licensing regulation. Information comes from the competent state authority and the chamber of psychotherapists in your state.
Can I work alongside further training?
That depends on your training contract and the training institution. Many posts expect fixed working hours. Clarify any other paid work in writing before you start, so there are no conflicts later.
What happens when my post ends?
Fixed-term contracts end on the agreed date. For open-ended contracts, the notice periods in Section 622 of the Civil Code (BGB), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German) apply. A period without an employment contract changes your insurance status, so clarify this early with your health insurer.
Next steps
- Check whether the training post is paid and get the offer in writing.
- Clarify supervision, personal therapy and working hours before you sign.
- Calculate gross pay with the contributions above and check net pay with the official calculator.
- Have the disability tariff explained in relation to your job profile and answer health questions truthfully.
- Plan any change of post with notice periods and health insurance in mind.
For your personal situation, a personal advice from Academycon (in German) can help. The information here does not replace an individual check.
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Sources: German Association of Psychologists (BDP), statements on the petition about financing further training, June 2023 (in German); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution figures, status 1 January 2026 (in German); Section 6 of the Social Code Book V (SGB V), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German); Section 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German); Section 3 of the Continued Pay Act (EFZG), gesetze-im-internet.de (in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
