Check Your Health Insurance After Graduation: Checklist

Student health insurance usually ends when you graduate. If you do not check in time how your cover continues, you risk a gap in your protection. This checklist shows the options, the deadlines and the contributions that apply in 2026 (German terms in brackets where it helps).

Key points at a glance

• Student compulsory insurance ends with de-registration, at the end of the semester.
• With paid employment you are generally compulsorily insured, as long as your income stays below the insurance ceiling (Versicherungspflichtgrenze).
• Voluntary statutory insurance costs at least EUR 222.80 per month in 2026 for health insurance, plus long-term care insurance.
• Family insurance (Familienversicherung) ends when no training remains or when your income exceeds EUR 565 per month.
• You generally have three months to report voluntary membership (section 9 (2) SGB V).

When does student health insurance end?

Compulsory insurance for students depends on the study status. With de-registration, membership ends at the end of the semester (section 190 SGB V, status 2026). If you already work before that, check exactly when your employment ends. Under section 190 (2) SGB V, membership also ends with the end of an employment relationship for pay.

When you move from university into work, there is often an overlap. The rule that applies at the time of your employment then counts. Check it in writing with your fund before you cancel your old membership.

Which options exist after graduation?

Which option fits depends on your income, your family situation and your status. The table lists the main routes.

The health insurance situation at career start has some specific features. An overview is available in our guide on health insurance at career start (in German). For the choice between statutory and private cover, look at the steps after graduation (in German).

Voluntary statutory insurance: what you need to know

Voluntary membership is an option if you are not compulsorily insured. Under section 9 (2) SGB V, joining must be reported within three months. The period starts with the triggering event, for an employment with its start.

Contributions are based on a minimum assessment base. For 2026 it is EUR 1,318.33 per month (GKV-Spitzenverband). Members without an entitlement to sick pay pay the reduced rate of 14.0 percent plus the average additional rate of 2.9 percent. Arithmetically, 1,318.33 times 16.9 percent gives EUR 222.80 for health insurance. Long-term care insurance adds about EUR 47 to 55 per month, depending on whether you have children. The total is EUR 270.26 with a child or EUR 278.17 childless from age 23 (calculated, status 2026).

Family insurance: until when does it apply?

Children are family-insured under section 10 SGB V up to age 25 if they are in school or vocational training. Studying counts the same way. After career start, family insurance generally ends once no training remains. In addition, an income limit of EUR 565 per month applies (status 2026). Anyone who earns more leaves family insurance.

A comparison between family insurance and your own cover is most useful while you are still in training. More details are in our guide on family insurance during studies (in German).

Changing your fund: keep the deadlines in view

If you want to change your fund after graduation, a binding period of twelve months generally applies (section 175 (4) SGB V). Termination takes effect at the end of the second calendar month after notice. An exception applies if the additional rate is raised. Then you can terminate by the end of the month from which the increase applies, and the binding period does not apply.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to arrange insurance straight after graduation?

Yes, as soon as your student membership ends. With employment, your employer registers you for compulsory insurance. If you want to stay voluntarily insured, you must report membership within three months.

Does the insurance ceiling also apply in my first job?

Yes. What counts is your regular annual earnings. The ceiling in 2026 is EUR 77,400 per year or EUR 6,450 per month (status 1 January 2026). If your salary is below it, you are compulsorily insured.

What happens if I become unemployed after graduation?

If you receive unemployment benefit, you are compulsorily insured under section 5 (1) No. 2 SGB V. This applies only while you receive the benefit. Without benefit and without employment, you need another solution, such as voluntary membership.

Is private health insurance after graduation worthwhile?

That depends on whether you are exempt, your age and which benefits matter to you. Private cover can fit, but it does not have to. A personal assessment can help you check the documents, for example through the advice offered by Academycon.

What to do next

1. Note the end of your studies, de-registration and employment dates.
2. Check whether you are compulsorily insured, exempt or family-insured.
3. For voluntary membership, calculate the contribution with the 2026 figures.
4. Report membership on time and cancel the old fund only once the new cover is confirmed.
5. Keep all confirmations so that your cover can be proven.

Related guides

• Health insurance at career start (in German)
• Minimum Contribution Base 2026: Amount and Example
• Family Insurance Income Comparison: When It Ends
• Switching Health Insurer as a Student: Deadlines and Rules
• Health Insurance After Studies Without a Job: Options and Costs

Sources: Section 5 SGB V (in German); Section 190 SGB V (in German); Section 9 SGB V (in German); Section 10 SGB V (in German); Section 175 SGB V (in German); GKV-Spitzenverband fact sheet 2026 (in German).

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.