Becoming a civil servant (Beamter) in North Rhine-Westphalia starts with a medical check of your fitness for the post, usually based on an opinion from a public health doctor (Amtsarzt). This guide explains how the procedure is organised, which state aid (Beihilfe) and trainee allowance (Unterhaltsbeihilfe) apply according to current sources, and which change from 1 August 2026 affects teacher pay.
In short: Before appointment in North Rhine-Westphalia the employer checks your fitness, in practice through a medical opinion. State aid for civil servants on probation without children is 50 percent according to a secondary source. A flat-rate option is reported as unavailable in NRW. During the traineeship a trainee allowance of EUR 1,585.17 applies (status 1 April 2026). Last updated: October 2026.
The key points
- The employer checks your fitness before appointment. The public health doctor’s opinion is the usual route.
- Incomplete answers on the health questionnaire can lead to refusal. A report on jura.cc describes a case from Gelsenkirchen.
- The trainee allowance is EUR 1,585.17 from 1 April 2026 and, according to the ordinance, applies until 28 February 2027.
- From 1 August 2026, the trainee base pay is raised according to LBV NRW because teachers are regrouped under grade A 13. The announcement gives no amounts.
- According to a secondary source, a flat-rate state aid option is not available in North Rhine-Westphalia, so individual billing applies.
What does the public health doctor check in North Rhine-Westphalia?
The public health doctor assesses whether you are medically fit for the demands of the office. Section 9 BeamtStG makes aptitude, qualification and performance the basis for appointment. The statute does not name medical fitness explicitly, but in practice it belongs to the aptitude check.
Honesty in the questionnaire matters here in particular. A report on jura.cc describes a case in which a teacher misled the public health doctor, and the administrative court in Gelsenkirchen confirmed the refusal of civil service status. The jura.cc report shows how seriously the answers are taken.
- The hiring authority invites you to the examination and sends the documents for your answers.
- You complete the health questionnaire fully and name treatments that may matter for the assessment.
- The public health doctor examines you and writes the opinion for the authority.
- The authority decides on the appointment. If it refuses, you can object and have the reasons reviewed.
Which state aid and trainee allowance apply in North Rhine-Westphalia?
State aid is a benefit from the employer and does not replace insurance. For civil servants without children on probation, the secondary source gives 50 percent. During the training period the state also pays a trainee allowance, whose amount is set by the ordinance.
| Item | Value | Date and source |
|---|---|---|
| State aid rate for trainees (no children) | 50 percent | Status 6 November 2025, information sheet of the Münster teacher training centre |
| Flat-rate state aid | not available according to a secondary source | October 2026, deutsche-beamtenversorgung.de |
| Trainee allowance (base amount) | EUR 1,585.17, plus family supplement | 1 April 2026, NRW ordinance, valid until 28 February 2027 |
| Trainee pay, table grade A 13 | EUR 1,793.28 | April 2026, dbb pay table, subject to publication |
Assumption: a medical bill of EUR 400 is fully eligible and your rate is 50 percent. State aid then covers EUR 200, and your tariff or you cover the rest. The trainee allowance is separate and applies during the training period.
According to the announcement of the Landesamt für Besoldung und Versorgung NRW, the trainee base pay rises on 1 August 2026, because teachers in primary and lower secondary schools are regrouped under grade A 13. The announcement names no amounts, so grade values for primary teachers may differ from the table above from August 2026.
How does health insurance work after you become a civil servant?
Civil servants are exempt from statutory health insurance under section 6 subsection 1 no. 2 of Book V of the Social Code (SGB V) if they are entitled to state aid. The supplement therefore comes from a private tariff. The guide on trainee tariffs explains how these tariffs are built.
If you have a pre-existing condition, check the PKV opening offer for civil service starters. A review of your case is possible through Academycon, see https://academycon.de/so-arbeiten-wir/.
How are you protected up to lifetime tenure?
The BeamtStG recognises appointments on probation and for life. State law in North Rhine-Westphalia sets the probation period. If you aim for lifetime tenure, read the conditions in the state civil service act or ask the authority.
Disability insurance can close the gap if health limits your ability to work. The differences from occupational disability insurance are explained in the guide on disability insurance for teachers.
Frequently asked questions
Does a pre-existing condition automatically lead to refusal?
No. The public health doctor decides in each case whether a condition is relevant. What matters is that you state findings completely and ask for the reasons in writing.
Do I have to be privately insured?
Civil servants are exempt from statutory insurance if they are entitled to state aid. Protection therefore consists of state aid plus a private tariff, and trainees often use trainee tariffs.
What is the trainee allowance?
The trainee allowance is paid during the training period. The ordinance currently sets EUR 1,585.17, with later steps on 1 March 2027 and 1 January 2028. According to the ordinance, the family supplement is added.
What changes in August 2026?
According to LBV NRW, the trainee base pay rises on 1 August 2026, because teachers in primary and lower secondary schools move to grade A 13. The announcement does not give the amounts, so check the figures with the authority.
When should I seek advice?
When fitness, tariff and aid are all open at once, a conversation is worthwhile. Advice does not replace the authority’s binding information, but it helps you prepare.
Your next steps
- Ask the hiring authority about the health questionnaire and the timetable of the examination.
- If your start date falls after 1 August 2026, check the new trainee base pay.
- Have the aid form confirmed in writing and compare tariffs.
- Clarify your disability cover before you sign a contract.
Related guides
- State aid in North Rhine-Westphalia: rates, own share and suitable PKV for civil servants
- Traineeship NRW: pay, state aid and health insurance
- Teacher traineeship in North Rhine-Westphalia 2026/27
- PKV trainee tariffs: how the training tariffs work
- Disability insurance for teachers: differences from BU
Sources: Federal Civil Service Status Act (BeamtStG), section 9 (gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed October 2026); Social Code Book V, section 6 (gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed October 2026); NRW ordinance on the trainee allowance, status 1 April 2026 (German); LBV NRW, teacher pay adjustment on 1 August 2026 (German); Münster teacher training centre, information sheet on pay and insurance, 6 November 2025 (German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
