Key facts
- Student compulsory insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30.
- An extension beyond 30 requires a justified application to your fund, which you must renew for each semester.
- If the fund refuses, you can appeal. Without an approved extension, membership continues as voluntary insurance, at considerably higher cost.
Student health insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. An extension beyond 30 is possible only with a justified application to your health insurance fund. The type of training, or family or personal circumstances, must justify going beyond the age limit. The classic example is obtaining university entrance qualifications through the second education pathway. The application applies to one semester at a time, so you must repeat it for as long as you study past 30.
The essentials in brief
- Compulsory student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30.
- Beyond that, you stay insured only if the type of training or family or personal reasons justify the overrun.
- You apply to your fund and give a fresh justification for each semester.
- If the fund refuses, you can object. If the refusal stands, membership continues as voluntary insurance, which costs considerably more.
What is the age limit for student health insurance?
Student compulsory insurance (KVdS) is the statutory compulsory insurance for students enrolled at state or state-recognised universities. Its age limit is set out in § 190 SGB V (in German). Membership ends at the end of the semester in which you complete your 30th year of life. The full picture of compulsory insurance from 30 is explained in the guide on health insurance for students over 30.
| Limit | What applies |
|---|---|
| Age 30 | end of the KVdS at the end of the semester in which you turn 30 |
| 14th subject semester | no longer applies. The current statutory text contains no subject-semester limit, and the Verbraucherzentrale names 2020 as the year it was dropped |
| Extension beyond 30 | only for reasons arising from the type of training or from family or personal circumstances |
What matters is age. For the legal position, see the Verbraucherzentrale overview (in German).
Which grounds justify an extension beyond 30?
The law names two groups of grounds. The first is the type of training. The second is family or personal circumstances. It gives the acquisition of entrance qualifications through the second education pathway as an example. Funds assess all other cases individually.
| Ground | Classification |
|---|---|
| Entrance qualifications acquired through the second education pathway | named in the law as an example |
| Illness | typical case, assessed individually |
| Caring for a relative | typical case, assessed individually |
| Voluntary service | typical case, assessed individually |
| Birth and care of a child | can be a ground, assessed individually |
| Not admitted to the chosen course through the selection process | may be considered, assessed individually |
An important point is the link. The ground should explain why you only start studying after your 30th birthday, or why you are not finished yet. In your application, describe how the ground shifted your course of study.
Which evidence does the fund ask for?
The application needs a written justification and documents that support the ground. Which evidence a fund wants depends on the ground and on the fund. Obvious examples are a medical certificate for illness, proof about the child for a child, certificates of the entrance qualification for the second education pathway, and a confirmation from the placement organisation for a voluntary service.
Ask your fund in advance which documents it accepts, and state the period the ground covers. The more precisely your application links the semester and the cause, the fewer follow-up questions arise.
How do you apply for an extension?
The fund you are insured with as a student is responsible. Proceed as follows:
- Work out in which semester you turn 30, and contact the fund before that semester ends.
- Describe the ground in writing and enclose the evidence.
- Ask for the decision in writing. It sets out the period until which your membership is extended.
- Submit the application with a new justification each semester for as long as you study past 30.
Contact your fund early, so that no gap arises between the end of compulsory insurance and the decision. Which deadlines your fund sets, the fund will tell you.
How long does the extension last?
If an extension is granted, membership ends only when the extension period expires, always at the end of a semester. The fund sets the period to match your ground. Expect to have to justify it again for each further semester.
What applies to a change of course and a second degree?
Changing your course does not move the age limit. If you change university, your insurance status is assessed and reported again. Whether a change justifies going beyond 30 depends on the reason. One case that may apply is someone who did not get a place in the chosen subject in the selection process and therefore first studied something else. The article on health insurance when changing course (in German) describes the cover around a change.
In a second degree, compulsory insurance also applies to supplementary and extension degrees. The limit remains age 30, and an extension is possible only for reasons that prevent you from finishing. The private side of the topic is covered in the article on a second degree and health insurance (in German).
Example (fictional): Maja studies biology and changes to psychology after her sixth subject semester, because she did not get a place there in the selection process at first. In May 2027, she turns 30, and the summer semester 2027 is running. Without an application, her student insurance ends at the end of that semester. If she applies beforehand and the fund accepts the ground, she stays in the KVdS. For the next semester, she must justify the application again.
What happens if the fund refuses the extension?
You can object to the notice. The deadline and form are set out in the notice itself, in the statement of legal remedies. Submit the objection in writing and add evidence that was missing from the first application.
If the refusal stands, you still have insurance cover. Follow-on insurance is the voluntary continuation of your membership after the end of the KVdS. It applies as long as you do not terminate within two weeks of the fund’s notice, and termination takes effect only with proof of other cover. It is considerably more expensive than student insurance.
| Insurance | Contribution for health and nursing care per month |
|---|---|
| KVdS, childless from 23, average supplementary contribution of 2.9% | about €148 |
| Voluntary member, minimum contribution, childless from 23, rate 14.0% plus supplementary contribution of 2.9% | €278.17 |
Both figures are worked examples. The minimum contribution for voluntary insurance is based on a minimum assessment base of €1,318.33 per month, plus nursing care insurance of €55.37. The supplementary contribution of your fund shifts both figures. The difference is about €130 per month. The minimum contribution requires that you prove your income. Without proof, the fund may calculate with the ceiling, which means the highest contribution. With a BAföG supplement from age 30, self-paying students receive €185 for health insurance and €48 for nursing care.
For anyone considering private insurance, note that student tariffs usually target young first-time insured people and may no longer be available to you later. Your options beyond 30 are described in the article on private health insurance for students over 30 (in German). A switch to private insurance is a long-term decision that you should weigh carefully beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
When can student health insurance be extended beyond 30?
When the type of training, or family or personal circumstances, justify going beyond the limit. For example, you acquired your entrance qualifications through the second education pathway. You must submit the application to your health insurance fund, which decides on a case-by-case basis and sets the period of the extension.
Which evidence does the health insurance fund require?
A written justification and documents that support the ground, such as a medical certificate in cases of illness. The exact list depends on the ground and the fund. Call your fund before you apply and ask which documents it wants to see. Keep copies, because you need the evidence again for each semester.
What counts as a valid ground for the age limit?
Grounds from the type of training, or from family and personal circumstances. The second education pathway is named in the law. Illness, caring for a relative, a voluntary service or a child are cases that funds cite. There is no automatic right to recognition. The fund checks the connection with your course of study.
Does the extension still apply after the 14th subject semester?
The limit of 14 subject semesters no longer exists. The current statutory text does not contain it, and the Verbraucherzentrale names 2020 as the year it was dropped. For student insurance, the age limit of 30 counts. Anyone who exceeds it needs a ground for extension, regardless of which subject semester they are in.
What if the fund refuses the extension?
Object to the decision. The deadline and form are in the notice. Supply missing evidence. If the refusal stands, membership continues as voluntary statutory insurance. You can terminate it within two weeks of the fund’s notice, but termination takes effect only with proof of other cover. Clarify in advance what contribution applies to you.
What to do now
- Note the semester in which you turn 30, and the date on which it ends.
- Assign your ground to one of the groups named above, and gather the evidence for it.
- Call your fund, ask which documents it wants, and file the application before the semester ends.
- If the application is refused, plan for the additional cost of voluntary insurance.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage (in German). An overview of the whole topic is in the guide on health insurance for students (in German).
Related guides
- Health insurance for students in Germany
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- Health insurance for students in the EU: EHIC and more
- Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z
- German original (in German)
Information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.
