If you are doing a doctorate in medicine in Germany, two questions usually come first: how the years of research are financed, and which health insurance applies during them. The two are closely linked, because the type of funding often decides your insurance status. This guide sets out the funding routes, the rules in the Social Code and the points to clarify with your faculty and your health insurer.
Short answer: A medical doctorate (Dr. med.) is usually financed through a post, a scholarship or a combination of both. Paid employment below the annual earnings threshold of 77,400 euros (2026) normally brings compulsory insurance (§ 5 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V). Employer and employee each pay half of the contributions. With a scholarship, the insurance depends on the individual case. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- A post with paid employment normally leads to compulsory insurance as an employee.
- With a scholarship, the contract, your enrolment and your health insurer decide your insurance status.
- The length of a doctorate follows the doctoral regulations (Promotionsordnung) of your faculty, not a fixed number.
- Even with a post, employer and employee share the contributions (§ 249 SGB V).
- In long-term care insurance, members without children pay a surcharge from age 23.
How many people do a doctorate in Germany?
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) counted around 216,200 doctoral candidates for 2025. In the 2025 examination year, about 28,800 doctorates were completed. These figures show the overall picture but say nothing about your faculty or subject.
| Figure | Value | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctoral candidates in total | 216,200 people | 2025 | Destatis press release, August 2026 |
| Completed doctorates | 28,800 | Examination year 2025 | Destatis press release, October 2026 |
| Share with a foreign nationality | 25 percent (54,200 people) | 2025 | Destatis press release, August 2026 |
Which funding routes exist?
Funding also decides which insurance applies. The three most common routes are a post, a scholarship and self-financing through a part-time job. The table compares them.
| Route | Insurance framework | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Post with an employment contract | Normally compulsory insurance as an employee if pay is below the threshold (§ 5 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V) | Scope of the post, contract term and pay |
| Scholarship | Depends on the scholarship provider, your enrolment and the individual case | Whether you stay enrolled and which insurer is responsible |
| Part-time job alongside the doctorate | For students, a limit of 20 hours a week applies during lecture periods | Whether this limit applies to you; ask your insurer |
Which health insurance applies to a post?
With a post and paid employment, you are compulsorily insured as an employee (§ 5 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V). The threshold is 77,400 euros a year in 2026, which is 6,450 euros a month (GKV-Spitzenverband, as of 1 January 2026). If your regular earnings are above it, you are exempt from compulsory insurance (§ 6 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V).
Employer and employee each pay half of the contributions (§ 249 SGB V). The following example shows the order of magnitude.
Worked example. Assumption: gross pay of 2,000 euros a month, health insurance contribution of 14.6 percent plus an additional contribution of 2.9 percent, so 17.5 percent in total. The total contribution is then 350 euros a month, and your share is 175 euros. Long-term care insurance is not included. The example shows the logic; your payslip shows the exact amounts.
Which health insurance applies to a scholarship?
A scholarship is not an employment contract. Whether it leads to compulsory insurance depends on how the scholarship is structured and on whether you are enrolled at the university. The health insurer decides on the individual case. An overview of the constellations is in the guide Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany.
If you are enrolled and not yet 30, the student scheme can apply (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V). Whether the doctorate counts as study for this purpose, and whether other insurance takes priority, is best clarified with your health insurer.
How long does a doctorate take?
There is no fixed number. The length depends on the doctoral regulations of your faculty, on the research project and on your working conditions. The regulations are binding and are available from the dean’s office or on the faculty website.
Plan the funding for the whole period, not just the start. That way you see early whether the contract, the scholarship or the funds cover the full term.
What should you clarify with the faculty and your insurer?
- Am I enrolled at the university, and which duties come with that?
- Is my contract an employment contract with pay, or a scholarship?
- How high is my regular pay compared with the annual earnings threshold?
- Is there a part-time job that affects my insurance?
- Which long-term care contributions apply, including the childless surcharge from age 23?
What role does long-term care insurance play?
With a post, the general long-term care rate of 3.6 percent applies. Members without children pay a surcharge of 0.6 contribution-rate points from the month after they turn 23 (Federal Ministry of Health, as of 14 September 2026, in German). Amounts and exemptions are explained in Long-term care insurance for students: childless surcharge.
When might private cover be an option?
If you are not compulsorily insured, for example because your pay is above the threshold, you can take voluntary statutory or private cover. Both routes have advantages and disadvantages that depend on income, family and health. A comparison before you decide makes sense. Academycon offers a personal assessment: https://academycon.de/so-arbeiten-wir/ (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be enrolled for the doctorate?
Whether enrolment is required is set by the doctoral regulations of your faculty. For health insurance, enrolment has its own role, because student cover is linked to it (§ 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V).
Does student insurance continue if I take up a post?
Not automatically. Paid employment takes priority over student cover once its conditions are met (§ 5 para. 7 SGB V). Ask your health insurer to confirm your status before the contract starts.
What happens after the doctorate?
Membership as an employee ends on the day the paid employment ends (§ 190 para. 2 SGB V). After that, cover is arranged again, for example through a new post, family insurance or voluntary insurance. Clarify this before the post ends.
Who advises me on the rules of my university?
The faculty and the doctoral office advise on deadlines, procedures and enrolment. For questions about your insurance status, your health insurer is the right contact. Ask for the answer in writing.
What to do now
- Check whether your contract is an employment contract with pay or a scholarship.
- Compare your regular pay with the annual earnings threshold of 77,400 euros (2026).
- Ask your health insurer about your insurance status before you sign the contract.
- Clarify with the faculty which doctoral regulations apply and whether enrolment is required.
Related guides
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements
- Studentische Krankenversicherung endet: Übergang in den Job
Sources: Destatis, press release on doctoral candidates 2025 (August 2026, in German); Destatis, press release on doctorates 2025 (October 2026, in German); Social Code Book V, § 5 (accessed October 2026, in German); Social Code Book V, § 249 (accessed October 2026, in German); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation variables 2026 (as of 1 January 2026, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
