If you start or continue a doctorate at 30 or older, your health insurance works differently from that of students. Student compulsory insurance is designed for the period up to the completion of the 30th year of life. After that, it depends on whether you hold a doctoral post, a scholarship or your own funds. This guide explains the routes, the 2026 contributions and the points to check before you decide.
Short answer: Under section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V, student compulsory insurance applies at most until the completion of the 30th year of life. With a doctoral post subject to social insurance, you are insured as an employee. With a scholarship, voluntary statutory insurance, family insurance or private insurance remain. In 2026, voluntary statutory cover with long-term care insurance costs at least about 278 euros per month without a child from age 23.
The most important points at a glance
- Under section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V, student compulsory insurance is limited to the period up to age 30. You then need another solution.
- A doctoral post usually makes you compulsorily insured as an employee. Whether exemption applies depends on your annual pay.
- With a scholarship, voluntary statutory insurance, family insurance or private insurance come into consideration.
- The compulsory insurance threshold is 77,400 euros per year in 2026. Full-time posts from step 5 of TV-L grade E 13 can be above it.
- Many funding programmes set their own age limits. Check them before you choose a scholarship.
What ends at 30, and what does not?
Student health insurance applies under section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V at most until the completion of the 30th year of life. A doctorate pursued after that point does not mean you are left without cover. The real question is which insurance takes its place. That depends on the type of funding: a post, a scholarship or your own means.
The difference matters because it changes contributions, the employer share and the choice of insurer. An overview of health insurance during a doctorate with enrolment is in the guide Krankenversicherung als Doktorand: Immatrikulation, Stelle oder Stipendium (in German).
Option 1: a doctoral post with social insurance
A post at a university is usually employment subject to social insurance. Your employer and you then pay the health insurance contribution together. Steps and amounts for grade E 13 are explained in the guide Doktorand Gehalt 2026: TV-L E 13, Stufen und Teilzeit (in German).
With higher annual pay, exemption from compulsory insurance can apply. The compulsory insurance threshold for 2026 is 6,450 euros per month or 77,400 euros per year (source: GKV-Spitzenverband). Worked example (assumption: full time in grade E 13, twelve monthly salaries, no special payment): step 4 at 5,874 euros gives 70,488 euros per year and stays below. Step 5 at 6,574 euros gives 78,888 euros and step 6 at 6,765 euros gives 81,180 euros, both above. Your health insurer decides in each case whether exemption applies, including special payments.
Part-time pay lowers the annual figure accordingly and usually stays below the threshold.
Option 2: a scholarship and voluntary insurance
A scholarship is not earned income. If you only receive a scholarship and have no paid job, you are not compulsorily insured as an employee. Voluntary statutory insurance is then an option. The minimum contribution for health insurance in 2026 is 222.80 euros per month. With long-term care insurance and no child from age 23, the total is 278.17 euros (assumption: average supplementary contribution of 2.9 percent; source: GKV-Spitzenverband).
Many scholarship providers pay a contribution towards health insurance. Check the funding conditions before you choose an insurer. The guide Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany covers the details.
Option 3: family insurance and private cover
Family insurance through a spouse is possible under section 10 SGB V if your income stays within the limit. The limit for 2026 is 565 euros per month. A post with higher pay usually rules it out, while for a pure scholarship your insurer decides case by case.
Private cover fits if you value particular benefits and are in good health. Premiums depend on age, tariff and health information. A return to statutory insurance is tied to conditions, for example to income. A personal conversation can clarify the situation: Academycon explains how personal advice works (in German).
Funding after 30: post, scholarship or own means
Funding also shapes which insurance fits. A post brings social insurance contributions, but also working time and fixed-term conditions. A scholarship is more flexible but does not bring compulsory insurance as an employee and often no employer share. Own means require a clear financial plan that covers rent, insurance and living costs.
Many funding programmes set age limits. Check them in the call before you invest time in an application. An overview of routes and costs is in the guide Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Am I left without health insurance after 30?
No. There is always an insurance, but its type changes. With a post you are compulsorily insured or exempt, while with a scholarship voluntary statutory insurance, family insurance or private cover come into consideration. You cannot stay without cover.
What does voluntary insurance cost from age 30?
The minimum contribution for health insurance in 2026 is 222.80 euros per month. With long-term care insurance, the total is roughly 270 to 278 euros, depending on whether you have a child. The actual amount depends on your insurer’s supplementary contribution.
Can I become exempt with a post?
Yes, if your annual pay exceeds the compulsory insurance threshold. Your health insurer checks this, including special payments. Then compare statutory and private cover with the same benefits.
Does family insurance apply during a doctorate?
It can apply if you are married to a statutorily insured spouse and do not exceed the income limit. Section 10 SGB V sets out the details.
What to do now
- Clarify whether you will be insured as an employee or as a scholarship holder.
- Calculate your annual pay including special payments and compare it with the threshold.
- Compare voluntary statutory insurance, family insurance and private cover on the same basis.
- Have the decision confirmed in writing by your health insurer before you change cover.
Related guides
- Health Insurance for Students Over 30 in Germany
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Doktorand Gehalt 2026: TV-L E 13, Stufen und Teilzeit
Sources: Section 5(1) no. 9 SGB V (accessed October 2026, in German); Section 6 SGB V, compulsory insurance threshold (in German); Section 10 SGB V, family insurance (in German); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 reference values.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
