Short answer
As a civil servant on probation (Beamter auf Widerruf), for example in teacher training, you are not compulsorily insured, but you can voluntarily remain in statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV). You pay the health and long-term care contributions alone. A subsidy is only available through flat-rate aid (pauschale Beihilfe) in some federal states. Legal trainees in a training relationship (Ausbildungsverhältnis), by contrast, are compulsorily insured, and their contributions are deducted from their salary.
| Key fact | Value | Status and source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum assessment for voluntary members | 1,318.33 € per month | GKV-Spitzenverband, 1.1.2026 |
| Contribution rate without entitlement to sickness benefit | 14.0% plus additional contribution (average 2.9%) | § 243 SGB V, BMG, 2026 |
| Long-term care insurance | 3.6%, 4.2% for childless people from age 23 | BMG, 2026 |
| Flat-rate aid | 50% of the health insurance contribution, only in some federal states | § 3 No. 62 EStG |
| Contribution assessment ceiling | 5,812.50 € per month | GKV-Spitzenverband, 1.1.2026 |
Can I stay in statutory health insurance as a trainee teacher?
Yes, as a voluntary member, if you have been appointed as a civil servant on probation and meet the requirements. Your appointment notice shows which case applies to you. Trainee civil servants are generally civil servants on probation, and this usually also applies to trainee teachers. Legal trainees are, depending on the federal state, either civil servants on probation or in a public-law training relationship.
| Status | Statutory health insurance | Flat-rate aid |
|---|---|---|
| Trainee teacher as a civil servant on probation | Not compulsorily insured, voluntary insurance possible | Yes |
| Legal trainee as a civil servant on probation | Not compulsorily insured, voluntary insurance possible | Yes |
| Legal trainee in a training relationship | Compulsorily insured under § 5 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB V, contributions from salary | No |
If you move straight from your degree into teacher training, you usually stay with your current health insurer. If your student insurance ends, membership continues as voluntary insurance (§ 188 Para. 4 SGB V), provided no other cover applies. If you want to newly join statutory health insurance, you generally need a prior insurance period of 24 months within the last five years, or 12 months immediately before. How the period before starting work is handled is explained in the article Between the state exam and the trainee period (in German).
An overview of all ways to be insured can be found in the guide Health insurance during the trainee period (in German). The article Teaching: insurance from studies to the trainee period (in German) describes how cover works in teacher training from university to starting work.
What does statutory health insurance cost during the trainee period?
The contribution is a percentage of your contribution-liable income, but at least based on 1,318.33 euros per month. For members without entitlement to sickness benefit, the reduced rate of 14.0 percent applies (§ 243 SGB V), otherwise 14.6 percent. Your insurer confirms whether the reduced rate applies to you. On top of this comes your insurer’s additional contribution, averaging 2.9 percent. Among the 91 insurers in the 2026 insurer list of the GKV-Spitzenverband, it ranges from 2.18 to 4.39 percent (status 16 October 2026). Long-term care insurance costs 3.6 percent, or 4.2 percent for childless people from age 23. You pay it alone.
If your income is below the minimum assessment, the insurer still calculates with 1,318.33 euros. Above that, it assesses the contribution on your total economic ability to pay, so income beyond your allowances can also count. If you do not submit proof of your income, the insurer calculates with the contribution assessment ceiling of 5,812.50 euros per month, meaning the maximum contribution. If you submit proof later, a new calculation follows; your insurer will tell you from when it applies.
Calculation example with trainee pay from Lower Saxony
The state of Lower Saxony lists a basic trainee allowance for teacher trainees from 1 April 2026 of 1,722.66 euros (primary schools, secondary modern and intermediate schools, special education) and 1,761.92 euros (grammar schools, vocational schools). As an assumption, the amount for grammar schools is used, without family supplement and special payments, childless, from age 23, without entitlement to sickness benefit.
- Assessment basis: 1,761.92 € per month.
- Health insurance: 1,761.92 € times 14.0 percent equals 246.67 €.
- Additional contribution: 1,761.92 € times 2.9 percent equals 51.10 €. Health insurance in total 297.77 €.
- Long-term care insurance: 1,761.92 € times 4.2 percent equals 74.00 €.
- Total: 371.77 € per month. With a child, long-term care insurance is calculated at 3.6 percent, i.e. 63.43 €.
- For the amount of 1,722.66 € (primary school) it is 241.17 € plus 49.96 € plus 72.35 € equals 363.48 €.
Two comparison cases at the minimum assessment and 1,600 euros
For orientation at the lower end: case A is at the minimum assessment of 1,318.33 €, case B assumes monthly income of 1,600 €. Both cases use the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent and a childless person from age 23.
| Item | Case A: 1,318.33 € | Case B: 1,600 € (assumption) |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance, 14.0 percent | 184.57 € | 224.00 € |
| Additional contribution, 2.9 percent | 38.23 € | 46.40 € |
| Long-term care insurance, 4.2 percent | 55.37 € | 67.20 € |
| Total per month | 278.17 € | 337.60 € |
| Flat-rate aid, 50 percent of health insurance and additional contribution | 111.40 € | 135.20 € |
| Own share after flat-rate aid | 166.77 € | 202.40 € |
The last two rows only apply if your federal state offers flat-rate aid and you have chosen it. With a child, the long-term care contribution falls to 3.6 percent, which would be 47.46 € in case A. The values change with the range of additional contributions. The table is a calculation aid; your insurer determines the actual contribution. The calculator on the article Contribution after your studies (in German) shows further constellations.
Is there a subsidy for trainee teachers in statutory health insurance?
There is no employer contribution like the one for employees for civil servants. A subsidy is only available through flat-rate aid, which some federal states offer. It amounts to 50 percent of the health insurance contribution including the additional contribution, is tax-free (§ 3 No. 62 EStG) and does not apply to long-term care insurance. The requirement is the permanent waiver of individual aid. The application only takes effect for the future, and if you change employer across a state border, the entitlement may lapse.
The table below shows where this additionally applies, as of October 2026. Whether trainees can choose flat-rate aid is decided by each federal state. The years and the list of states come from the information sheets of the states named, and individual states change their rules, so the final word rests with your aid office.
| State | Flat-rate aid since | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 2023 | Ask the state aid office whether trainees can choose it |
| Berlin | 2020 | Information sheet status 09.2025 |
| Brandenburg | 2020 | Trainees can choose; the decision is considered irrevocable and can be newly made once with the start of the probationary civil servant relationship (information sheet status March 2021) |
| Bremen | 2020 | Ask the state aid office whether trainees can choose it |
| Hamburg | 1 August 2018 | Waiver of supplementary aid for hearing aids, glasses, dental services under the GOZ, implants and treatment abroad (leaflet status January 2024) |
| Lower Saxony | 1 February 2024 | Ask the state aid office whether trainees can choose it |
| Thuringia | 2020 | Ask the state aid office whether trainees can choose it |
The federal government and Bavaria, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland do not offer it, and North Rhine-Westphalia has not introduced it so far. For the other states, their own rules apply, which can change. The assessment rates, the application and the background are described in the article Aid during the trainee period: entitlement, assessment rate and application (in German).
Calculation example with flat-rate aid
Suppose your state offers it and you have chosen it. In the example above, the health insurance contribution is 297.77 euros.
- Flat-rate aid: 50 percent of 297.77 € equals 148.89 €.
- Long-term care insurance without subsidy: 74.00 €.
- Own share: 371.77 € minus 148.89 € equals 222.88 € per month.
This is a pure calculation example. Whether it applies to you and in what amount is determined by your aid office.
Is a legal trainee compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance?
Within a training relationship, yes. You are compulsorily insured under statutory health insurance under § 5 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB V, the contributions are deducted from your salary, there is no entitlement to aid, and you have no choice. As a civil servant on probation, the same rules apply as for trainee teachers: you insure yourself, voluntarily in statutory insurance or privately. Whether your state provides for a civil servant relationship or a training relationship is governed by state law (§ 5b DRiG). Saxony allows legal trainees to choose between the two; requirements include being under 42 years of age and being medically fit. Special features for lawyers are described in the article Health insurance during legal training (in German).
Voluntary statutory or private with aid: which criteria count?
Both routes are open to civil servants on probation, but statutory insurance only if the prior insurance period is met. Which one suits you better depends on your family, your state and your plans.
| Criterion | Voluntary statutory insurance | Private insurance with aid |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution | Percentage of income, in the example from 278.17 € per month before flat-rate aid | Depends on provider, age and tariff; aid covers its assessment rate of the costs |
| Subsidy | Only flat-rate aid, where it exists | Individual aid, usually 50 percent for you and usually 80 percent for children |
| Health questions | None | Application with health questions; for pre-existing conditions an anonymous risk enquiry |
| Family | Family insurance under § 10 SGB V is checked by the insurer on a case-by-case basis | Aid pays usually 80 percent for children, the tariff covers the rest |
| Later appointment as civil servant | Switching to private insurance possible; observe the deadline of the opening campaign | Opening campaign for civil servants, including those on probation |
Flat-rate aid changes the calculation only if your state offers it. Without it, you bear the full contribution of voluntary insurance yourself; with it, only the own share. In return, you permanently waive individual aid.
Can I still switch to private insurance later?
Yes, as a rule. If you later become a civil servant on a probationary basis, the opening campaign of private health insurance applies: the six-month deadline for the application starts with the first appointment as a civil servant, and during a preparatory service at the earliest after its end. The risk surcharge is at most 30 percent, and there are no exclusions of benefits (leaflet of the PKV association, status September 2022). Before you cancel with your insurer, the new cover must be proven.
The way back is narrower. How a return to statutory insurance (in German) from private insurance works is described in a separate article. If you want to secure your health status for later, consider an anticipatory private insurance policy (in German). What follows after the trainee period is described in the article Health insurance after the trainee period (in German).
What to do now
- Clarify your status: civil servant on probation or training relationship. Your appointment notice and appointment certificate give the answer.
- Ask your insurer whether your membership continues after your studies as voluntary insurance and which contribution rate applies to you.
- Submit proof of your income so that the contribution assessment ceiling of 5,812.50 € is not applied.
- Ask your aid office whether your state offers flat-rate aid and whether you can choose it as a trainee.
- Weigh up whether voluntary statutory insurance or a private residual-cost insurance with aid suits you better. For pre-existing conditions, make an anonymous risk enquiry before each application, and note the deadline of the opening campaign for later civil service appointment.
- Plan the switch after the preparatory service, as described in the article Health insurance after the trainee period (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay in statutory health insurance as a trainee teacher?
Yes. As a civil servant on probation you are not compulsorily insured, but you can remain voluntarily in statutory health insurance if you meet the prior insurance period. After your studies, membership usually continues as voluntary insurance, and you pay the contribution alone. Legal trainees in a training relationship are compulsorily insured. Your appointment notice shows which case applies.
What does a trainee teacher pay for statutory health insurance?
In the example with trainee pay of 1,761.92 euros (Lower Saxony, grammar school teaching, from 1 April 2026), 14.0 percent, 2.9 percent additional contribution and 4.2 percent long-term care insurance, it comes to 371.77 euros per month. At the minimum assessment of 1,318.33 euros, it is 278.17 euros. The actual contribution depends on your insurer and your income.
Is there an employer contribution for trainee teachers in statutory insurance?
No, there is no employer contribution like the one for employees for civil servants. A subsidy can only come through flat-rate aid, if your state offers it and trainees can choose it.
What is flat-rate aid?
A tax-free subsidy of 50 percent of the contribution to comprehensive health insurance, for statutorily insured people including the additional contribution, but excluding long-term care insurance. In return, you permanently waive individual aid.
How does my insurer calculate my contribution if I do not submit proof?
Without proof of your income, the insurer calculates with the contribution assessment ceiling of 5,812.50 euros per month, and therefore with the maximum contribution. A later proof leads to a new calculation.
Is a legal trainee statutorily insured?
Within a training relationship, yes. Compulsory insurance applies under § 5 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB V, the contributions are deducted from your salary, and there is no aid. As a civil servant on probation, a legal trainee is not compulsorily insured and insures themselves voluntarily or privately. The state decides which status applies.
Can I still switch to private insurance later?
As a rule, yes. The opening campaign is open to civil servants, including those on probation. The six-month deadline starts with the first appointment as a civil servant, and during a preparatory service at the earliest after its end. The risk surcharge is at most 30 percent, with no exclusions of benefits. Returning to statutory insurance afterwards is only possible under narrow conditions.
Related reading
- Health insurance during the trainee period: aid, PKV or GKV? (in German)
- Aid during the trainee period: entitlement, assessment rate and application (in German)
- Health insurance after the trainee period: statutory, private and anticipatory cover (in German)
- Between the state exam and the trainee period: who is insured? (in German)
- Teaching: insurance from studies to the trainee period (in German)
- Return to statutory health insurance (in German)
- Studying over 30: opportunities, financing and everyday life (in German)
- Glossary: health insurance during studies (in German)
Sources and review
- § 188 Para. 4 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de, § 243 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de, § 5 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de, § 3 No. 62 EStG, gesetze-im-internet.de
- § 5b DRiG, gesetze-im-internet.de
- GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation parameters for contribution law, status 1.1.2026, gkv-spitzenverband.de, and insurer list, status 16.10.2026, gkv-spitzenverband.de
- Federal Ministry of Health, contributions to the GKV, status 3.9.2026, bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
- Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture, trainee allowances, valid from 1.4.2026, mk.niedersachsen.de
- State of Berlin, information sheet on flat-rate aid, status 09.2025; State of Brandenburg, information sheet for trainees, status March 2021; Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, leaflet on flat-rate aid, status January 2024
- Verband der Privaten Krankenversicherung, leaflet on the opening campaign for civil servants, status September 2022, pkv.de
Information, not individual advice.
Editorial team: Academycon · Status: October 2026
Status: 20 October 2026
If you want to check your cover for your trainee period, start with the Academycon online check (in German).
Status: October 2026. This guide does not replace individual advice. Information, not individual advice.
