Student health insurance with a statutory fund is mainly about the contribution, the fund’s additional contribution and the limits of the benefits. The basic contribution for student health insurance (KVdS) is 87.38 euros per month nationwide in 2026. With long-term care insurance and the average additional contribution, the total comes to roughly 143 to 148 euros.
What matters most in brief
- The basic contribution is the same at every fund. Differences arise through the additional contribution, which is calculated on an assessment base of 855 euros. Each percentage point of additional contribution costs you 8.55 euros per month.
- The maximum BAföG rate includes 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance. How much of this reaches you depends on the amount of your funding.
- The limits of statutory health insurance (GKV) show up with glasses, dental prosthetics, co-payments and sick pay. Student insurance grants no entitlement to sick pay or maternity pay.
- Student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. Membership then usually continues as voluntary insurance.
- When you switch funds, the new fund notifies the university of the change.
What does student health insurance cost?
Compulsory student health insurance (KVdS) is calculated on a fixed basis of 855 euros, which corresponds to the BAföG basic need plus the housing allowance. The contribution rate is 10.22% (70% of 14.6%), regardless of whether you receive BAföG. On top of this come the long-term care insurance and your fund’s additional contribution. The legal basis and further details are described by the Verbraucherzentrale (German consumer advice centre).
| Component 2026 | Under 23 or with a child | Childless from 23 |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance (10.22% of 855 euros) | 87.38 euros | 87.38 euros |
| Long-term care insurance | 30.78 euros | 35.91 euros |
| Subtotal | 118.16 euros | 123.29 euros |
| Additional contribution at 2.9% of 855 euros | 24.80 euros | 24.80 euros |
| Monthly contribution, rounded | about 143 euros | about 148 euros |
The maximum BAföG rate of 992 euros for students under 30 with their own accommodation and their own health and long-term care insurance includes supplements of 102 euros and 35 euros, together 137 euros. This covers most of the contribution. How much of it is actually paid out depends on your funding.
How the KVdS contribution develops from 2027 is open. The assessment base is linked to BAföG need, and the BAföG reform is still only at the draft bill stage.
How high is the additional contribution for students?
Each fund sets its own additional contribution, which, like the basic contribution, is calculated on 855 euros. The average additional contribution set by the Federal Ministry of Health for 2026 is 2.9%, but in practice the funds charge on average more than 3%.
Example: Fund A charges 2.5%, fund B 3.5%. The additional contribution is 21.38 euros with A and 29.93 euros with B. The difference is 8.55 euros per month, or 102.60 euros per year. That is noticeable but manageable, because the basic contribution stays the same for everyone.
For 2027, the average additional contribution is not yet set. The Federal Ministry of Health will announce it by 1 November 2026.
Can I switch health insurance fund as a student?
Yes. Your current fund will tell you which deadlines apply to switching. The new fund informs the university about the switch, so you do not have to report your status yourself. If you change university, the fund determines your insurance status anew. More on this in the article Health insurance when changing courses (in German).
To enrol, you need a digital confirmation from a statutory fund. For first-time insurance, you can choose the fund freely. The confirmation can be retrieved from 1 June at the earliest for the winter semester and from 1 December at the earliest for the summer semester.
Which health insurance fund is best for students?
There is no general ranking, because the answer depends on your priorities. The most reliable comparison value is the additional contribution, since the basic contribution and long-term care insurance are fixed for you. In addition, the service and voluntary extras of each fund count, which you can ask about directly. Always base your comparison on the 855 euros.
Where do statutory health insurance limits lie during studies?
The typical points of friction follow from the statutory rules. An overview of gaps is given in the article on what statutory insurance does not pay (in German). The most important points are summarised below.
| Area | Rule in statutory insurance (2026) |
|---|---|
| Glasses | Adults are entitled only in the case of severe visual impairment. The fund never pays for the frame. The thresholds are listed in the frequently asked questions. |
| Dental prosthetics | The fixed subsidy is 60% of the standard treatment, with a bonus booklet 70% after five years and 75% after ten years. From 2027 it falls to 50% under the law passed. In case of BAföG receipt, the hardship rule can apply with 100% of the standard treatment. |
| Co-payments | 10% of the price, at least 5 euros, at most 10 euros. Therapies: 10% plus 10 euros per prescription. Hospital: 10 euros per calendar day for at most 28 days. |
| Aids | Co-payment of 10%, at least 5 euros, at most 10 euros per aid. You pay any extra costs beyond what is necessary yourself. |
| Psychotherapy | Access runs through the psychotherapy consultation. The service centre 116117 must arrange an appointment within a week, and the waiting time must not exceed four weeks. |
| Sick pay and maternity pay | There is no entitlement under KVdS. Maternity benefits can be claimed by those who work alongside their studies. |
From 1 January 2027, co-payments rise under the law passed to at least 7.50 euros and at most 15 euros, and in hospital to 15 euros per day. Co-payments are capped: the limit is 2% of annual gross income used for living expenses, and 1% for people with chronic illnesses. Example: with 12,000 euros of income per year, this would be 240 euros. Your fund clarifies which income counts for you. You apply for the exemption only once the limit is reached, and it applies for one calendar year. The Verbraucherzentrale explains the rules for exemption (German consumer advice centre).
What changes at 30?
Student insurance ends at the end of the semester in which you turn 30 (§ 190 (9) SGB V, legal text). An extension is possible only if the type of training or personal reasons justify exceeding the age.
After that, membership with the fund continues as voluntary insurance, if no other insurance applies. You can leave within two weeks of the fund’s notice, and this takes effect only with proof of other cover. The contribution is then based on a minimum assessment of 1,318.33 euros per month. Assuming the fund charges an additional contribution of 2.18%, the minimum contribution for childless members is about 277 euros for health and long-term care insurance. Your fund’s additional contribution shifts the figure. How it continues for students over 30 is shown in the article Private health insurance for students over 30 (in German).
Family insurance or your own insurance during studies?
Up to age 25, you stay insured free of contributions through your parents while studying, if your total income in 2026 is not above 565 euros per month, or 603 euros for a mini-job. BAföG, child benefit and tax-free scholarships do not count as income. If you exceed the limit, you leave family insurance. The comparison is described in the article Family insurance or your own insurance (in German).
A part-time job also affects your insurance status. If you work as a working student for at most 20 hours per week during term time, you remain free of health, long-term care and unemployment insurance contributions and stay insured through KVdS. If you regularly work more than 20 hours, you are generally considered an employee.
When is it worth looking at private health insurance?
If the limits of statutory insurance are not enough for you, you can be exempted within three months of the start of compulsory insurance. The exemption is irrevocable and normally applies for the whole course of study, and a return is possible only in narrow cases. All rules, costs and risks are set out in the article Private health insurance during studies (in German). To help you decide, see the comparison statutory or private insurance as a student (in German). If you are already privately insured, the article moving from PKV back to GKV (in German) sets out the requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a student pay into health insurance?
In compulsory student insurance you pay at least 118.16 euros per month in 2026 if you are under 23 or have a child, otherwise 123.29 euros. Your fund’s additional contribution comes on top. With the average rate of 2.9%, that is roughly 143 or 148 euros for health and long-term care insurance.
Do students have an entitlement to sick pay?
No. Students in KVdS have no entitlement to sick pay or maternity pay. Maternity benefits can be claimed by those who work alongside their studies. What applies to a part-time job with insurance and benefits depends on the scope and type of the work. Your fund can clarify this for you.
Which benefits does statutory insurance pay for glasses?
Adults are entitled only in the case of severe visual impairment, for example with more than 6.0 dioptres of short or long sight, or more than 4.0 dioptres of astigmatism. The fund never pays for the frame. Since 1 March 2025, fixed amounts no longer apply: the fund contributes the amounts agreed in contracts, and the co-payment is 10%, at least 5 and at most 10 euros.
What happens to my health insurance if I am unenrolled?
Student insurance ends at the end of the semester for which you were last enrolled or re-registered. After that, membership continues as voluntary insurance. You can leave within two weeks of the fund’s notice if you prove other cover. Details on dropping out are explained in the article Health insurance when dropping out (in German).
What to do now
- Check your fund’s additional contribution and convert it to 855 euros. Each percentage point equals 8.55 euros per month.
- Note the semester in which you turn 30, so that you plan the move to voluntary insurance in good time.
- Keep bills for glasses, dentist and co-payments together, and ask about the hardship rule for dental prosthetics if you receive BAföG.
- Check the 20-hour limit during term time before taking any part-time job.
If you want to talk through your situation, you will find the way to advice on the Academycon homepage.
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Related articles
- Private health insurance for students over 30: which options do you have? (in German)
- Health insurance when changing courses: what you need to know (in German)
- Health insurance when dropping out: what you should know (in German)
- Private health insurance for working students: what applies? (in German)
- Health insurance as a student over 25: costs and options 2026 (in German)
- Health insurance as a student over 30: obligation, costs and routes (in German)
- Additional contributions 2026 of all health funds and what students pay (in German)
- Switching health insurance fund as a student (in German)
- Sick pay for students: does it exist? (in German)
- Co-payment exemption and the limit on costs during studies (in German)
- Voluntary insurance in the GKV (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
