A working student job does not automatically end your family insurance in Germany. What counts is your total monthly income and the number of hours you work. This guide explains the 2026 income limit, the working student exemption from social insurance (Werkstudentenprivileg) and shows with worked examples when family insurance ends.
Kurz beantwortet: As a student you stay covered by family insurance (Familienversicherung) in 2026 if your total income is regularly no more than 565 euros a month (status: January 2026, section 10 of the Social Code Book V, SGB V). A minijob up to 603 euros a month is a special case. The number of hours decides the working student exemption, not the income limit. Above 20 hours a week you are usually compulsorily insured yourself.
Key points at a glance
- The income limit for family insurance in 2026 is 565 euros total income per month.
- A minijob (geringfügige Beschäftigung) up to the 603 euro threshold in 2026 is a permitted special case.
- The working student exemption applies up to 20 hours a week. Then you are exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance.
- The total income is measured, not your net pay.
- For 2027 the draft regulation sets a limit of 590 euros. It only applies once the Bundesrat has approved it.
How high may your total income be in 2026?
The limit is one seventh of the monthly reference income (Bezugsgröße). For 2026 this is 3,955 euros divided by 7, which gives 565 euros a month (section 10 para. 1 no. 5 SGB V, status 1 January 2026). What counts is the regular monthly total income. Your health insurer checks individual cases.
| Your income per month | What usually applies in 2026 |
|---|---|
| up to 565 euros | Family insurance remains possible if the other conditions are met |
| 565 to 603 euros as a minijob | Special case: family insurance remains possible |
| more than 603 euros | Family insurance usually ends and you become insured in your own right |
| working student job with more than 20 hours a week | Usually compulsory insurance as an employee, and family insurance ends |
A worked example with assumptions: you work 8 hours a week at 13.90 euros gross, which is the statutory minimum wage in 2026. That gives about 482 euros a month (8 times 13.90 times 52, divided by 12). You stay below 565 euros, so family insurance remains possible. If you work 12 hours a week, you earn about 722 euros a month. You are then above 603 euros, and family insurance usually ends.
The working student exemption: when you stay exempt
As a student with a working student job you are exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance if you work no more than 20 hours a week during term. The amount of pay does not matter for this (section 6 para. 1 no. 3 SGB V, section 27 para. 4 SGB III). In pension insurance there is no exemption, and you are compulsorily insured there.
In the lecture-free period, work of more than 20 hours a week is possible under special rules, and evening, night and weekend work can exceed 20 hours if your studies take priority. If you work more than 20 hours a week for more than 26 weeks a year, you lose the exemption. The practical basis is the joint circular of 23 November 2016. Ask your health insurer whether it has been changed since then.
What counts if you have several jobs?
For family insurance your total income from all jobs counts, so a minijob next to your working student job adds to the total. For the working student exemption, the weekly hours of all employments are added together. If you have several jobs, check the total regularly.
What happens to your health insurance contribution?
Family-insured people do not pay their own health insurance contribution. When family insurance ends, you need your own cover. As an employee, your contribution is deducted from your wages and your employer pays half. If you work as a student and are exempt from insurance, you pay the student health insurance (KVdS). In 2026 the contribution basis is 855 euros a month (section 236 SGB V).
With an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, the health insurance contribution comes to about 112 euros a month (assumption: average rate according to the GKV-Spitzenverband, status 1 January 2026). The additional contribution of your own health insurer may differ.
Typical situations
Many students only notice the change when the health insurer asks. Three situations come up especially often, and each needs its own check.
- You work casually during the semester break and earn much more in one month. That month counts for the limit, even if the yearly average is lower. Check the monthly total, not only the annual figure.
- You have a minijob and a working student job at the same time. The minijob threshold is a special case for family insurance, but your total income from both jobs still has to stay in view.
- You increase your hours, for example for a final thesis with an internship. If you work more than 20 hours a week over a longer period, you lose the working student exemption, and you should inform your health insurer before the pay starts.
Do not assess changes on your own and leave them unchecked. A short question to your health insurer takes little time and prevents contributions from being claimed later.
Frequently asked questions
Does the limit use net or gross pay?
The limit refers to total income in the sense of social security law, not to the money that reaches your bank account. Your health insurer explains on request how income is calculated in your case. Ask before you accept a new job if you are unsure.
Is the limit checked every month?
The rule is based on regular monthly income. If your earnings fluctuate strongly, for example through jobs during the semester break, ask your health insurer before you take the job.
Until what age am I covered by family insurance as a student?
For children in school or vocational training, which includes university study, the age limit is 25. Studying does not extend this limit. It is only extended for certain service periods, such as a voluntary service or voluntary military service.
What changes in 2027?
The draft regulation provides a limit of 590 euros for 2027, calculated from a reference income of 4,130 euros. The Bundesrat still has to approve it, so the figure does not apply yet. The minijob threshold rises to 633 euros a month in 2027.
What to do next
- Work out your average monthly income from all jobs, based on the last few months.
- Compare the figure with 565 euros, and with 603 euros if you have a minijob.
- Clarify your weekly hours for the working student exemption before you accept a new job.
- Ask your health insurer to confirm your insurance status in writing.
Related guides
- Student Family Insurance 2026: Income Limits and Age
- Student Job 20-Hour Rule, Pension and Semester Breaks
- Minijob or Student Job: Limits in Figures Compared
- Working Student Health Insurance: Costs by Age
- Health Insurance Income Limit 2026: What It Means
Sources: Section 10 SGB V, family insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026, in German), GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation parameters in contribution law (status 1 January 2026, in German), Joint circular on the social insurance status of students and interns (23 November 2016, in German), Minijob-Zentrale, minijob threshold 2027 (in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
