Health insurance for a doctoral scholarship

If you receive a scholarship, you must insure yourself (so-called voluntary insurance). This can be with a private or statutory health insurance company.

Private or statutory health insurance after expiry of (private) family insurance:

If you waived compulsory student insurance in a statutory health insurance fund at the beginning of your studies and have withdrawn from private co-insurance during your doctorate or before due to exceeding the age limit, you must take out private insurance. A return to statutory health insurance is only possible if, for example, you take up a position at the university in order to finance your doctorate. It may also be possible to take out statutory health insurance by de-enroling and registering as unemployed.

It is advisable to obtain further information, e.g. from the "Citizens' Hotline" for statutory health insurance (see contact below). It is definitely worth comparing private insurance policies and not simply staying with your parents' private health insurance, for example, as benefits and tariffs differ greatly. If you have statutory health insurance, you can take out "voluntary" insurance as a fellowship holder. Your contribution is generally based on your income, i.e. "according to your overall financial capacity". Further information:

• List of private health insurers
• Stiftung Warentest: Private health insurance: advantages and disadvantages
• Guide to health insurance from the Bundesgesundheitsministerium/Federal Ministry of Health (pdf).

Health insurance for doctoral students:

According to the Bundesgesundheitsministerium/Ministry of Health, the health insurance contribution is calculated as a percentage of 14.6% for a general fellowship rate for doctoral fellowships (around € 1300 - 1600).

With regard to the status of doctoral candidates, the health insurance funds apparently have different regulations: As a rule, doctoral students are no longer considered students despite being enrolled and are therefore not eligible for the reduced student contribution. Some health insurance funds recognise the fellowship as income, others do not. We recommend that you clarify this with your health insurance company in each individual case.

Bürgertelefon/Citizens' hotline of the Bundesgesundheitsministerium/Ministry of Health for statutory health insurance:
030/340 60 66-01.
Office hours: Mon-Thu 8am-6pm, Fri 8am-12pm.