Contents (7 sections)
- Health insurance for researchers in Germany: three situations
- Researchers with an employment contract
- Scholarship holders: the § 18d route into public insurance
- What public insurance costs on a scholarship
- Private health insurance for researchers
- Guest researchers and short stays
- Checklist for researchers
- Researchers with an employment contract are usually publicly insured by law; most university salaries are below the threshold of €77,400 (2026) and €84,150 (2027, draft).
- Researchers without an employment contract – for example on a scholarship – have needed private insurance in the past; since 1 March 2024, holders of a § 18d research permit can join public insurance voluntarily within three months of taking up residence (§ 9 (1) no. 6 SGB V).
- Voluntary public insurance on a €1,650 scholarship costs about €338–348 a month in 2026, and covers a spouse without income and children free of charge (own calculation).
- For research stays of up to 90 days a Schengen travel policy with at least €30,000 cover is usually required; for longer stays travel insurance is not enough (EURAXESS).
- Whether your insurance is sufficient for the residence permit is decided by the German mission or the immigration office.
Health insurance for researchers in Germany depends on the contract: with an employment contract you are usually publicly insured through your employer, because most research salaries are below €77,400 (2026). On a scholarship, researchers from outside the EU with a § 18d research permit can join public insurance voluntarily within three months of taking up residence (§ 9 (1) no. 6 SGB V, since March 2024); otherwise private insurance is usually needed. Short guest stays need a Schengen travel policy (as of October 2026).
Health insurance for researchers in Germany: three situations
Universities and research institutes host scientists on very different terms. For health insurance, the type of funding matters more than your title or your discipline:
| Your situation | Health insurance (usually) |
|---|---|
| Employment contract with a university or institute | Public by law below the threshold; above it a choice |
| Scholarship or own funds, § 18d research permit, arrived since March 2024 | Voluntary public insurance within three months – or private |
| Scholarship without § 18d permit, no prior public insurance | Private health insurance |
| Guest stay up to 90 days | Schengen travel policy, at least €30,000 cover |
| Posted by your home institution under a social security agreement | Your home system may continue – with a certificate |
Not immigration advice.Whether your health insurance is sufficient for a visa or residence permit is decided by the German mission abroad or your local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). EURAXESS Germany, the European researcher portal, and the welcome centre of your host institution are good first contacts.
Researchers with an employment contract
If you are employed by a German university or research institute, you are an employee like any other. Below the income threshold you are publicly insured by law; your employer registers you with the fund you choose and pays about half of the contribution. EURAXESS notes one exception: if a social security agreement with your home country applies and you are posted, you may stay in your home system – proven with the corresponding certificate.
Most research salaries are below the threshold. Public universities usually pay under the collective agreement for the federal states (TV-L). For the typical grade of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, E 13, the full-time monthly salary from 1 April 2026 ranges from €4,759.37 to €6,764.69 (secondary source oeffentlichen-dienst.de) – about €57,100 to €81,200 a year before the annual special payment. Many doctoral positions are part-time. So most employed researchers are in public insurance by law, and only senior staff at the top steps or in higher grades come near the threshold of €77,400 (2026) or €84,150 (2027, draft).
The good news: public insurance covers a spouse without own income and children living in Germany free of charge. That makes it a strong option for researchers who come with a family.
Scholarship holders: the § 18d route into public insurance
For a long time, researchers without an employment contract had no way into public insurance and had to buy private cover. Since 1 March 2024 the law offers an alternative: researchers who hold a residence permit for research under § 18d of the Residence Act can join public insurance voluntarily “within three months of taking up residence in Germany” (§ 9 (1) no. 6 SGB V). The § 18d permit requires a hosting agreement with a research institution.
- Who: self-funded researchers, guest researchers and researchers funded by third parties such as scholarships – as long as they hold a § 18d permit (TK information, March 2024).
- Deadline: three months. If you miss it, the route is usually closed.
- Before the permit: entering with a travel policy first is not harmful, according to TK; the membership can start with the research stay. EURAXESS notes that you can apply in advance to show proof for the visa.
- Family: as a public member, a spouse without own income and children living in Germany can be family-insured free of charge.
Not on a § 18d permit – for example on a student permit as a doctoral candidate? Then voluntary public insurance usually needs prior public insurance periods, and private insurance remains. Details for doctoral candidates: health insurance for PhD candidates.
What public insurance costs on a scholarship
As a voluntary member you pay contributions on your total income, at least on the minimum assessment of €1,318.33 a month (2026). Without sick pay entitlement the reduced rate of 14.0% applies, plus the fund's additional contribution and long-term care insurance.
| Monthly income | With child | Childless |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum assessment €1,318.33 | €270.26 | €278.17 |
| Scholarship €1,650 | €338.25 | €348.15 |
Compare that with private offers honestly: a private premium for a young researcher can be lower, but every family member pays separately – and a private policy usually ends when you move on to a country outside the EU/EEA.
Private health insurance for researchers
If public insurance is not open to you, you need a private policy that covers a long stay. EURAXESS is clear: travel insurance only covers specific risks when travelling and is not sufficient for a longer research stay; the immigration office will ask for proof of health insurance. A foreign policy may be accepted if the insurer confirms in writing that it is valid in Germany – the authority decides.
Before you sign, check the contract term, the notice period and what happens when your stay ends. Many research careers move on after two or three years. Read why private insurance rarely pays off for short stays and what happens when you leave Germany.
Guest researchers and short stays
For research stays of up to 90 days, a Schengen travel health policy with at least €30,000 cover is usually required, as for any Schengen visa (Visa Code Art. 15). Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland can use their home insurance during a temporary stay; for longer stays they may need an S1 form from their home insurer (EURAXESS).
Checklist for researchers
- Clarify your status: employment contract, scholarship or guest stay?
- Check which residence permit you will get – § 18d opens the public route for scholarship holders.
- Note the three-month deadline for voluntary public insurance.
- Count your family members – public insurance covers them free of charge, private doesn't.
- Plan your next move: EU/EEA or elsewhere?
German-language background on doctoral candidates and scholarships: Krankenversicherung für Doktoranden (in German). For the full comparison read public vs private health insurance in Germany, or let the free 60-second decider sort your situation – without health questions.
Frequently asked questions
What health insurance do researchers need in Germany?
It depends on your contract. With an employment contract you are usually publicly insured through your employer. Without one – on a scholarship or your own funds – you need private insurance or, with a § 18d research permit, voluntary public insurance, which you must join within three months of taking up residence.
Can scholarship holders join public health insurance in Germany?
Since 1 March 2024, researchers from outside the EU with a residence permit under § 18d AufenthG can join public insurance voluntarily within three months of taking up residence (§ 9 (1) no. 6 SGB V). Other scholarship holders usually need prior public insurance periods – otherwise private insurance remains.
Is travel insurance enough for a guest researcher in Germany?
For short stays of up to 90 days, a Schengen travel policy with at least €30,000 cover is usually required. For longer stays EURAXESS points out that travel insurance is not sufficient – the immigration office expects proper health insurance.
Do postdocs in Germany get public or private health insurance?
Postdocs with an employment contract are usually below the income threshold and publicly insured by law. Only with a regular salary above €77,400 (2026) or €84,150 (2027, draft) may they choose private insurance.
How much does public health insurance cost on a research scholarship?
As a voluntary member you pay on your income, at least on €1,318.33 a month (2026). On a €1,650 scholarship that is about €338 (with child) or €348 (childless) a month, including long-term care, with an average additional contribution of 2.9% (own calculation).
Sources
- § 9 SGB V – voluntary insurance, incl. researchers with a § 18d permit (para. 1 no. 6)
- EURAXESS Germany: health insurance – retrieved 10 October 2026
- TK presentation hosted by the University of Wuppertal: public health insurance for researchers from third countries without employment contract – March 2024
- § 240 SGB V – contributions of voluntary members (minimum assessment)
- § 6 SGB V – income threshold
- oeffentlichen-dienst.de: TV-L pay table from 1 April 2026 – secondary source, updated 27 August 2026
- Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code), Art. 15 – travel medical insurance
- § 2 AufenthG – secured livelihood incl. health insurance (para. 3)
This article provides general information on health insurance in Germany (as of 10 October 2026). It does not replace individual advice. Which solution suits you depends on your personal situation, e.g. age, health, income, family and length of stay. Despite careful review we cannot guarantee completeness and accuracy; laws and tariffs change. It is not immigration advice: whether your insurance is sufficient for a visa or residence permit is decided by the German mission abroad or your immigration office. Publisher: German-PKV.de. German-PKV.de is not an insurance broker and does not provide insurance, legal or tax advice; individual advice is provided exclusively by specialised cooperation partners licensed under § 34d GewO.