When you graduate and stay in Germany, your student health insurance arrangement ends and your next step depends on your situation. In regular employment, you are insured through your employer on public health insurance, or on private health insurance (PKV) if your salary is high enough — expat health insurance is not sufficient for regular employment. If you are self-employed, you can choose public health insurance, private health insurance (PKV), expat health insurance, or long-term expat health insurance. Your residence permit and your health insurance are linked, so the order in which you arrange them matters.
What happens to my health insurance when I graduate and stay in Germany to work?
When you finish your studies, the student health insurance arrangement you had ends and your next setup depends on whether you take regular employment or become self-employed. As a working student, your contract was exempt from most social contributions, so you were either paying the discounted student rate on public health insurance or you were covered by expat health insurance. After graduation you move to a standard arrangement: through an employer if you take a job, or as a voluntary or self-employed member if you work for yourself. Which health insurance you can or must use, and how it connects to your residence permit, is explained in the sections below.
Which health insurance do I need if I start regular employment after graduating?
In regular employment you are insured through your employer, who pays half of your social insurance contributions (health, long-term care, unemployment, and pension). For health insurance specifically, your options depend on your gross salary:
Public health insurance is mandatory if your gross annual salary is roughly between €7,236 and €77,400 (2026 limit).
If your gross annual salary is above €77,400, you can choose between public health insurance and private health insurance (PKV).
Expat health insurance is not sufficient for regular employment, so you cannot use it in an employed role. If you were already on public health insurance as a student, you stay on it and simply tell your provider that your status has changed from student to employee.
How does my residence permit affect my health insurance after graduation?
Your residence permit and your health insurance are connected, and the confirmation of insurance usually has to come first. How this works depends on your situation:
EU/EEA citizens: If you kept your home EU/EEA country's insurance during your studies, you stay covered until you find work in Germany. Register at a Job Centre as a "job seeker" so you are in their system.
You already have a job offer: You can skip the job-seeker permit and apply directly for a work residence permit. Choose public health insurance or private health insurance (PKV) depending on your salary. If you are on public health insurance, tell your provider about the change from student to employee; you receive insurance confirmation within a few days to present with your permit application. The order is: insurance confirmed first, then the residence permit is issued, then you finalize the work contract.
You are still looking for work: After finishing your studies you apply for a "job-seeker" residence permit. Expat health insurance may be accepted, but some immigration offices require public health insurance, so securing even a verbal job offer that lets you move onto public health insurance is important. On public health insurance you pay the discounted student contribution of about €150 per month during your studies, rising to about €260 per month as a voluntary member after graduation. We recommend staying on public health insurance because of its broad coverage and because it is accepted for any residence permit.
Which health insurance can I choose if I become self-employed or freelance after my studies?
If you become self-employed or freelance, you have four health insurance options:
Public health insurance: Self-employed people join as voluntary members. You can only access it if you are currently insured by the state in Germany, the EU/EEA, the UK, or Switzerland. If you had public health insurance as a student, you continue with it; if you kept EU/EEA insurance during your studies, you can now switch to German public health insurance. Your contribution is about 21% of your gross earnings.
Private health insurance (PKV): Most providers require at least €36,000 in gross yearly earnings to accept self-employed members.
Expat health insurance: If you were on expat health insurance during your studies, you can change your residence permit and stay covered for up to five years after your initial arrival in Germany. For a long-term stay you will need to move to public or private health insurance, either by taking employment with a German company or by earning enough for private health insurance (PKV).
Long-term expat health insurance: If the immigration office does not accept expat health insurance, or you want broader coverage, this is a separate product worth considering.
Non-EU nationals who plan to be self-employed or freelance after their studies must apply for a freelance residence permit.
Do I need a social insurance number (SVNR) after graduation?
The SVNR (Sozialversicherungsnummer) is a 12-digit social insurance number. As an expat you are issued one when you start employment that is subject to social insurance contributions — student contracts and mini-jobs don't count, which is why you likely didn't have one during your studies. Your employer needs it to register you for pension insurance and to remit your monthly contributions. If you are self-employed, you don't need an SVNR unless you enroll in public health insurance.
How much are public health insurance contributions after graduation?
Public health insurance contributions after graduation depend on your situation:
As a student, you pay the discounted student contribution of about €150 per month.
As a voluntary member after graduation (for example while job-seeking), contributions rise to about €260 per month.
As a self-employed voluntary member, your contribution is about 21% of your gross earnings.
Your provider confirms the exact amount based on your income and status.