Internship
Whether you are subject to compulsory insurance during an internship depends on various factors – the time of the internship, with or without remuneration, compulsory or voluntary. We have an overview on this subject for you.
Prescribed pre- and post-study internships
In the case of an internship prescribed in the study regulations, which is completed before or after the course of study and which is paid to the intern, the intern is considered to be employed for vocational training and is therefore subject to insurance. The employer alone pays the contributions up to an amount of €325 per month.
If the prescribed internship is unpaid, the student pays the health and nursing insurance contribution as for students subject to compulsory insurance, provided there is no entitlement to family insurance.
Voluntary pre- and post-study internship
In the case of an internship before or after the studies which is not prescribed and which is remunerated, there is also an obligation to pay sickness, nursing care, pension and unemployment insurance, provided that there is no minor employment, i.e. the intern does not receive more than 450€ per month.
If the voluntary internship is not paid, insurance is not required.
Mandatory intermediate internship
Students who complete an intermediate internship as stipulated in the study or examination regulations during their studies remain exempt from insurance – including pension insurance. Prerequisite: Interns are enrolled at a university or university of applied sciences during their internship.
The length of the internship, the weekly working time and the amount of the salary earned during the internship are irrelevant. You can continue to be covered by the same student health insurance.
Voluntary interim internship
If a paid, voluntary internship is completed during the lecture period, there is no insurance obligation if the maximum working time is not more than 20 hours per week – however, pension contributions must be paid.
In the case of a voluntary intermediate internship without remuneration, there is no insurance obligation.
Internship abroad
In the case of an internship completed abroad, students retain German insurance cover, provided they are insured by the statutory health insurance scheme for families, as well as compulsory insurance if they are enrolled at a German university.