What happens when studies or training end
The special training-phase tariff conditions are tied to your student or trainee status. When that status ends — through graduation, completion of training, or a change in circumstances — the tariff cannot continue indefinitely.
Your next step depends on your post-graduation situation:
Employment above JAEG
Transition into the regular tariff. You can freely choose PKV and receive employer subsidy.
Self-employment
Transition into the regular tariff. No income threshold applies.
Employment below JAEG
GKV obligation begins. You can preserve your PKV position through an Anwartschaft.
Between roles
Up to 12 months continuation possible if conditions remain met (age 21–39, no GKV obligation, no JAEG income).
Up to 12 months continuation
When the special training-phase conditions no longer apply (e.g. after graduation), the student/trainee tariff can be continued for up to 12 months — provided the core eligibility conditions still hold:
- You remain aged 21–39
- You are not subject to compulsory statutory insurance
- Your income does not exceed the JAEG
This provides a buffer period for job searching, transitioning, or planning your next insurance setup.
Transition into a regular tariff
When conditions allow — typically when you start earning above the JAEG or become self-employed — you can transition from your student/trainee tariff into the corresponding regular tariff.
Key characteristics of this transition:
- No new health assessment — your original health status is preserved
- Aging reserves begin — the premium adjusts to include long-term reserve accumulation
- Optional daily sick pay (Krankentagegeld) — can be added at the point of transition, with coverage up to 140% of the GKV maximum sick pay, without new health assessment
- Same tariff family — you remain in the same product line (KomfortKlasse, MedExtra, or MedBest)
This is by design: the student/trainee tariff is built as the first phase of a longer insurance relationship, not a standalone product.
If GKV obligation begins
If you take a job that triggers compulsory statutory insurance (income below JAEG as an employee), you must transition to GKV. However, this does not mean you lose your PKV position entirely.
You have two preservation options:
Small Anwartschaft
Preserves your health status — no new health assessment when you return to PKV. Lower monthly cost.
Large Anwartschaft
Preserves both health status and entry age — giving you the premium level of someone who never left. Higher monthly cost, but greater long-term benefit.
The Anwartschaft is taken on the corresponding regular tariff — not on the student/trainee tariff. When you later return to PKV (e.g. after earning above JAEG), you reactivate the regular tariff at favorable conditions.
Why transition planning matters
The student/trainee phase is temporary by design. The decisions you make during this phase — and at the point of exit — have long-term premium consequences:
- Transitioning early builds aging reserves earlier, reducing lifetime costs
- Missing the Anwartschaft window can mean re-entering PKV later with health surcharges or exclusions
- Choosing the right tariff family now avoids unnecessary switching later
This is not a decision to make at the last minute. Planning the exit from the student/trainee tariff is as important as entering it.
Graduating soon?
We help you plan the transition — whether that means moving to a regular tariff, setting up an Anwartschaft, or choosing the right path for your next career phase.
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