Working whilst studying: rules, salaries and specific calculation examples

Since January 2026, the statutory minimum wage has been 13.90 euros gross per hour. In principle, this also applies to students.

With a mini-job, you are allowed to earn up to 603 euros per month on average. If you work ten hours a week at the minimum wage, this works out at approximately:

10 hours × 4.33 weeks × €13.90 = around €602 gross per month

Income from several mini-jobs is added together. This means the limit can be exceeded even if each individual job falls below it on its own.

Short-term employment may last for a maximum of three months or 70 working days within a calendar year. There is no fixed monthly earnings limit here. However, several short-term jobs are also added together. For example: you work eight hours at five different events and are paid 14.50 euros per hour.

5 shifts × 8 hours × 14.50 euros = 580 euros gross

There is no fixed earnings limit for a working student role. During term time, you generally work a maximum of 20 hours per week whilst retaining your working student status. During the holidays, however, you can even increase your hours up to full-time (40 hours)!

For example, working 15 hours a week at an hourly rate of €15.50, you would earn around €1,007 gross per month. Working 20 hours a week, this would amount to around €1,342 gross. How much of this you actually take home depends, amongst other things, on pension contributions, tax and your health insurance.

A job as a student assistant or research assistant can also be an attractive option. As a rough guide, the following hourly rates, amongst others, have applied at universities in Saxony since April 2026:

Roles and corresponding hourly rates:

Student assistant without a degree: €15.20

Research assistant with a Bachelor’s degree: €16.74

Research assistant with a Master’s degree or Diplom: €22.26

If you are covered by family health insurance, you should also take a closer look. The general income limit in 2026 is 565 euros per month; for a mini-job, it is 603 euros. Your health insurance provider decides which income is taken into account in your case – be sure to check this before you start any job!

The basic tax allowance in 2026 is 12,348 euros per year. However, this does not automatically mean that all gross earnings up to this amount remain tax-free. Sometimes income tax is deducted initially, which you can then reclaim later via your tax return. BAföG and other benefits may also be affected by your earnings. If you’re unsure, check with your health insurance provider or the BAföG office before starting work – especially if you have several jobs at the same time.

The figures are correct as of September 2026 and are provided for guidance only. You can find further information at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Minijob-Zentrale and the German Pension Insurance.