A PhD (Promotion, the German doctorate) on a half-time contract is a common route in many subjects. You write your dissertation alongside a research post at a university. How much of your salary is left after social insurance depends on the pay grade, the step and the contribution rates that apply to you.
Short answer: On a half-time contract in pay grade E 13 (TV-L, step 1), the gross salary is 2,379.69 euros per month (assumption: 50 percent of the published table, April 2026). After social insurance contributions of about 21 to 22 percent, roughly 1,860 to 1,880 euros remain before income tax. Income tax depends on your tax class and is best checked with the BMF tax calculator.
Key points
- A half-time post pays half of the table salary. For E 13, step 1, that is 2,379.69 euros gross per month (assumption, table valid from 1 April to 31 December 2026).
- As an employee paid for your work, you are subject to compulsory health, long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance (§ 5 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V, German health insurance law).
- You pay half of the contributions. With the 2026 rates, your share is about 21 percent of gross pay (assumption with an average additional contribution).
- Fixed-term posts follow the German academic fixed-term law (WissZeitVG). Before the doctorate, a fixed term of up to six years is permitted.
- Net pay after tax depends on your personal situation. Use the BMF tax calculator for that calculation.
How much do you earn on a half-time contract?
Table salaries for pay grade E 13 apply to full-time work. A half-time post receives half of that amount, a 65 percent post receives 65 percent. Your step depends on your prior experience and your employment contract.
| Step E 13 (per month) | Full time 100 percent | Half-time 50 percent | Post 65 percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | 4,759.37 euros | 2,379.69 euros | 3,093.59 euros |
| Step 3 | 5,366.89 euros | 2,683.45 euros | 3,488.48 euros |
| Step 4 | 5,873.56 euros | 2,936.78 euros | 3,817.81 euros |
Source: Anlage B zum TV-L (gültig 1. April bis 31. Dezember 2026) (in German). The figures are gross table amounts as of April 2026.
Which social insurance contributions apply?
Employers and employees share the contributions. The table shows your share with the 2026 rates. The additional contribution of a health insurer varies, so we use the average of 2.9 percent (assumption).
| Insurance | Total rate | Your share (half) |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance, general contribution | 14.6 percent | 7.3 percent |
| Health insurance, additional contribution (assumption) | 2.9 percent | 1.45 percent |
| Long-term care insurance | 3.6 percent | 1.8 percent |
| Long-term care surcharge for people without children aged 23 or over | 0.6 percentage points | 0.6 percent (you only) |
| Pension insurance | 18.6 percent | 9.3 percent |
| Unemployment insurance | 2.6 percent | 1.3 percent |
Sources for the rates: Faktenblatt Rechengrößen 2026 des GKV-Spitzenverbands (in German) and Beitragssatzbekanntmachung 2026 (in German). The childless surcharge applies if you have no children and are aged 23 or older. Your payslip shows whether it applies to you.
Worked example: what remains after contributions?
Annahme: The calculation follows the layout of a payslip and uses the table above. We do not calculate income tax ourselves, because it depends on your tax class and allowances.
- Gross salary on a half-time E 13, step 1 contract: 2,379.69 euros (assumption).
- Contributions without the childless surcharge, 21.15 percent: about 503 euros. Remaining before tax: about 1,876 euros.
- Contributions with the childless surcharge, 21.75 percent: about 518 euros. Remaining before tax: about 1,862 euros.
- Income tax depends on your tax class, allowances and church tax. Check it with the Abgabenrechner des BMF (in German).
Does the fixed-term rule matter?
Under § 2 WissZeitVG (in German), a qualification post before the doctorate may be fixed-term for up to six years. The maximum period extends by two years for each child under 18. If you reduce your working time by at least one fifth to care for a child, the term can also be extended. That extension should not exceed two years.
With a half-time post, the fixed term is therefore about more than the contract itself. It determines how long you receive this salary. You can read about other funding routes in our guide Financing a PhD: post, scholarship or own funds (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to stay in health insurance with a half-time post?
If you work as an employee paid for your work, you are subject to compulsory insurance under § 5 para. 1 no. 1 SGB V. The student health insurance does not apply then, because it is subordinate (§ 5 para. 7 SGB V). Your health insurer or HR department can confirm which scheme applies to you and how the contribution is calculated.
Do I pay pension contributions as well?
Yes. Paid employment creates a duty to pay pension insurance. The 2026 rate is 18.6 percent, and you pay half of it. Contributions are based on gross pay, so a half-time post scales proportionally.
Does the fixed term also apply to part-time posts?
The fixed term does not depend on the size of the post. What counts are the rules of the academic fixed-term law, the qualification phase, a possible extension for childcare and whether the doctorate has already been completed.
Do I earn more with a scholarship than with a half-time post?
It depends on the scholarship. For PhD scholarships funded by the BMFTR, the Heinrich Böll Foundation lists a basic scholarship of up to 1,750 euros per month plus allowances (as of October 2026, Stipendienhöhe der Begabtenförderungswerke, Stand Oktober 2026). A scholarship is not paid for work, so it is treated differently for social insurance. You can compare both routes in our guide Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance.
What applies after the doctorate?
After completing the doctorate, the academic fixed-term law (§ 2 WissZeitVG, German text) allows a further fixed term of up to six years. In medicine, up to nine years are provided for. The post does not end automatically with the doctorate, it ends with the contract.
Where can I see what is actually paid out?
Your payslip shows gross pay, deductions and income tax. If the social insurance amounts match the table, the calculation is plausible. If they differ, ask your HR department before you sign a contract for the next year.
Next steps
- Check the job advert for the pay grade and the share of a full-time post (50 or 65 percent).
- Check the step, weekly hours and length of the fixed term in your employment contract.
- Recalculate the social insurance with the rates above and check income tax with the BMF calculator.
- Clarify health insurance before the contract starts if you were previously in student health insurance.
- Discuss an extension for childcare or leave with your university early.
Related reading
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements
- Promotion in Deutschland: Wege, Dauer, Finanzierung und Doktortitel (in German)
Sources: § 2 WissZeitVG (German text, no version date on the page), Anlage B zum TV-L (gültig 1. April bis 31. Dezember 2026), § 5 SGB V, Faktenblatt Rechengrößen 2026 des GKV-Spitzenverbands (all in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. For your personal situation you can get advice from Academycon: How we work.
