A working student job alongside a computer science degree is the norm for many students. It brings income and practical experience, but it also changes your social insurance and your picture of the later career. For an occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, BU), both matter, because the application asks about your actual activity and not only about your subject.
In short: A working student job of up to 20 hours per week is usually exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance contributions. Pension insurance remains compulsory. For the BU, what counts is that you describe your studies, your job and your future activity honestly. The tariff sets the classification. Last updated: October 2026.
The Key Points at a Glance
- A working student job of up to 20 hours per week is usually exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance.
- Pension insurance remains compulsory, and the contribution is shared between employer and employee.
- For the BU classification, the actual activity counts, not only the employer.
- Your earnings do not decide the working student exemption, but the number of hours does.
- Answers in the application should be specific, so that no question about your activity remains open later.
How Does a Working Student Job Affect Social Insurance?
For working students, the limit is 20 hours per week, regardless of the amount of pay. The administrative practice on exemption from insurance is based on the joint circular (Rundschreiben) of the health insurance funds and their umbrella associations. The overview below summarizes the rules.
| Insurance | Working student up to 20 hours per week | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | Exempt from contributions in the job | Cover through your studies remains in place |
| Long-term care insurance | Exempt from contributions in the job | Applies only to the employment |
| Unemployment insurance | Exempt from contributions in the job | Applies only to the employment |
| Pension insurance | Compulsory | Employer and employee share the contribution, rate 2026 is 18.6 percent in total |
The distinction from the mini-job (Minijob) is important. The mini-job limit in 2026 is 603 euros per month, as of 1 January 2026, and is calculated using the formula in § 8 of the Social Code Book IV (Sozialgesetzbuch IV). If you earn significantly more, you do not fall under the mini-job rules but under the rules for employees. At up to 20 hours per week, the working student exemption applies.
What Does a Working Student Job Mean in Monthly Terms?
A calculation example shows the scale. Assumption: you work 20 hours per week at the statutory minimum wage of 13.90 euros gross per hour, which has applied since 1 January 2026. This gives 278 euros per week. Over twelve months with 52 weeks, that is roughly 1,205 euros gross per month. This amount is well above the mini-job limit, but your working student status remains as long as the hours limit is observed. The calculation is gross and contains no tax.
During lecture-free periods, the administrative practice sometimes applies different limits. If the work falls exclusively into this time, it may remain exempt from insurance under certain conditions, even with more hours. Clarify this with your employer and your health insurance fund before you start.
How Do You Describe the Job in the BU Application?
The insurer asks about illnesses, treatments and findings, and usually also about your occupational activity. This is governed by § 19 VVG on the duty to disclose (Anzeigepflicht). Do not only write down the employer, but also the concrete activity: programming, on-site support, testing or customer support. If your job is mainly done from home, state this, because the tariff determines whether a home office arrangement is rated differently.
Health information also belongs in the application in full. Typical for computer science are tension, visual complaints or sleep problems caused by long working hours. These questions are not minor, because they can influence the premium and the acceptance decision. Particularly during long periods of sitting, it helps to document complaints early, so that the information in the application is complete. The guide on BU health questions during your studies provides an overview.
Alongside a working student job, many degree programs also require a compulsory internship. Separate social insurance rules apply to this as well, and they should be checked in each individual case. If you combine both, record periods, hours and employers separately. This keeps social insurance and the application details clearly apart, and questions from the insurer can be answered faster.
How Does the Job Affect the Classification?
Under § 172 of the Insurance Contract Act (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz, VVG), you are occupationally disabled if you can no longer carry out your most recently practiced profession. A working student job is usually not a profession of its own but an activity during your studies. Insurers therefore generally orient themselves on the computer science profession you are aiming for. Whether the practical activity in the job affects the classification depends on the tariff and the individual case, and the insurer sets this out in the conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to mention my working student job in the BU application?
Yes. If the application asks about your current activity, you must answer it completely. This also applies if it is only a side job with a few hours. If you conceal an activity, the insurer may withdraw from the contract, depending on the degree of fault. In such cases, asking the insurer first is the safer route.
Am I covered by pension insurance as a working student?
Yes. The working student exemption does not free you from compulsory pension insurance. The contribution is shared. In 2026, the total contribution rate is 18.6 percent, as of 1 January 2026. Contribution periods count towards a later pension, as explained in the guide on pension points during your studies.
What changes when I start work after my studies?
With your career start, your activity becomes concrete and the classification clearer. Whether the contract needs to be adjusted depends on what the application states. Read the guide on BU after your studies, which explains the classification for graduates.
What counts if I change jobs during my studies?
A change of job only alters the information you gave in the application if the activity or the number of hours changes significantly. Document new activities, employers and hours with dates. This makes it easier to answer later questions and helps avoid misunderstandings. If you are unsure, ask the insurer before a notification becomes necessary.
Is a computer science BU also covered for home office work?
Home office does not replace the review of which activity the insurer assesses. What matters are the tariff conditions and the description in the application. Ask specifically how home office, project work and on-site assignments are classified.
Your Next Steps
- Check your employment contract, the agreed hours and the actual activity, including during the semester break.
- Ask for a written description of your activity so that you can state it correctly in the application.
- Answer the questions on occupation and health completely before you sign.
- Clarify open questions about the classification personally. An assessment of your case is available through Academycon’s advisory service (in German).
Related Reading
- Occupational disability insurance in computer science studies: occupational group and health questions
- Private Health Insurance for Working Students in Germany
- Mini-job and pension insurance during your studies: what you build up
- Pension Insurance for Students in Germany: Rules
Sources: Section 172 VVG, Benefits of the insurer (gesetze-im-internet.de, as of October 2026), Section 19 VVG, Duty to disclose (gesetze-im-internet.de, as of October 2026), Section 8 SGB IV, Marginal employment (gesetze-im-internet.de, as of January 2026), Joint circular of the umbrella organisations of social insurance of 23 November 2016 on the insurance law assessment of employed students and interns, PDF published by Techniker Krankenkasse (valid from 1 January 2017, older version, check the current administrative practice).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
