Working student insurance depends mainly on the number of hours you work. If you work as a working student, you benefit from the so-called working student privilege (Werkstudentenprivileg), but you continue to pay into the pension insurance. This guide explains what your employer covers and what you need to arrange yourself.
Short answer: If you work up to 20 hours a week, you are exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. Pension insurance remains compulsory, and you pay the employee share of 9.3 percent (contribution rate 2026: 18.6 percent). Your employer covers accident insurance. Private liability and occupational disability insurance are not covered by your employer, so you need to check them yourself. Stand: October 2026.
The essentials at a glance
- The working student privilege applies to employment of up to 20 hours a week, regardless of the amount of pay.
- Health, long-term care and unemployment insurance remain exempt within this limit.
- Pension insurance is compulsory. You pay the employee share, which in 2026 is 9.3 percent of gross pay up to the contribution assessment ceiling (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze).
- Accident cover runs through the employer. Private liability and occupational disability insurance you must check yourself.
- Several jobs are added together. This can end the privilege quickly.
How does health and long-term care insurance work?
Under § 6 para. 1 no. 3 SGB V, students employed for up to 20 hours a week are exempt from statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung). The amount of pay does not matter. You therefore stay insured through your existing cover, for example through student health insurance (studentische Krankenversicherung) or family insurance.
The following overview shows how the individual branches are treated in working student employment.
| Branch | Working student up to 20 hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | Exempt | Your existing insurance stays in place |
| Long-term care insurance | Exempt | Applies in the same way as health insurance |
| Unemployment insurance | Exempt | No entitlement to unemployment benefit from this job |
| Pension insurance | Compulsory | Employee share 9.3 percent (contribution rate 2026: 18.6 percent) |
| Accident insurance | Covered through the employer | Statutory cover under SGB VII |
When does the working student privilege end?
The privilege depends on the hours limit. The main rules are:
- During lecture periods: More than 20 hours a week ends the privilege. There are exceptions for work in the evening, at night and at weekends, if your studies take priority.
- In the lecture-free period: The employment is generally exempt. However, if you work more than 20 hours a week in more than 26 weeks of the year, you lose the privilege.
- Several jobs: They are added together. A mini-job alongside your working student job may therefore make a difference.
These rules come from the administrative practice of the social insurance carriers. The joint circular (Gemeinsames Rundschreiben) of 2016 is the central basis. Check with the mini-job central office (Minijob-Zentrale) or your health insurer whether later changes apply before you sign any contracts.
Why pension insurance still counts
Pension insurance remains compulsory for a reason: the contributions count toward your later pension. If you pay contributions as a working student, you build up pension points that feed into your statutory old-age pension. This is a small but steady building block for your own provision.
The contribution is based on your actual gross pay, so at low earnings the amount is correspondingly small. Whether an exemption from the pension insurance obligation makes sense depends on your personal situation and should not be decided without looking at your overall financial plan.
Mini-job, working student or midi-job: which fits?
The three models differ mainly in pay and contributions. The limits relate to monthly pay and are officially set for 2026. Adjusted values apply for 2027.
| Model | Limit (as of October 2026) | Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Working student | Up to 20 hours a week, pay irrelevant | Health, long-term care and unemployment insurance exempt, pension insurance compulsory |
| Mini-job | Up to 603 euros a month (2026), 633 euros (2027) | Flat-rate contributions paid by the employer, pension insurance compulsory with an option to opt out |
| Midi-job | Between 603.01 euros and 2,000 euros a month | Reduced contributions that rise in steps with higher pay |
The figures for 2026 come from § 8 SGB IV. For marginal employment (geringfügige Beschäftigung), a short-term employment is additionally limited to three months or 70 working days in the calendar year.
What does the employer pay, and what does it not?
Your employer registers you with social insurance, passes on the contributions and pays the employer’s share. Accident cover through the company is also guaranteed. What it does not cover are the risks you carry privately.
Worked example (assumption): You earn 1,000 euros gross a month as a working student with 20 hours a week. The employee share for pension insurance is 9.3 percent, which is 93 euros. No health, long-term care or unemployment contributions apply. Income tax is not calculated here. For that you can use the tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance: bmf-steuerrechner.de.
Typically not covered are the following points:
- damage you cause yourself that your private liability insurance would have to cover,
- occupational disability, unless you provide for it yourself,
- your own devices, such as a laptop or tools, that you bring along.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register with my health insurer myself as a working student?
Usually you do not need to register again, but you should inform your health insurer if your status changes. Employers typically ask for an enrolment certificate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) to check the exemption from contributions, so hand it in early.
What happens during the semester break?
In the lecture-free period, the employment generally remains exempt. However, this only holds as long as the total work in the year does not exceed the limit of more than 20 hours a week over more than 26 weeks. Plan the semester breaks with the whole calendar year in mind.
Can I have a mini-job alongside my working student job?
That is possible, but hours and pay are added together, and this can end the working student privilege. Get advice before you take on the second job and calculate the consequences first.
Do I also pay taxes as a working student?
Whether income tax applies depends on your pay, allowances and tax class. A fixed figure cannot be given without your details. The Federal Ministry of Finance calculator shows the framework. If you want to get tax back, a tax return can be checked by a professional.
How does working student employment affect my future pension?
Pension contributions increase your pension entitlements. The amount depends on your pay and the length of the employment. You can obtain information about your insurance record from the German Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung).
What to do now
- Decide how many hours per week and per semester you want to work, and plan the semester breaks.
- Ask your employer how it checks the exemption from contributions, and hand in your enrolment certificate early.
- Check your private liability and occupational disability insurance for gaps that the job does not close.
- If you take on a second job, clarify whether the jobs are added together.
Checklist before your working student job starts
Before your first shift, a quick check is worthwhile. The list does not replace a personal review, but it shows the points that are most often overlooked.
- Write down your weekly hours and compare them with your timetable.
- Have your existing health insurance confirmed so that no gap arises.
- Submit your enrolment certificate and employment contract to the employer.
- Check whether other employment exists that would be added together.
- Align private liability and occupational disability insurance with the new phase of your life.
Related reading
- Student job 20-hour rule, pension and semester breaks
- Mini-job or student job: the limits compared in figures
- Working student health insurance: costs by age
- Working student privilege (in German)
- Part-time jobs and taxes for students in Germany
Sources: § 6 SGB V, Exempt persons (retrieved October 2026), § 8 SGB IV, Marginal employment (retrieved October 2026), Contribution rate notice for pension insurance 2026 (status 2026).
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information and not individual advice.
