Yes, the statutory minimum wage generally applies to student assistants (studentische Hilfskräfte) at German universities. If you work alongside your studies as an assistant, you are in principle an employee within the meaning of the Minimum Wage Act. What counts is what your contract says and what the work actually involves.
Kurz beantwortet: Yes, as a rule. The statutory minimum wage is 13.90 euros gross per hour from 1 January 2026 and 14.60 euros gross per hour from 1 January 2027 (as of November 2026). The exceptions in the law mainly cover compulsory internships and certain short internships, not assistant posts. A university’s hourly rate may not fall below this figure.
The most important points at a glance
- The statutory minimum wage is 13.90 euros gross per hour from 1 January 2026 and 14.60 euros from 1 January 2027.
- The regulation was issued on 5 November 2025 and published in the Federal Law Gazette (BGBl. 2025 I No. 268).
- The Minimum Wage Act lists exceptions, including compulsory internships at universities. An assistant post is not one of them.
- The actual nature of the work decides, not the label used in the contract.
- The University of Hamburg lists a rate of 15.20 euros for student assistants, which is above the 2026 minimum wage.
What does the Minimum Wage Act say about student employees?
According to its wording, the Minimum Wage Act applies to employees (section 22(1) sentence 1 of the Minimum Wage Act). Interns count as employees unless the exceptions apply, for example where the internship is compulsory under a university regulation (section 22(1) sentence 2 no. 1). Orientation internships and internships running alongside a degree of up to three months are also exempt under the conditions the law sets out (nos. 2 and 3).
The law therefore asks what kind of work you do, not whether you are a student. A post in which you support lecturers, maintain data or take on administrative tasks is an employment relationship. The provision also states expressly that the actual form of the work matters and not the name given to the legal relationship (section 22(1) sentence 3).
Which amounts apply in 2026 and 2027?
| Period | Statutory minimum wage (gross per hour) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| from 1 January 2026 | 13.90 euros | Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Regulation |
| from 1 January 2027 | 14.60 euros | Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Regulation |
| Comparison: University of Hamburg, student assistant | 15.20 euros (as of 29 June 2026) | University information, 29 June 2026 |
The full text of the regulation is available at gesetze-im-internet.de and sets out both stages. The University of Hamburg’s rate for student assistants lies above the statutory floor, which shows that universities often pay above the minimum. Other universities may handle this differently, so check the advertisement and your contract.
Does the minimum wage also apply during semester breaks?
Yes. The minimum wage is tied to the hour worked, not to the semester. If you work during the semester break, you are entitled to at least the statutory hourly rate for every hour worked. Your contract determines how many hours are agreed and whether monthly hours are fixed.
Worked example. Assumption: you work 40 hours in a month. At the 2026 minimum of 13.90 euros, the gross pay is 556.00 euros. At 14.60 euros from 2027, it is 584.00 euros gross. The difference is 28.00 euros per month. Your net pay depends on deductions, which the Hiwi calculator explains.
When does the internship exception apply?
The exception in section 22(1) sentence 2 no. 1 covers internships that a school, university or training regulation makes compulsory. A compulsory internship during a degree can therefore be agreed without the minimum wage. An assistant post, by contrast, is an employment relationship with pay for work, even when the employer is a university.
Each case needs checking. If you complete a compulsory internship set by the university’s rules, different rules apply than to a regular assistant post with fixed hours and a written job description. If in doubt, ask the personnel department or the student advisory service.
What does this mean for assistants at a university?
The university must observe the minimum wage. This holds whether or not the post is classified under a collective agreement, because the statutory minimum wage forms the lower limit. Whether a collective agreement applies on top of that is shown in your contract. The article on hourly wages for 2027 and collective agreements explains how these figures develop.
If your contract sets an hourly rate below the statutory minimum, raise this in writing before you start work. An hourly rate comes from the contract and the university’s pay rule. It may not fall below the legal floor, even if the subject or the job title suggests otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Does the minimum wage apply to bachelor’s or master’s assistants too?
Your study stage makes no difference to the minimum wage. The Minimum Wage Act attaches to the employment relationship. Whether you work in your first or fifth semester does not change the statutory floor.
What about the minimum wage in semester breaks?
The statutory minimum wage applies to every hour worked, including during the lecture-free period. How many hours you work in the break is set by your contract.
Can the university pay under a collective agreement instead of the minimum wage?
Collective pay may not fall below the statutory minimum wage, but it may be higher. What counts is the contract and the pay rule the university applies. The collective agreement for 2026 (TV-L, in German) shows how such agreements can look.
What should I do if my hourly rate is below the minimum wage?
Contact the personnel department and ask for the contract to be corrected. Keep the contract, your timesheets and records of the hours worked. If problems continue, advice from a trade union or a legal adviser can help.
Step by step: how to check your contract
- Check whether your hourly rate is at least 13.90 euros gross (2026) or 14.60 euros gross (from 2027).
- Clarify whether your work is a compulsory internship or an assistant post.
- Record your hours so that you can follow each pay slip.
- If the figures do not match, raise the point with the personnel department first and ask for a written answer.
Keep one more point in mind. A contract can be correct on paper and still leave you short if the agreed hours do not match the work you actually do. If you regularly work more hours than the contract states, record them and raise the difference in writing. Pay claims for hours worked are not lost simply because the contract was drafted too narrowly.
Related articles
- Academic careers: contracts, collective agreements and fixed terms
- Hiwi hourly wage 2027: what minimum wage and collective agreements change
- How many hours may a student assistant work?
- Research or student assistant: the difference
- Student internship: minimum wage and social insurance
Sources: Minimum Wage Act, section 22 (gesetze-im-internet.de), Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Regulation (gesetze-im-internet.de, issued 5 November 2025), University of Hamburg, information for student employees (last updated 29 June 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
