In short
There is no fixed BAföG income limit. Instead, your income is counted over the whole approval period. According to the Deutsches Studierendenwerk, earnings up to the mini-job limit of 603 euros gross a month (2026) do not reduce your BAföG. Above that, income is counted after flat-rate deductions and a monthly allowance of 389 euros.
| Key fact | Value | Date and source |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-job limit | 603 € a month (2026), 633 € a month (2027) | Section 8 SGB IV, Minijob-Zentrale, as of 20 Oct 2026, minimum wage 13.90 € and 14.60 € |
| Allowance for your own income | 389 € a month from 2026 (353 € in 2025) | Notice under section 23(6) BAföG (BGBl. 2025 I no. 279), bafög.de, as of December 2025 |
| Flat rate for income-related expenses | 1,230 € a year | Section 9a EStG, 2026 |
| Social security flat rate | 22.3 % for employees who pay pension contributions, maximum 17,200 € a year | Section 21(2) no. 1 BAföG, read on 25 Oct 2026 |
| Calculation period | approval period, total income divided by the number of months | Section 22 BAföG, read on 25 Oct 2026 |
How does side income affect BAföG?
Your own income only reduces BAföG to the extent that it exceeds an allowance after deductions. The BAföG office calculates income for the entire approval period (section 22(1) BAföG), divides it by the number of calendar months and offsets the resulting even monthly amount against your need in each month (section 22(2)).
Income means the sum of positive income under the Income Tax Act (section 21(1) BAföG). Among other things, income tax, church tax and a flat rate for social security are deducted. For employees, the flat rate for income-related expenses is added, and one twelfth of it is deducted for each month of the approval period. Training pay from an apprenticeship, by contrast, is counted in full (section 23(3)).
A scholarship can count as well. If it is awarded based on talent or performance without a specific purpose, only the part above 300 € in the monthly average counts as income (section 21(3)). More in the guide Stipendium: Steuern und Sozialversicherung (in German).
What is the BAföG income limit in 2026?
As a rule of thumb, the mini-job limit of 603 € gross a month applies. The Deutsches Studierendenwerk states that income up to this amount does not reduce your BAföG. The federal BAföG portal describes the mechanism behind it. After deducting the flat rate for income-related expenses and the social security flat rate, a monthly allowance of 389 € (2025: 353 €) stays free of deductions.
To put the figure in context, the statute text of section 23(1) sentence 1 no. 1 BAföG still names 353 € and is subject to a notice under subsection 6. That notice in the Federal Law Gazette (BGBl. 2025 I no. 279) sets the allowance at 389 € as of 1 January 2026. We use this value below. The first worked example shows how the figures fit together.
| Value | 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-job limit, gross a month | 603 € | minimum wage 13.90 € times 130 divided by 3, rounded up |
| Flat rate for income-related expenses a year | 1,230 € | one twelfth for each month of the approval period |
| Social security flat rate | 22.3 % | employees who pay pension contributions, maximum 17,200 € a year |
| Allowance a month | 389 € | notice under section 23(6) BAföG, the statute text still names 353 € |
| Asset allowance | 15,000 € up to 29, 45,000 € from 30 | Deutsches Studierendenwerk, BAföG FAQ January 2026 |
What changes from 2027?
The mini-job limit rises to 633 € a month in 2027, because the minimum wage rises to 14.60 € (14.60 times 130 divided by 3 gives 632.67, rounded up to 633). This is officially set. For the student’s BAföG allowance, there is no notice for 2027 yet. Section 23(6) BAföG links it to the marginal employment threshold under section 8(1a) SGB IV, less one twelfth of the flat rate for income-related expenses and the social security flat rate of 22.3 per cent. The ministry calculates the amount every 1 January and announces any change in the Federal Law Gazette. By our calculation, the formula with 633 € would give about 413 € (633 € minus 102.50 € times 0.777, rounded up). Only the official notice is binding. The government draft of the BAföG reform provides for an annual increase of the allowances by 1.5 per cent, but only from 1 August 2028. It does not cover the student’s own allowance, and this draft has not been adopted either. More on the status in the guide BAföG-Reform 2027 (in German).
The consequence depends on the allowance. If it stays at 389 €, the full mini-job limit in 2027 is slightly above it. If it follows the formula, the limit stays free of deductions. The third example calculates both cases.
How do you work out an example?
The following three examples are simplified and do not replace an official notice. Assumptions: You pay pension contributions as an employee, have no other income, pay no income tax, and the approval period has twelve months, which is the standard case under section 50(3) BAföG. A mini-job is subject to pension contributions unless you opt out. If you opt out of pension insurance, you fall into another group under section 21(2) no. 3 with a flat rate of 38.8 %, which shifts the result in your favour.
Example 1 with a mini-job at 603 € a month (2026)
- Annual gross income: 603 € times 12 is 7,236 €.
- Deduct the flat rate for income-related expenses: 7,236 € minus 1,230 € is 6,006 €.
- Deduct the social security flat rate: 22.3 % of 6,006 € is 1,339.34 €, which leaves 4,666.66 €.
- Monthly amount: 4,666.66 € divided by 12 is about 389 €.
- This equals the allowance of 389 €. The amount counted is 0 €.
Example 2 with a part-time job at 800 € gross a month (2026)
- Annual gross income: 800 € times 12 is 9,600 €.
- Deduct the flat rate for income-related expenses: 9,600 € minus 1,230 € is 8,370 €.
- Deduct the social security flat rate: 22.3 % of 8,370 € is 1,866.51 €, which leaves 6,503.49 €.
- Monthly amount: 6,503.49 € divided by 12 is about 541.96 €.
- Deduct the allowance: 541.96 € minus 389 € is about 152.96 €. This amount reduces your BAföG each month.
Example 3 with a mini-job at 633 € a month (2027, scenario)
Assumption: The flat rate for income-related expenses and the social security flat rate stay unchanged. The allowance for 2027 is not officially set, so there are two cases.
- Annual gross income: 633 € times 12 is 7,596 €.
- Deduct the flat rate for income-related expenses: 7,596 € minus 1,230 € is 6,366 €.
- Deduct the social security flat rate: 22.3 % of 6,366 € is 1,419.62 €, which leaves 4,946.38 €.
- Monthly amount: 4,946.38 € divided by 12 is about 412.20 €.
- Case A, the allowance stays at 389 €: 412.20 € minus 389 € is about 23.20 €. On paper, a good 23 € a month would be counted.
- Case B, the allowance follows the formula and rises to about 413 €: 412.20 € is below it. The amount counted is 0 €.
What should you watch for with semester breaks and holiday jobs?
A holiday job is not counted in the month you do it, but spread over the whole approval period (section 22(2) BAföG). Here is an example. You work three months in the holidays at 1,800 € gross each and have no other income.
- Annual gross income: 3 times 1,800 € is 5,400 €.
- Deduct the flat rate for income-related expenses: 5,400 € minus 1,230 € is 4,170 €.
- Deduct the social security flat rate: 22.3 % of 4,170 € is 929.91 €, which leaves 3,240.09 €.
- Monthly amount: 3,240.09 € divided by 12 is about 270.01 €.
- This is below the allowance of 389 €. The amount counted is 0 €.
Short-term employment is exempt from social insurance as marginal employment. For such employees, section 21(2) no. 3 BAföG names the flat rate of 38.8 %, which lowers the amount counted further. How holiday jobs affect child benefit and health insurance is covered in the guides Kindergeld und Nebenjob (in German) and Werkstudent und die 20-Stunden-Regel (in German).
What applies if you are self-employed?
Profit from self-employment counts as income under the Income Tax Act. For people who are not employees, section 21(2) no. 3 BAföG provides a flat rate of 38.8 %, up to 29,500 € a year. The flat rate for income-related expenses does not apply, because business expenses already reduce the profit. Example with assumed values and without tax deduction. Profit of 6,000 € a year. A flat rate of 2,328 € is deducted, which leaves 3,672 €. Divided by 12, that is 306 € a month, which is below the allowance. The legal position on trade registration, tax and insurance is explained in the guide Selbstständig im Studium (in German).
What to do next
- Estimate your income for the whole approval period, not for single months.
- Work it out following the pattern of the examples and compare the monthly amount with the allowance.
- State your expected income in the application. The process is explained in BAföG beantragen (in German).
- Report significant changes to the office later, such as a new job, so that the notice and your actual income match.
- Check child benefit and health insurance in parallel, because other limits apply there. See Minijob-Grenze 2027 (in German).
Frequently asked questions
How much can I earn on top of BAföG?
There is no fixed upper limit. Your income is calculated over the approval period and counted against your need after flat-rate deductions and an allowance. According to the Studierendenwerk, earnings up to the mini-job limit of 603 € gross a month (2026) do not reduce your BAföG.
Does the mini-job limit of 603 € also apply in 2027?
No. The marginal employment threshold rises to 633 € a month in 2027, because the minimum wage rises to 14.60 €. For the BAföG allowance, there is no notice for 2027 yet. Section 23(6) BAföG links it to the marginal employment threshold, so it is likely to rise. If it stays unchanged, a mini-job up to 633 € triggers a small deduction on paper.
Does BAföG count gross or net income?
The starting point is positive income under the Income Tax Act, so for employees it is gross pay less the flat rate for income-related expenses. The office deducts taxes and a social security flat rate from that. The monthly allowance follows.
How does a holiday job affect BAföG?
The office divides the total income of the approval period by the number of months. So a holiday job is spread over twelve months. If the monthly average stays below the allowance, nothing is counted. A worked example is above.
How is profit from self-employment treated?
Profit counts as income under the Income Tax Act, and a higher flat rate for social security applies. The calculation therefore differs from the one for employees. Ask your office how it treats a mix of employment and self-employment.
Related guides
- BAföG 2026: Anspruch, Höhe und Rückzahlung erklärt (in German)
- Kindergeld und Nebenjob: Was dein Kind verdienen darf (in German)
- Werkstudent und die 20-Stunden-Regel (in German)
- Nebenjob und Steuern: Das gilt für Minijob, Werkstudent und Co. (in German)
- BAföG Altersgrenze: Förderung mit über 30 und bis 45 (in German)
Sources and review
- Statute texts sections 21, 22, 23 and 50(3) BAföG, gesetze-im-internet.de (section 21), section 22, section 23, accessed 25 Oct 2026
- Federal BAföG portal, allowances (389 € from 1 January 2026, as of December 2025), bafög.de, accessed 25 Oct 2026
- Deutsches Studierendenwerk, BAföG FAQ January 2026, studierendenwerke.de, accessed 20 Oct 2026
- Minijob-Zentrale, mini-job limit 2027, magazin.minijob-zentrale.de, and section 8 SGB IV, gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed 20 Oct 2026
- Government draft 30th BAföG amendment act, Bundestag paper 21/8405 (section 35a, Art. 1 no. 21), dserver.bundestag.de, accessed 25 Oct 2026
Editorial team: Academycon
Last updated: 25 October 2026
If you want to see how your side job fits with insurance and funding, start with the Academycon online check.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. Values for 2027 are drafts or planned.
