Remote jobs for students are jobs you do from home or on the move. They include online tutoring, writing, virtual assistance, graphic design and programming, customer service, and working-student positions in a home office related to your field. For employed remote jobs, the same limits apply as for jobs on site: a minijob ends at €603 per month, and a working-student job at 20 hours per week during the lecture period.
Working from home does not change anything about social insurance, BAföG or child benefit. What matters is your earnings, your hours, and whether you are employed or self-employed.
Key points at a glance
- Typical remote jobs for students are online tutoring, writing, virtual assistance, design, programming, customer service and working-student positions in a home office.
- As a remote working student, you may work at most 20 hours per week during the lecture period. You are then exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. Pension insurance remains compulsory.
- The statutory minimum wage is €13.90 per hour in 2026 and rises to €14.60 on 1 January 2027. For a minijob, the limit is €603 per month, and from 2027 it is €633.
- You can recognise dubious offers by upfront payments, missing company details and pay that does not fit the task.
- If you are self-employed, you work on invoice. Different rules for tax and health insurance then apply than in an employment relationship.
Which remote jobs for students are there?
Online jobs for students fall into five areas: passing on knowledge, writing, organising, designing and programming, and looking after customers. There are also working-student positions and internships that take place entirely or partly in a home office.
| Job | Typical tasks | Usually |
|---|---|---|
| Online tutoring | Support schoolchildren and fellow students by video in your subject | self-employed |
| Writing and content | Write articles, product descriptions and social media posts | self-employed |
| Virtual assistance | Answer emails, schedule appointments, do research, enter data | self-employed or employed |
| Graphics, web, programming | Create logos, websites, apps and scripts | self-employed or employed |
| Customer service | Handle enquiries by phone, chat or email | employed |
| Remote working student | Subject-related tasks in a company, such as marketing, IT or analysis | employed |
Which industry suits your timetable and your field is shown in the overview of which student jobs are worth it (in German). For tutoring and advice, subject knowledge and patience matter more than prior experience. In design and programming, a portfolio with your own examples decides, for instance a website you built yourself or a logo for a fictional company.
How does a remote working student job work?
A remote working student is employed by a company and works from home. The same rules apply as on site. That means at most 20 hours per week during the lecture period, and then exemption from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. Pension insurance is always compulsory: 18.6%, which you share equally with your employer. Between €603.01 and €2,000 per month, reduced contributions apply while you keep full pension entitlement. Whether home working is possible is decided by the employer.
Several jobs are added together. If you work mainly at weekends, in the evening or at night, or only in the semester holidays on a fixed-term basis, you may exceed 20 hours, for no more than 26 weeks per year in each case. In distance learning there are usually no fixed semester holidays, so each period is checked individually.
Example: Mia, 23, is doing a master’s degree and works remotely as a working student for 12 hours per week at €18 gross (assumed). That makes 12 × €18 × 4.35 weeks, or about €940 per month. This puts her above the BAföG limit of €603 gross and above the family insurance limit of €565. What this means for health insurance is explained in the article on health insurance with a part-time job (in German).
Where can you find remote jobs as a student?
The search runs through several channels. Which ones suit you depends on whether you want to work as an employee or on a contract basis. Fees, commissions and conditions differ from provider to provider, so read them before you sign up.
- Freelancer platforms: You apply for individual projects here. Competition is strong, so a complete profile and work samples help.
- Tutoring portals: They connect you with pupils or fellow students. Check who sets the price and the times.
- Remote job boards: Specialised portals list positions that can be filled regardless of location.
- Career portals and networks: Business networks and the job portals of your university show working-student positions where home working is possible.
- Speculative applications: Ask companies in your industry directly about a remote position for students.
Where else to search and what to look for in adverts is covered in the article on how to find a student part-time job (in German). If you want a fixed structure, a student research assistant post (in German) at your university is an alternative.
How do you recognise dubious online jobs?
Serious clients pay you for your work and do not ask you for money. Take these warning signs seriously:
- You are asked to pay in advance, for example for training, a starter kit, software or application materials.
- The pay is high, the task remains vague, and there is no concrete client.
- There is neither a company name nor an address or legal notice, and communication runs only through a messenger.
- You are asked to forward money through your own account, or to send identity documents and bank details to strangers.
- You receive no written contract, or you are pressed to agree immediately.
Check the company details in the legal notice, and if you are unsure, ask fellow students or the career service of your university. On platforms, keep communication and payment within the platform.
Which contracts and limits apply to remote jobs?
If you are employed, you receive a employment contract stating your weekly hours, hourly pay and start date. The statutory minimum wage of €13.90 per hour also applies in a home office. A compulsory internship under your course regulations is exempt. A voluntary internship is usually paid at least the minimum wage once it lasts longer than three months.
| Form | Limit | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Minijob | €603 per month (2027: €633) | The employer pays the flat-rate contributions. You pay 3.6% pension insurance unless you opt out |
| Working student | 20 hours per week during the lecture period | Exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. Pension insurance compulsory |
| Self-employed | Remain a side activity, as a guide 20 hours per week during the lecture period | The client pays on invoice. You take care of tax and health insurance |
If you work as a freelancer, you register a trade with the trade office, and members of the liberal professions register with the tax office. How to start without risk is explained in the article on freelancing as a student (in German). An overview of all routes with their limits is offered by the article on earning money alongside your studies (in German).
If you want to stay in the family insurance, you may not work as a self-employed person on a main-occupation basis, and your total income may not exceed €565 per month. Self-employment also has to remain a side activity for the student health insurance.
What can you claim for home working for tax?
As an employee, you can claim €6 for each day on which you work mainly at home and do not visit a first place of work away from home, up to €1,260 per year. The flat rate only has an effect where your total work-related expenses exceed the employee lump sum of €1,230.
Worked example: on 150 home office days, the total is 150 × €6 = €900. That is below €1,230, so the flat rate alone brings no tax saving. How this applies in your case is something to clarify with the tax office or a tax adviser.
Can you work remotely from abroad as a student?
There is no statutory right to mobile working abroad, and your employer must agree. Within Europe, a posting may apply, for which the employer applies for an A1 certificate. Outside the EU, the EU social security rules do not apply. Speak with your employer and your health insurer before you travel.
How do you organise remote work alongside your studies?
Plan fixed blocks of work and keep them as you would appointments. A dedicated place to work separates studying from the job. During exam periods, agree breaks with your client early.
Frequently asked questions
Which remote jobs suit students?
Online tutoring, writing, virtual assistance, graphic design, web development, customer service and working-student positions in a home office are well suited. The choice depends on your subject and your time. For self-employed work, work samples count. For employees, certificates and practical experience from internships count.
How many hours may I work as a remote working student?
During the lecture period, at most 20 hours per week. More is possible if you work mainly at weekends, in the evening or at night, or only in the semester holidays on a fixed-term basis, in each case for no more than 26 weeks per year. Several jobs are added together.
How much may I earn from an online job?
That depends on the form. A minijob ends at €603 per month. For BAföG, €603 gross per month remains exempt from offset. In the family insurance, the limit is €565 total income per month. For a working-student job, the weekly hours set the limit.
How do I recognise dubious remote jobs?
Warning signs are upfront payments for training or software, missing company details, very high pay for vague tasks, and requests to forward money through your account. Serious clients name the company, an address and the tasks, and offer a written contract or order.
What you should do now
- Decide whether you want to work as an employee or take on assignments as a self-employed person.
- Calculate your hours multiplied by your hourly rate and compare the result with the limits of €565, €603 and 20 hours per week.
- Apply with a convincing profile or portfolio and check the clients in their legal notice.
- Have your hours, pay and start date confirmed in writing. As a self-employed person, register the activity with the trade office or the tax office.
Related articles
- Earning money alongside your studies: which options are worth it (in German)
- Finding a student part-time job: where to look and what to watch for (in German)
- Best student jobs: industries that suit your studies (in German)
- Health insurance with a part-time job: family insurance, KVdS or PKV (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
