What changes in 2027 for your money? For young adults the key points are earnings limits, contributions, travel passes and the BAföG rates (German federal training assistance). This overview sets the figures side by side, marks which are confirmed, and flags what is still open.
Short answer: The minijob limit rises on 1 January 2027 from 603 to 633 euros per month, and the minimum wage to 14.60 euros per hour. The average additional contribution for 2027 is an estimate of 2.9 percent. Ask your transport association for the price of the Deutschlandticket (nationwide transit pass) for 2027. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- The minijob limit rises from 603 to 633 euros per month and follows the minimum wage of 14.60 euros.
- The average additional contribution for 2027 is an estimate. The rate of your health insurer applies.
- For student health insurance, the reference amount of 855 euros per month is the basis.
- The BAföG rates for 2027 are part of the government draft, but they have not been adopted.
- The price of the Deutschlandticket for 2027 is set by your regional transport association.
Which figures change in 2027?
The table sets the values side by side and shows whether they are confirmed, estimated or still open.
| Item | 2026 | 2027 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage per hour | 13.90 euros | 14.60 euros | Passed |
| Minijob limit per month | 603 euros | 633 euros | Follows from the minimum wage |
| Average additional contribution | 2.9 percent | 2.9 percent | Estimate, official determination announced |
| Broadcasting fee per flat and month | 18.36 euros | See rundfunkbeitrag.de | Status 2026 per the contribution service |
| Deutschlandticket | Figures of the transport association | Figures of the transport association | Ask your transport association for the price |
What does health insurance cost as a student?
Contributions for students are based on 855 euros per month (§ 236 SGB V). The contribution without the additional contribution was 87.38 euros per month in 2026. The additional contribution comes on top and depends on your health insurer.
Assumption: your additional contribution rises by 0.5 percentage points. The contribution then increases by 855 euros times 0.5 percent, which is 4.28 euros per month, or about 51 euros per year. This helps you place an increase within your budget before comparing it with other costs.
An overview of the 2027 contributions is available in Health insurance 2027: what changes for insured people and students.
What does the minijob limit of 2027 mean for your budget?
The minijob limit of 633 euros per month sets the frame for many student side jobs. If you stay within it, you keep most of the pay without social insurance contributions of the same size. The limit follows from the minimum wage under § 8 SGB IV: 14.60 euros times 130, divided by 3, rounded up.
According to the German Studierendenwerk (student services organisation), earnings up to the minijob limit do not reduce BAföG. Whether this rule stays unchanged with the new limit is confirmed by the BAföG office of your Studierendenwerk in individual cases.
The minijob limit also matters for family insurance. Under § 10 para. 1 sentence 5 SGB V, a regular monthly total income up to the marginal employment limit is permitted. For 2027 that limit is 633 euros. If you earn above it, you generally lose family insurance and become insured in your own right, either compulsorily or voluntarily.
What does the Deutschlandticket mean for your budget?
The Deutschlandticket is a subscription for local and regional public transport that is valid nationwide. Your regional transport association publishes the current price and conditions. If you already have a semester ticket, check whether it covers public transport in your region before you take out an additional subscription. Compare costs for the period you actually use, such as one semester or a full year.
What changes for BAföG rates?
The government draft of the BAföG reform (Bundestag paper 21/8405) provides for higher needs rates. The amounts are set out in the draft and have not been adopted. Until promulgation, the current rates apply.
| Needs rate per month | Current law | Government draft |
|---|---|---|
| Basic amount | 475 euros | 503 euros, expected from the winter semester 2027/28 |
| Housing allowance (not living with parents) | 380 euros | 440 euros, provided in the draft |
| Total of the two items | 855 euros | 943 euros, draft figure |
The sum of basic amount and housing allowance is also the reference amount for health insurance under § 236 SGB V. If the needs rate changes, the health insurance contribution shifts accordingly.
What stays the same in 2027?
Not everything changes. Child benefit (Kindergeld) is paid until the age of 25 while training continues (§ 32 para. 4 EStG). A minijob does not affect it during first training. Under current law, BAföG still includes a loan share of 50 percent of the support.
- Child benefit up to age 25 during first training, minijob does not affect it (§ 32 EStG)
- BAföG with a loan share of 50 percent under current law
- The minimum wage and the minijob limit rise together, not separately
Frequently asked questions
When will the BAföG rates actually rise?
The draft provides for an increase, expected from the winter semester 2027/28. There is no law on this yet. You can follow the progress of Bundestag paper 21/8405 in the Bundestag.
Do BAföG recipients have to pay the broadcasting fee?
Anyone who receives BAföG and does not live with their parents can apply for an exemption from the broadcasting fee. The fee was 18.36 euros per month and flat in 2026. Figures for 2027 are published on rundfunkbeitrag.de.
Is a minijob still worth it as a student?
That depends on your time, your income and your costs. Calculate with your own figures, for example pay for 43 hours per month, and include health insurance and pension contributions.
How can I check the Deutschlandticket for 2027?
Your regional transport association publishes the valid price and conditions. Compare them with a semester ticket before you change a contract. A comparison is in semester ticket and Deutschlandticket (in German).
Do I pay more tax with the 2027 minimum wage?
This guide gives no reliable rule of thumb for tax. For a net calculation, use the tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance at bmf-steuerrechner.de. Our own calculations here are limited to social insurance contributions that follow from the limits named above.
A higher minimum wage changes your gross income. How much of it reaches you net depends on your tax class, allowances and health insurer.
What to do now
- Measure your minijob earnings against the limit of 633 euros.
- After the official determination, check the additional contribution of your health insurer and add the change to your monthly budget.
- Follow the BAföG reform and ask your BAföG office before you decide on draft figures.
- Compare travel costs with the offers of your transport association.
Related articles
- What changes in 2027? The full overview with all key dates
- Minijob or student job: limits in figures compared
- BAföG rates 2026/27: figures, allowances and limits
- Additional contribution 2027: what students can do now
- What changes in January 2027?
Sources: Federal Ministry of Health, contributions to statutory health insurance (status: 2026); Fifth Minimum Wage Ordinance (status: 2026); Bundestag paper 21/8405 (status: 7 October 2026); § 8 SGB IV (current version); broadcasting fee, information for students (status: 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
