Working students (Werkstudenten) in Germany often look for a fixed earnings limit. There is none. What counts is the number of hours: up to 20 hours per week, you remain exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. This guide explains what applies in 2026, where the mini-job limit comes in and what social insurance contributions look like in a worked example.
Short answer: Working students have no fixed earnings limit. The limit is 20 hours per week (working student privilege), and the amount you earn does not matter for it. The mini-job limit is 603 euros per month in 2026 and 633 euros in 2027. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- The working student privilege depends on working time: up to 20 hours per week, regardless of your pay (§ 6 para. 1 no. 3 SGB V).
- Even as a working student you pay into the pension insurance. The employee share is 9.3 percent (2026).
- The mini-job limit is 603 euros per month in 2026 and 633 euros in 2027 (source: Minijob-Zentrale).
- If you work more than 20 hours, you are generally fully subject to social insurance, including long-term care and unemployment insurance.
- There is no rule of thumb for income tax. Use the calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance for estimates.
The 20-hour limit in detail
The working student privilege is an administrative rule based on social insurance law. It requires that you are enrolled at a university and that your employment does not exceed 20 hours per week. Then you remain exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance (§ 6 para. 1 no. 3 SGB V). The amount of your pay does not matter for the privilege. Several jobs are added together.
In some cases, evening, night and weekend work can exceed 20 hours if your studies take priority. In the lecture-free period separate rules apply: if your working time is above 20 hours and this lasts for more than 26 weeks a year, the privilege ends. The basis is the joint circular on the social insurance treatment of students, dated 23 November 2016 and applicable since 2017.
The limits for 2026 and 2027 at a glance
| Limit | 2026 | 2027 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-job, per month | 603 euros | 633 euros | Minijob-Zentrale, § 8 SGB IV |
| Mini-job, per year (calculated from the monthly figure) | 7,236 euros | 7,596 euros | own calculation from the monthly figure |
| Midi-job transition zone, up to | 2,000 euros per month | 2,000 euros per month | § 20 para. 2 SGB IV |
| Statutory minimum wage per hour | 13.90 euros | 14.60 euros | Minimum Wage Ordinance, BMAS |
| Working student privilege, hour limit | 20 hours per week | 20 hours per week | joint circular 2016 |
The mini-job limit applies to marginal employment. A working student job paying more than 603 euros is therefore not automatically a mini-job. The working student privilege and the mini-job rules are two separate systems, and you should keep them apart.
Worked example: social insurance at 25 hours per week
Assumption: you work 25 hours per week at the statutory minimum wage of 13.90 euros. Over 52 weeks and 12 months, this comes to about 1,505.83 euros gross per month. You are then above the 20-hour limit, so the working student privilege no longer applies and you are fully subject to social insurance.
| Contribution | Rate (employee share) | Amount per month (assumption) |
|---|---|---|
| Pension insurance | 9.3 percent (half of 18.6 percent) | 140.04 euros |
| Health insurance | 8.75 percent (half of 14.6 percent plus 2.9 percent additional contribution on average) | 131.76 euros |
| Total pension and health insurance | 271.80 euros |
Assumption: the additional contribution of 2.9 percent is the national average. Your health insurer may charge a different rate. The example leaves out long-term care and unemployment insurance and shows only these two contributions. We do not calculate income tax ourselves, because it depends on your tax class and allowances. For an estimate of your net pay, use the Federal Ministry of Finance calculator (in German).
Several jobs and the semester break
If you have several jobs, you must add up the hours. If the total is above 20 hours per week, the privilege no longer applies. Short-term jobs follow a different rule: under § 8 SGB IV, a short-term employment lasts no longer than three months or 70 working days in a calendar year. This rule has applied permanently since 1 January 2019.
Time recording is especially useful in the semester break. Write down your hours each month, so that you see early whether you cross the limit and can talk to your employer in time.
Health insurance and the hour limit
As long as you keep to the 20-hour limit, you remain insured as a student, and your pay does not set your contributions. If you exceed the limit, you move into regular compulsory insurance for employees, and then the contributions depend on your pay. Our guide to working student health insurance costs (in German) shows what this means for you.
The hour limit is therefore more than a number for your payslip. It decides which insurance applies to you and how much cover costs you each month. Keeping an eye on it from the start avoids surprises with your first payslip.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an earnings limit for working students?
No. For the working student privilege the number of hours counts, not your pay. An earnings limit exists only for marginal employment, the mini-jobs, where it is 603 euros per month in 2026.
What happens if I work more than 20 hours?
In most cases you are then fully subject to social insurance, including health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. The employer registers you, and the contributions are deducted from your pay.
Does my employer pay the contributions?
Employer and employee share the contributions. The split is shown on your payslip. Check the payslip to see how your gross pay turns into net pay.
What if I exceed 20 hours only in some weeks?
The circular distinguishes regular working time from exceptions, such as evening, night or weekend work when your studies take priority. For individual cases, ask your health insurer before you commit.
How should I record my hours?
Note every week how many hours you worked, including cover shifts. If in doubt, talk to the personnel department. Your notes make it easy to check the payslip.
Common misunderstandings
- “I earn little, so I am a working student.” For the privilege, the hours count. Someone who earns a lot but works few hours still benefits from the privilege.
- “The mini-job does not count.” Marginal jobs are included in the hours when they run in parallel. The hours of all jobs add up.
- “I can work out income tax myself.” Income tax depends on the tax class and allowances. For an estimate use the calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
- “I will only check when there is a problem.” Asking early is useful with the hour limit, because the number of hours decides which insurance applies to you.
What to do next
- From now on, record your working hours every week, including the semester break.
- Check your employment contract: does it set a fixed number of hours or a shift rule?
- Check your payslip and the social insurance contributions.
- If you exceed the 20-hour limit, talk early to your employer and your health insurer.
Related guides
- Student Job 20-Hour Rule, Pension and Semester Breaks
- Minijob or Student Job: Limits in Figures Compared
- Working Student Health Insurance: Costs by Age
- Part-Time Jobs and Taxes for Students in Germany
Sources: § 6 SGB V, compulsory insurance exemption (last updated October 2026); § 8 SGB IV, marginal employment (last updated October 2026); Minijob-Zentrale, mini-job limit 2027 (last updated October 2026); Pension contribution rate notice 2026 (last updated 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
