Working Student, Part-time Job, and Internship: FAQS
Navigating the German employment landscape while studying can feel like overwhelming at first. University students in Germany typically pursue some form of professional employment alongside their studies. Not only is it crucial for building experience, it is also a viable way to manage educational and personal expenses.
The three key employment options are: the Werkstudent (Working Student), the standard Nebenjob (Side Job), and the Praktikum (Internship).
Each type has its own predefined structure with rules for working hours, tax payment, and social security. In this guide, we break down the essential differences between all three types to help you better understand which option is most suitable for you.
What is a Working Student Job/Werkstudent?
A Werkstudent is a job designed for enrolled university students. The job is meant to be supplementary to your studies, thus providing relevant experience without the responsibility of full tax and social security contributions.
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Key Feature |
Detail |
|---|---|
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Status |
Employee enrolled at a German university. |
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Working Hours |
Max 20 hours per week during the semester. International students can work up to 140 full days or 280 half-days a year. |
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Social Security |
Exempt from unemployment, health, and long-term care insurance. Mandatory contribution only for statutory pension insurance (Rentenversicherung). |
What is a Part-time Job/Nebenjob?
A Nebenjob (Side Job/Secondary Job) refers to any employment taken alongside studies. For a job to qualify as part of this category, the working hours must be lower than at a full-time position. For students, this refers to hourly roles. There are two categories: Minijobs (marginal employment up to €538/month) and Midijobs (income between €538.01 and €2,000 gross per month).
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Key Feature |
Detail |
|---|---|
|
Status |
Standard employee (student status is secondary), i.e, you do not necessarily have to be actively enrolled to have a nebenjob. |
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Working Hours |
Varies by contract (often significantly more flexible than a Werkstudent role). Typically, nebenjobs are drafted to cover 16-24 hours/week. |
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Social Security |
Full liability for all contributions (health, pension, unemployment, long-term care), unless the job qualifies as a Minijob (largely exempt) or Midijob (reduced contributions). |
What is an Internship (Praktikum)?
An internship is a temporary position focused on providing vocational training and practical experience related to your specific field of study. The financial and legal rules may vary based on whether the internship is mandatory or a voluntary undertaking.
Internships typically last for 3-6 months, and require 40 hours of work per week.
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Key Feature |
Detail |
|---|---|
|
Status |
Trainee/Intern. |
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Mandatory (Pflichtpraktikum) |
Required by your university’s study regulations. Generally exempt from minimum wage and social security. |
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Voluntary (Freiwilliges Praktikum) |
Undertaken by choice. Must be paid the statutory minimum wage if it lasts longer than three months with the same employer. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What are the working hours per week for Werkstudenten?
A: During the standard lecture period, a working student must not exceed 20 hours per week. This rule ensures that your studies remain your primary occupation. It is also necessary for legally maintaining your student status and exemption from social security contributions.
Q. Can I work more than 20 hours a week as a Werkstudent?
A: Yes, the 20-hour limit is relaxed during the lecture-free period (Semesterferien or breaks). During this time, you can work full-time (up to 40 hours per week). However, this is also calculated in terms of how much you’ve already worked that year.
Non-EU students can work upto 140 full days or 280 half days in a calendar year. EU students have to stay within the 20-hour/week rule during the semester.
Q. Which social security contributions must a Werkstudent pay?
A: A working student is only required to contribute to statutory pension insurance (Rentenversicherung). You are exempt from contributions for health, long-term care, and unemployment insurance. This is not dependent on the actual income, and applies to all working students.
Q. Does my health insurance (Krankenversicherung) change when I work?
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You do not work more than 20 hours per week during the semester (the Werkstudent rule).
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Your total regular monthly income does not exceed a certain threshold. Exceeding this limit can lead to problems.
Q. If I have a Minijob (upto €538/month), do I have to pay social security?
A: Generally, no. A Minijob is exempt from unemployment, health, and long-term care contributions. However, you are automatically required to pay a small share of the pension contribution. It is possible to be exempt from this, but you have to work out a suitable agreement with your employer for the same.
Q. What is the statutory minimum wage?
A: The statutory minimum wage (Mindestlohn) is the legally binding lowest gross hourly wage. It applies to nearly all employees in Germany, including students in Werkstudent and general Nebenjob roles. The minimum wage is 12.82 euros per hour, as of January 2025.
Q: Does the minimum wage rule apply to internships as well?
A: Yes, the main exception is the mandatory internship (Pflichtpraktikum). If the internship is a required component of your university curriculum (as stated in your examination regulations), the employer is not legally obligated to pay you the minimum wage. However, for a voluntary internship (freiwilliges Praktikum), you must be paid at least the minimum wage if the duration exceeds three months.
Q. Can I get the tax deducted from my salary back?
A: If your income regularly exceeds the Minijob limit (approx. €538/month), your employer is legally required to deduct income tax (Lohnsteuer) and the solidarity surcharge (Solidaritätszuschlag) from your gross salary.
However, every employee benefits from a high annual basic tax-free allowance (around €11,784 for 2024). If your total annual income remains below this threshold, you are entitled to get 100% of the withheld tax back by submitting a voluntary income tax return the following year. We highly recommend filing your tax returns on time if you are a student worker.
Q. Will having a job affect my BAföG student funding?
A: Your BAföG grant is reduced if your earned income exceeds a specific annual limit. As of the current regulations, you can earn a gross annual income of approximately €6,240 (around €520 per month average) without it affecting your BAföG calculation. If you earn above this limit, the excess amount is partially deducted from your monthly BAföG payment.
Q. Can I have more than one job?
A: It is possible, although fairly complicated to execute.
You are legally restricted to having only one Minijob that is exempt from full social security contributions. Taking a second or third job (even if they are below the minijob income threshold), makes your combined earnings subject to tax and social security contributions.
Crucially, your total working hours across ALL jobs must not exceed 20 hours per week during the semester.
Q. Will I receive paid holidays and sick leave in my student job?
A: Yes, absolutely.
As an employee in Germany, you are legally entitled to all statutory labor rights. This includes paid annual leave (Urlaubsanspruch) and continued wage payment in case of sickness. If you are sick, you are generally entitled to continued pay for up to six weeks, provided you have been employed for longer than four weeks and submit a doctor's note.
A typical working student receives between 15 and 20 days of paid every year.
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