Working student deductions

Although there is plenty of support for students, many don't want to accept it or aren't even allowed to. We're talking here, for example, about BAföG (the German government student aid): if a parent earns too much or the student has too much capital, he or she isn't allowed to accept this support. The rent still has to be paid, and if a student doesn't have enough of a financial cushion and doesn't want to accept support, the only thing left is working as a working student (Werkstudent). During the lecture period a working student may work a maximum of 20 hours a week and is paid 12 to 15 euros an hour for it. During the semester break the job may then be done full time, and that sometimes adds up to a sum of over 1,000 euros. Of course not everyone can take on such a job, and you also have to pay working student deductions.

Who may take the job and what are working student deductions?

To become a working student, certain criteria have to be met; in this article we've put together an overview for you!

  • Not being beyond the 25th subject-specific semester
  • Being enrolled at a university during the period of employment
  • Not yet holding a university degree
  • The student must not be on a leave semester

Anyone who meets these criteria may enjoy the privileges of a working student. Of course, you should also make sure the taxation is right. If you earn 450 euros a month, you have nothing to fear from the job. For a sum of 451 to 850 euros, on the other hand, depending on pay, 5% to 21% of gross pay is deducted each month. From 850 euros a month, a total of 9.35% of gross pay is deducted. These working student deductions vary depending on the tax class.

Working student deductions and the tax classes

As already mentioned, the tax class also plays an important role here. Anyone who is single, widowed, or living separately is placed in tax class 1. If you are married, on the other hand, the student as well as the spouse are automatically placed in tax class 4. If you want to be on the safe side regarding taxes, you can of course turn to a tax advisor of your choice and also look at what you can ultimately deduct from your taxes yourself. Because depending on the income tax as a working student, a tax has to be paid in advance. This tax is passed on by the employer directly to the tax office. At the end of the working year, work items such as clothing or fuel costs can then be deducted from taxes and you receive an amount of money back.