Could you use some extra income as a student, or do you want to gain valuable work experience before you graduate? Whatever your motivation, working as a student comes with many benefits. At Tentoo, we make it easy for you to start as a student worker, allowing you to work flexibly and benefit from reduced social security contributions.
If you want to work as a student and enjoy reduced social security contributions, you must meet the following conditions:
As a student worker, you must always sign a fixed-term written agreement with your employer. This contract protects your rights and obligations and must be signed by both parties. You will receive a copy of your contract.
You are allowed to work for multiple employers or through a staffing agency as long as you do not exceed 650 hours per year. If you work more than 650 hours, you will have to pay regular social security contributions. Always ensure that you have a separate contract for each employer.
There is no official definition of a “student worker” or “working student”, but the following distinctions generally apply:
works under a student contract and benefits from reduced social security contributions within the 650-hour annual limit.
pays regular social security contributions because they:
Colleges and universities use the term “working student” for students who combine work and studies. They often receive special study arrangements to help them balance their education with a job.
Do you fall into this category? Then there’s a good chance that studying is no longer your main activity.
Are you an international student and want to work as a student worker in Belgium? Here are the key rules:
Not sure about your situation? Contact the relevant authorities for more information.
Would you like to work while keeping your child allowance? It’s possible, but the rules vary depending on the region where you live. Below, you’ll find how many hours you can work without losing your child allowance rights.
Under 18?
Good news! Until your 18th birthday, you automatically keep your child allowance, no matter how many hours you work.
From 18 onward: rules by region
Do you live in Flanders?
Do you live in Wallonia?
Do you live in the Eastern Cantons?
Do you live in the Brussels-Capital Region?
Important: If you exceed the authorized working hours in your region, you risk losing your child allowance!
Not sure about your situation? Contact your child allowance fund for personalized advice.
As a job student, there are a number of things to consider:
You have 475 hours per year in which you may work at reduced social contributions.
You must respect your child support fund’s rules about the number of hours you can work per quarter.
If you earn too much, you may have to pay taxes yourself and your parents may have to pay more taxes because you are no longer “dependent” on them.
For more information about working as a job student, visit the Student@Work website .
