Studying and working part-time as a domestic helper on a mini-job basis is a wonderful combination. Students have time reserves that can be planned for the long term. And it is precisely this predictability and regularity that is important to many households. Cleaning, on the other hand, complements the intellectual work of studying and offers opportunities for social interaction. As a student, you are usually covered by your parents' insurance and do not have to worry about losing your BAföG entitlement as long as you are only helping out in the household on a mini-job basis.
Isn't housework only for nimble and experienced cleaners?
The most important employment conditions include reliability, the regularity with which the task is performed, and good interpersonal skills. Professional work and years of experience as a cleaner often come second. After all, you can be trained relatively quickly, and diligence, prudence and care are usually enough to do your job well.In any case, it is important for employers that they do not have to train new cleaning staff every other week. They want to find someone they can rely on in the long term and who is also completely trustworthy. After all, they will be entrusted with the household, given access to their own home and possibly even given a key. Many also want to be able to talk and exchange ideas with this person about interesting topics, as you spend time together.
Households want long-term cooperation
So, can you even get employed as a student without cleaning experience? If you do your work well and regularly, many people will turn a blind eye even if you don't finish as quickly as they would like. As a student, you have the right qualifications for this regularity. This is because students are usually interested in a long-term, regular income and have plenty of time to plan ahead throughout the semester. Many cleaners who work on a self-employed basis, on the other hand, have to work according to the jobs they are offered and cannot offer this regularity.Another advantage for students is that households usually want to provide employment on a mini-job basis. Many professional cleaners cannot offer this because they already earn the maximum of € 603 per month from other mini-jobs. Students only work part-time and often do not reach this limit. It is very attractive for them to be registered with the Minijob-Zentrale.
Why is domestic help the ideal part-time job for students?
Furthermore, domestic work is one of those activities that offer a good balance to studying. Sometimes we need an intellectual break, and housekeeping is ideal for this. You focus on the physical execution of the task and use cleaning as a meditative mental switch-off or for social interaction. And for those who can't help themselves: with a little practice, repetitive manual work can also be easily combined with intellectual activities. For example, if circumstances allow, you can listen to a lecture while cleaning. This opportunity to meaningfully supplement your daily routine as a student is not usually available with other types of part-time work.
Working and receiving BAföG?
Work and receiving BAföG are entirely compatible. BAföG is usually granted for a period of 12 months. During this period, there is an additional income limit that must be observed. The exact calculation is somewhat complicated, but as a guideline, you may not earn more than € 5,400 per year, including special payments, as a employed cleaner (not as a self-employed cleaner!). This amount is not reached if you only work a few hours per week. This is another reason why a cleaning job is well suited as a student job.If the amount exceeds this sum, the BAföG will be reduced accordingly. The exact period is irrelevant here – it does not matter whether you earn €603 gross per month over 12 months or mainly work during the semester breaks. And if you have children or a spouse, different allowances apply, of course.
Health insurance
As a student, you can be covered by your parents' family insurance – but only until you turn 25. In addition, similar to BAföG, you must observe the additional income limit of € 603 per month. Even if you earn less than this amount but work more than 20 hours per week, you lose your entitlement to family insurance and must insure yourself, because you are then considered to be in full-time employment and would have to pay social security contributions. Only during the semester break are longer weekly working hours permitted.
Be careful with special payments and self-employment
Special payments such as Christmas bonuses and holiday pay are also included in the annual additional income limit of € 7,236 for employees. This should be taken into account when negotiating your salary. Including any holiday pay, you should not exceed the additional income limit, otherwise you will be liable for social security contributions and your BAföG salary will be taken into account.And as a self-employed person, you should note that the income limit for BAföG recipients is calculated differently and is lower. Your annual profit must not exceed approximately € 4,200 per year. The amount is lower than for a mini-job because there is no advertising allowance and you have to declare your operating expenses to the tax office in your tax return.