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Department of Mathematics
Technical University of Munich

Working as a student assistant

Finding a position as an assistant

You are currently studying and want to earn money alongside your studies? If possible, in an area where you can use or broaden your knowledge?

Postings for open positions can be found on the TUM website or in the Moodle course for mathematics students.

Assistant in teaching and research areas

Support us by becoming a tutor or helping to correct homework assignments.

If you are interested, speak directly to the instructor in charge of the relevant course or pay attention to suitable job advertisements.

Assistants at events

The Service Office is always searching for students who can support us at various department events.

Infopoint 
Department of Mathematics

Infopoint Department of Mathematics

Boltzmannstr. 3
85748 Garching

Room: MI 00.10.052
Tel: +49 (0)89 289 17577
infopoint (at) ma.tum.de
Internal mail: SB-S-MA

Opening Hours 

only by appointment

Requirements: Who can work as an assistant?

Students who have not yet completed a degree

If you are enrolled at a German university, you can work as a student assistant. During your Bachelor's degree program, you are classified as a student assistant without a university degree. 

Students with a Bachelor’s degree

If you can prove that you hold a Bachelor’s degree (or comparable international degree) and you are pursuing a further degree at a German university, you are classified as a student assistant with a university degree.

Exchange students

If you study at TUM in the context of an exchange program, you are allowed to work as a student assistant if your proof of enrollment indicates "Austausch" ("exchange").

Attention with home office

For reasons of social security and tax law, student assistants may not take up employment in a home office abroad. The contract can only be drawn up once you are back in Germany.

Students on scholarship

If you receive a scholarship, you may also enter into a student assistant contract. In this respect, please refer to the rules concerning scholarships.

Academic staff members

Those persons who are currently, or already have been, employed as academic staff members (teaching or research associates) may not be employed as scientific assistants.

Hours threshold for assistant contracts

20-hours/week-limit

In the area of social insurance law (health, unemployment-benefit and care insurance, but not pensions insurance) those persons who are currently registered as students (not doctoral students) at a German school of higher education are exempt from paying social insurance contributions. This status is however only effective as long as the 20-hours/week-limit is not violated.

It is possible to have contracts outside the university with more than 20-hours/week during the non-lecture-period.

Minijob limit

In case you receive BAföG, a Scholarship or as a member in some health insurances, the 520-Euro Minijob limit may be important for you. Please check your individualconditions by contacting the relevant institutions.

Contract: Which application documents do I need to submit and where?

Some forms are officially available in Engllish, some only have an English version as a fill-in assistance for you, some forms only exist in German. Please feel free to contact infopoint (at) ma.tum.de if you need further assistance or have any questions while filling in the forms.

Please use our checklistand gather together your documents – all forms required are available for you to download in the box on the right.

Student and scientific assistants from non-EU countries require the following additional documents: 

  • a copy of their valid residence permit or probationary certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung) for studying at TUM
  • a copy of the supplementary sheet confirming "unselbständige Beschäftigung bis zu 120 Tage oder 240 halbe Tage im Jahr sowie studentische Nebenbeschäftigung erlaubt" ["salaried employment of up to 120 days or 240 half days per year as well as part-time student work permitted"]
  • Please note: The contract can only be issued for the period during which the residence permit is valid. Please be sure to organize and submit any extension in good time.

For subsequent student or scientific assistant contracts within 12 months (calculated from the last day of the previous contract) please resubmit the following documents as early as possible:

Should the previous contract have concluded more than 12 months ago, you need to resubmit all documents.

Social security number and tax identification number

  • You should have these numbers at hand when you fill out the forms!
  • If you do not yet have a tax ID, you can apply for one at the Federal Central Tax Office in Bonn.
  • You will find your social security number on your social security ID document. Should you not yet possess such a document, you can apply for it through TUM and it will be sent to you.

Personnel form for student assistants: 

  • Section 1: The department number does not have to be provided.
  • Section 2: does not need to be filled out.
  • Section 4.6: does not need to be filled out.
  • Section 5: The tax ID number is required. Regarding the question concerning main or part-time employment: Your studies do not constitute an employment relationship. If your student assistant contract is your only source of employment besides your studies, then it is to be understood and indicated as your main employment relationship (Hauptarbeitsverhältnis).

Compulsory Insurance Questionnaire

  • Translation help for this document
  • Section 1: "Rentenversicherungsnummer" means the social security number.
  • Section 5: Depending on your level of income, you can be exempted from your pension contribution. Should you wish to do this, please see the attached leaflet for further information and fill out the application form.

Please feel free to contact the Infopoint if you need assistance or have any questions when filling in the forms. 

If you change your health insurance provider, you need to submit your new verification of insurance or a copy of your health insurance card at the Mathematics Infopoint as soon as possible.

Please also inform us if you move to a new address or change your bank details.

Send your new address via E-Mail to the Infopoint.

Enter your new bank details in the following document, sign it, and submit at the Mathematics Infopoint:

Payment information form

Should you commence additional employment outside TUM during the period covered by your assistant contract, you are required to submit an updated Compulsory Insurance Questionnaire.

Please note the regulations in the Department Guidelines, point 7, on social security law.

The employment relationship ends automatically with the conclusion of the period defined in the employment contract.

However, it can be terminated at any point in time with one month’s notice, extending to the end of the calendar month.

By mutual agreement, the employment relationship can also be terminated without notice. Please inform supervisors punctually so that a replacement can be found.

The right to extraordinary termination (Section 626 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch / German Civil Code) remains unaffected.

Important: You need to terminate the contract in writing. A template for this purpose is available at the Infopoint.

Submitting application documents

Please hand in the complete documents,signed by hand, in good time before the start of the contract.

  • As student assistant at chairs, for events etc. please submit the documents to the person who will hire you.
  • For pre-course tutors and student assistants as teaching support staff hand in your documents at the Infopoint Mathematics, use our mailbox directly at the Infopoint Mathematics or the mailbox in the main hall of the building, to the right of the Infopoint Informatics (room 00.10.013). You are also welcome to send the documents by mail:

     Infopoint CIT Department of Mathematics, TUM

     Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748 Garching b. München

Submission by email is not possible as your original signatures are required.

Finances: What does an assistant earn?

What does an assistant earn?

Remuneration at TUM is equal to or higher than the minimum wage of 12 Euro. An overview is provided in the list of assistant renumeration rates from summer term 2023.

A record of the hours actually worked must be kept by the temporary assistant. You receive the necessary form from your supervisor.

Is there a Christmas bonus?

Yes, you receive a special payment for every month worked during the calendar year. This is paid each November or, in the case of shorter contracts, in the month prior to the end of the contract. 

Do you have questions concerning your payslip?

You can use the document "Understanding your Payslip". If you have additional questions you can ask the responsible person at the State Finance Office, contact details in the top right-hand corner of your payslip or at the Infopoint. 

Is a transfer to a bank account abroad possible?

Yes, regular payment into a bank account abroad in Europe is possible. However, an advance payment prior to the end of month can only be made to bank accounts at German financial institutions. 

Illness, holiday, business trips: What to do?

Should you not be able to fulfill your duties as assistant due to illness, you must inform your supervisor immediately. 

If you miss work for more than 3 days due to illness, you must submit a doctor's certificate of incapacity (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung / AU) to your supervisor.

Assistants too have a right to paid vacation. Please consult your supervisor for details of the regulations.

If you make a short journey in the context of your employment (e.g. travel from the Garching Campus to the Munich City Campus for tutorials), you are automatically covered by accident insurance and have your travel costs reimbursed by your employer, should you not already possess a Semester Ticket for the route.

Travel application and reimbursement of travel costs

Your supervisor submits a request for blanket approval of business travel at the beginning of the semester.

However, travel expenses for trips approved with blanket requests are reimbursed separately for each assistant. If you have taken several trips, use the form for reimbursing multiple trips and attach all receipts and tickets as far as possible. Fill in the line on the form asking for the funds number with Fonds 1010026 and submit it at the Infopoint.

Time limit: How long can I work as an assistant?

Student assistants

Temporary employment contracts for Bachelor's and Master's students are possible for a duration of 6 years in total. This includes all previous contractual periods spent working as a student assistant. See also the Information for students assistants.

For staff: information about hiring assistants

Information on hiring

All necessary information on hiring students as assistants can be found on the information page in the internal section of this website.

Web form for Recruitment Suggestions

The web form for recruitment suggestions is also available in the internal section.