Student jobs in Belgium in 2026: minimum age, 650 hours and salary

Do you want to find a student job in Belgium, but you’re not sure where to start? You see information about the 650 hours, minimum age, taxes, family allowance or salary, and everything starts to feel confusing. To find a student job, you mainly need to understand four things: at what age you can work, which conditions you need to meet, how many hours you can work and how your salary works. Once these basics are clear, looking for a student job becomes much easier.

At what age can you have a student job in Belgium?

At 15, you can work as a student only if you are no longer subject to full-time compulsory education. If that is not the case, you need to wait until you are 16.

From the age of 16, you can work as a student in all cases. Full-time compulsory education covers at least the first two years of secondary school. The key thing to remember is that a student job is meant for young people whose main activity is still studying. So it is not only about age: your situation also needs to match the student status.

How many hours can you work in 2026?

In 2026, the main rule remains the same: each calendar year, you have a quota of 650 hours under the student system, with reduced social security contributions of 2.71% on your gross salary.

In Brussels, the basic rule is 240 hours per quarter, except during the summer if you resume your studies at the start of the new academic year. In Wallonia, you can work 650 hours under the student system and then up to 240 additional hours per quarter under ordinary social security contributions. In Flanders, you can work 650 hours under the student system.

As long as you are a minor, you cannot work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, and night work is strictly limited. A minor student cannot work more than 4.5 hours without a break. After that, they are entitled to a 30-minute break, or a 1-hour break if the work exceeds 6 hours.

You do not have to use all your hours. You can spread your student job throughout the year however you want: during holidays, weekends or periods that fit with your classes.

👉 To track your hours, the official reference remains Student@work.

What happens if you exceed 650 student job hours?

You can continue working, but not under the same conditions. Once you exceed 650 hours, the extra hours are subject to ordinary social security contributions, which reduces your net salary.

After these 650 hours, you are still a student. This means you must still sign a student employment contract if you still meet the conditions of student status.

What salary can you earn with a student job in Belgium?

There is no single salary that applies to all student jobs in Belgium. Your pay depends on the sector you work in and the applicable joint committee.

Also check out our list of student jobs!

In practice, your salary can vary depending on your age, position, sector, working hours and any bonuses. To check whether your student job is paid correctly, look at the joint committee mentioned in your contract or payslip, then compare it with the official minimum wage database from the Federal Public Service Employment.

Student jobs and taxes: what you really need to watch

For taxes, you need to separate two things: your own tax situation and whether you remain fiscally dependent on your parents.

You do not pay tax if you stay below € 15.971,43 gross after deduction of social security contributions, provided that you do not have other income and do not declare actual professional expenses.

Above €21,840 gross after deduction of social security contributions, you may no longer be fiscally dependent on your parents, which can affect their tax situation. Even if you only have a student job, filing your tax return is still an important step you should not forget.

Family allowance: careful, the rules are not the same everywhere

For family allowance, the important factor is not only the number of hours you work, but also your region of residence. If you are under 18, you keep your family allowance regardless of the number of days worked. From the age of 18, the rules change depending on whether you live in Wallonia, Brussels or Flanders.

What to check before accepting a student job in Belgium

Before accepting a student job, first check that you have a written contract. Also check your status, your remaining hours and your region of residence.

For a student in Belgium, social security contributions, taxes and family allowance do not follow exactly the same rules. That is why you should avoid mixing everything together when comparing two jobs.

FAQ

Can you still have a student job after finishing your studies?

When you finish your studies, you lose your student status. This means you can no longer work under a student contract or benefit from reduced social security contributions. If you finish your studies in June, you can still have a student job until 30 September of that same year.

How can you find a student job in Belgium, whatever your age?

To find a student job in Belgium, Student.be offers student jobs all over Belgium 💜. The best strategy is to apply with a simple, clear and up-to-date CV, mention your availability and remember to personalise each application.

Do I have to use all 650 hours of my student job quota?

You and your employer decide whether you work under the 650-hour quota or not. But in all cases, your employer must sign a student employment contract with you.