Information auf Deutsch

FAQ for supervisors (only available in German)

Due to amendments within the Bayerische Hochschulinnovationsgesetz (BayHIG), the employment of scientific assistants is no longer possible. This does not refer to the employment of student assistants.

Existing contracts for scientific assistants are still valid until their current end date.  Extensions of those contracts are no longer possible.

It is no longer possible to employ scientific assistants as of 15 March 2023.

The basic procedures and responsibilities for applying for and preparing assistant contracts remain unchanged. We are available for you as usual - mainly on site and also in the home office. Thank you for your understanding however that we cannot take on any additional tasks, especially in the exceptional situation.

Please note in particular that, for social security and tax reasons, the work must not be taken up in the home office abroad. In the event that the student is abroad, the hiring must be postponed to a later date and can only be carried out when the person is back in Germany.

=> Please always use the documents provided here, which are constantly updated. The date of the last change can be found at the top of this page

All documents and subpages which you can't find in English do not (yet) exist in an English version.

It is possible for students or graduates to work at the TUM as assistants (temps).

Please note, that employment as an assistant is not permitted in a purely non-academic area of work (e.g. as a library-supervisor)The duties must include an element of academic-related demands (such as tutoring, exam corrections, research, development, organisation etc.).

There are two defined categories of employment:

1. Student Assistants with academic-related tasks
   who are currently matriculated at a German university (in bachelor or master studies, not doctoral candidates)

a. without a university qualification
b. with a university qualification (e. g. Bachelor)

Please note: all requested documents must be submitted as soon as possible and in any case before the contract and your employment can begin!

• for contracts with the Department of Computer Science or Department of Computer Engineering to the supervisor or the office of the chair-secretary responsible for your employment

• for contracts with the Department of Mathematics to the Infopoint Mathematik,
  house postcode: SB-S-MA, Room FMI 00.10.052, e-mail: infopoint@ma.tum.de,
  (current opening hours are listed on the Infopoint website)

All forms on which a signature is necessary have to be handed in in original version.

Please make sure the documents are handed in to the School Office - Service Personnel (SP-H) latest two weeks before the contract shall start. Only in this way can we guarantee that the employment can start on the desired date. 

The contract will be prepared by the School Office - Service Personnel (SP-H) and sent to the supervisor, to be passed on to the student for signing. Once the signed 2nd copy of the contract has been returned to the School Office - Service Personnel (SP-H), the contract details can then be forwarded to the State Finance Department in order for the monthly salary payments to be made.

In order to save paper we ask you to print documents consisting of more than one page in duplex (DIN A4) - especially the "Personalbogen".

• Einstellungsvorschlag (Employment proposal) (to be filled in by the supervisor / chair office) for contracts with the  Department of Computer Science or Department of Computer Engineering

For contracts with the Department of Mathematics, please use the Web form at Infopoint Mathematik, "Einstellung von Hilfskräften" (Login required).
"Bestätigung der Staatsangehörigkeit" is integrated in the Employment proposal form. A passport copy isn't neccessary any more for German, Swiss, EU- and EWR-citizens, as with the signature it is approved that the passport document was provided and checked. Note: Please check that the passport is valid for the full period of time of the contract!

• Information letter from the „Finanzamt“ – with your personal tax identification number (Steueridentifikationsnummer/PIN) (a copy is sufficient) (Please note: if missing, higher taxation will apply!)
• matriculation certificate (compulsory!)
• Information about chosen health insurance company (Member certificate is only needed in case of private health insurance)
• Personalbogen LfF (only available in German - Staff questionnaire of the LfF (Finance Office) - important for your payment)
• Personalbogen für Studierende (ehemals Lebenslauf)bzw.  Personalbogen für Studierende englisch (CV)
  Please give all former employments (at TUM as well as at other universities and German schools of higher education) with exact dates (by day)! 
• Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht (only available in German - Assessment of insurance payment obligations),
  translation aid English (no official document, only German version to be completed)
• should you wish to be exempted from pension insurance (only applicable if earnings are below the marginal earnings threshold of 520,- €) please complete the appropriate enclosed request form and hand this in with your other documents!
• Fragebogen zur Verfassungstreue, Fragebogen zur Verfassungstreue (englisch) (must be submitted in the German version, English version for reference purposes only)
• Fragebogen zu Scientology,   Fragebogen zu Scientologyy (must be submitted in the German version, English version for reference purposes only)
• if applicable: Diploma documents from schools of higher education (if degree is already completed, e. g. Bachelor)
  In case of foreign university degrees, firstly the university has to be acknowledged (H+ rating) and secondly the degree has to be equivalent to a German university degree. Please check this in the database anabin and provide the proof. We also need a copy of the diploma and the transcript of grades in both the original language and as a German or English translation.
• if applicable: proof of former employments as an assistant at a German university / school of higher education or research institute
• if applicable: proof of scholarship (only necessary in case of a TUM scholarship)

• Einstellungsvorschlag (Employment proposal) (to be filled in by the supervisor / chair office) for contracts with the Department of Computer Science or Department of Computer Engineering

For contracts with the Department of Mathematics, please use the  Web form at Infopoint Mathematik, "Einstellung von Hilfskräften" (Login required).

"Bestätigung der Staatsangehörigkeit" is integrated in the Employment proposal form. A passport copy isn't neccessary any more for German, Swiss, EU- and EWR-citizens, as with the signature it is approved that the passport document was provided and checked. Note: Please check that the passport is valid for the full period of time of the contract!

• matriculation certificate (compulsory!)
• Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht (only available in German - Assessment of insurance payment obligations)
  translation aid English (no official document, only German version to be completed)
• should you wish to be exempted from pension insurance (only applicable if earnings are below the marginal earnings threshold of 520,- €) please complete the appropriate enclosed request form and hand this in with your other documents!
• Personalbogen für Studierende (ehemals Lebenslauf)bzw.  Personalbogen für Studierende englisch (CV) - CV is only neccessary for extension or renewed employment, if the latest version is not at hand at Servicebüro yet or data have to be updated due to modifications.
  Please give all former employments (at TUM as well as at other universities and German schools of higher education) with exact dates (by day)!
• Please check whether data have to be updated or new proofs need to be provided, e. g.
  Diploma documents if your degree has been completed,
  proof of (new) former employments as an assistant at a German university / school of higher education or research institute,
  (new) proof of scholarship
• Please check your residence / working permit and if necessary submit an updated copy

For the employment of students outside of Germany, Switzerland, EU- and EWR-States, a valid passport and working permit (in the form of the electronic residence permit card together with the additional supplementary sheet (Zusatzblatt)) must be presented.

This confirms that the person is permitted to reside and work in Germany.

Students from non-EU-States who only have the comment “Beschäftigung bis zu 120 Tage / 240 halbe Tage im Jahr erlaubt" (transl.:Employment up to 120 days / 240 half-days in the year permitted) in their passport must make an agreement with their supervisor regarding the time to be worked. For the duration of the employment relationship the student must keep a record of the hours worked in the form „Auflistung der Arbeitstage“ (List of days worked) and hand this in to the Servicebüro at the end of the contract.

Should the employment contract stretch beyond the 120 full or 240 half days, then students from non-EU-States require a work-permit. Without this they cannot be employed for longer than the stated number of days. Violation of this is a legal offence.

For students it is possible to be excepted from the 120-day rule for employment in the area of study-related part-time work (studentische Nebentätigkeiten). Permission for this is given by the foreigners registration office (Ausländerbehörde) of the local council and is registered in the student’s passport.

Information sheet for applicants who do not hold German citizenship

In case of change of address, please inform the Servicebüro via E-Mail to sb-hiwis@in.tum. de. Besides the new address, we need the following data:

• Last Name, first name (according to passport please for correct identification)
• Date of birth
• Geschäftszeichen (Gz) responsible personnel number of LfF (can be found on the salary slip (Bezügeabrechnung) on the upper right, form 11111-99999999)
• Date of effectiveness of the change

In case of change bank details, we require the form Erklärung zum Zahlungsverfahren

In case of contact with sensitive data, we require the form Bestätigung zur Einhaltung des Datenschutzes.

An assistant job must, according to German legal regulations (Art. 33 HSchPG) be part-time and not of a predominant nature.

Therefore the maximum workload  may not exceed 20 hours per week (even during the non-lecture-period).

For student assistants, the 20-hours/week-limit has a further reason:

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.

• Student assistants with academic-related tasks may only be employed in an assistant job for a maximum of 6 years.

The calculation and processing of compensation for assistant jobs is carried out by the Bavarian State Office of Finance (LfF). Any questions from student assistants regarding payroll should therefore be directed to the LfF. The individual contact details can be found on the salary notification.

The payment of assistants follows uniform rates(see announcement of the Central Personnel Administration (ZA2): Rundschreiben der ZA2 vom 30.05.2017, Rundschreiben der ZA2 vom 15.07.2019)

This "Assistant job calculator" Hiwirechner  takes account of the current tariffs and the current marginal earnings threshold of 520,-€ and allows you to calculate the gross salary for the employee as well as the costs which arise for the employer / project (due to the complex regulations in social security there may be minimal deviations in individual cases.) . Additionally, it calculates the vacation entitlement for assistants according to law.

List of current rates:

• current rates (valid from 01.04.21) Vergütungssätze ab Wintersemester 2022 (valid from 01.10.2022)

Overview of compensation rates:

• current rate Vergütungssätze ab Sommersemester 2023 (ab 01.04.2023)
• current rate (only apply to ongoing scientific assistant)   Vergütungssätze ab Wintersemester 2022 (ab 01.10.2022)

Former rates for information:

• Vergütungssätze ab Sommersemester 2021 (from 01.04.21)
• Vergütungssätze ab Sommersemester 2020 (from 01.04.20)
• Vergütungssätze ab Wintersemester 2019 (from 01.10.19)
• Vergütungssätze ab Beginn Sommersemester 2018 (from 01.04.2018)
• Vergütungssätze ab Beginn Sommersemester 2017  (from 01.04.2017)

The compensation rates as set in the contracts are also increased due to the annual “Sonderzuwendung” or special allowance. This amounts to 70% of the monthly wage for student assistants.
The special allowance is paid out in November of each year. Should the assistant contract expire before this date, then the special allowance is paid out with the last monthly salary of the contract and proportionate to the months worked (i.e. 6 month contract = 50% of 70% of the last salary!).

Extra earning limits within scholarship programmes

Most scholarship programmes limit the amount that a grantee can earn in addition to the scholarship. This can be expressed either in hours (e.g. max. 10 working hours/week) or in financial terms (e.g. remuneration at a maximum of 520€/month or in some cases even only 150€/month).

It is the responsibility of the scholarship recipient to observe these requirements. It may be necessary to present some form of verification to the Servicebüro of the Zentrum Mathematik / Institut für Informatik for inspection.

Uniform treatment of TUM scholarships and employment at the TUM

A scholarship is defined as an independent engagement and therefore is principally exempt from social insurance and taxation.

Employees must pay social insurance, unless they fall below the marginal earnings threshold of 520€. (See: Employment within the marginal earnings threshold)

If both engagements (scholarship and employment) are practiced for the same "employer", then these must be added together in terms of social insurance law, with the result that social insurance must also be paid on the scholarship grant income.

In addition, it is not permitted that work done within the scholarship and the work as an assistant are related, either in terms of time, place or content of the tasks performed.

Should an employment contract nonetheless be made, then we require the following documents from the supervisor and the assistant:

• written confirmation of the tasks to be performed within the assistant job in contrast to the tasks demanded from the scholarship and that no relation in terms of time, place or content between the tasks exists.
• confirmation that you have been informed, that, in the case of a tax or social insurance inspection, considerable back payments of tax and social insurance contributions may be necessary.

Bestätigung Stipendium  (scholarship confirmation document)
Bestätigung Stipendium Englisch  (translation aid only, please use the German form)

Please also read:

• current Information on scholarships, that are awarded by the TUM
• Information sheet of the TUM on scholarships (in German: Merkblatt der TUM zu Stipendien)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The following information only serves to give a rough outline

of the main social insurance laws relevant to an assistant job.

It does not give a full version of all the legalities and is without guarantee for the correctness.

Should you have specific questions regarding individual situations, please contact your health insurance company directly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Employees are generally subject to compulsory social insurance, i.e. part of their monthly salary is paid into the statutory health, nursing care, unemployment and pension insurance schemes, which are intended to provide security in the event of illness, need for nursing care, unemployment and old age.

The contribution to these systems is borne to a large extent proportionally by the employee and the employer.

In addition, there are tax contributions, which are borne by the employee.

On top of these insurance contributions the employee is also bound to pay taxes according to the German tax laws.

As of 01.01.2013 employees who earn below the marginal earnings threshold of 520,- € are generally obliged to pay contributions into the pensions scheme. At the applicant's own request, it is possible to submit an application requesting exemption from this obligation. Employees remain exempt from all other forms of social insurance.

Employment below the marginal earnings threshold is given, when the monthly salary does not exceed 520,- € on a regular basis.
This sum must include the annual bonus payment, which for this purpose is calculated as a monthly sum by our office.
Should you have more than one job on this basis, then all the income from all jobs will be added together as one sum.

In this context it is important to observe that the assessment of the threshold limit is not based on the individual monthly payments, but on the total extent of the contract within a calendar year.

For example: for a contract from January to September the total earnings within the contract period are added together and compared to the equivalent period of time earning a max. of 520,-€ / month. In this example, the total earnings may not exceed 4680 € (9 months at 520,-€/month).

(This method of calculation enables the employee e.g. to earn less during term time and more in the holidays, as long as the total earnings limit for the contract period are not exceeded.)

For assistants the marginal earnings threshold currently enables the following working hours (based on tariffs effective since 01.04.2021)

• Student assistants without a university qualification who are currently matriculated at a German university:
  8 hours/week with 417,- € monthly (417€ + (417€ x 70 % : 12 months) = 441,33 €)
  Please note: with rise of tariffs as per 01.10.2022, the marginal earnings threshold for student assistants without a university qualification changed to 9 hours/week!
• Student assistants with a (relevant) university qualification (e.g. Bachelor or equivalent) who are currently matriculated at a German university:
  8 hours/week with 473,- € monthly (473 € + (473 € x 70 % : 12 months) = 500,59 €)

Employees working up to and below these legal limits are not obliged to pay contributions into the health care and unemployment benefit schemes.

Should you be insured within a family health insurance or a private insurance scheme, there can be some differences. Please ask your health insurance company about your personal situation.

Employees earning more than 520€,- € but less that 1.300,- € a month do not pay the full contribution immediately, but are classified within a so-called flexible earnings zone. In this area, the employer pays half of the contribution based on the actual salary, and the employee pays the contribution based on a reduced salary.

Parallel to the situation explained above, students receive a special status within the public health, care and unemployment benefit schemes. Students are exempt from contributions to these insurance schemes, for the duration of their degree studies (i. e. with current matriculation for bachelor or master studies), even when they earn more than 520,- € per month.
However, this status is only applicable, as long as no more than 20 hours/week are worked, as it is important that the studies have priority in terms of time invested.

On 11.08.2014 the „Law for the regulation of a general minimum wage“ (Mindestlohngesetz) was passed.Currently valid is a minimum wage of 12,00 Euro as of 01.10.2022.

At the same time, the marginal earnings threshold was raised to 520 euros per month (which corresponds to employment of 9 hours/week at the minimum wage).

Currently, the hourly rate for temporary assistant jobs generally lies above this legally binding minimum wage. Nevertheless, the law has an effect on the following groups:

1. Temporary Assistants with a 520-Euro-Job ("marginal employee")
2. Temporary Assistants with contract of up to 3 months (when working a 5-day-week) or up to 70 workdays (in the case of 1- to 4-day-weeks)

For these groups the law has the following two consequences:

• Organisation of working time:

The hourly rate in any given month (monthly salary divided by actual working hours) must not be lower than the minimum wage , which means a reduced flexibility of working hours (e.g. accumulation of overtime) for temporary assistants.

The maximum number of hours that a Temporary Assistant can work in any given month can be calculated using the following formula:

Maximum monthly working hours =  Monthly salary (see your contract) divided by the minimum wage of €12,00 (as of 01.10.2022)

• Documentation regulations

A record of the hours actually worked must be kept by the temporary assistant and archived by the unit responsible for his/her employment as follows:

1. A record sheet with the begin, duration and end of the daily working times (see attached example sheets)
2. The daily entries must be made - at the latest - seven calendar days after the work was completed.
3. The records must be signed by the employee and his/her supervisor at least once a month
4. and must be archived within the unit/ chair for two years. 

In order to simplify this process, temporary assistants can use one of the following record sheets according to their type of employment:

Stundenzettel Servicebüro Excel monatlich / Hours record sheet Servicebüro Excel monthly

Stundenzettel_Mathe_Tutoren.pdf  /  Hours record sheet Maths Tutors

Stundenzettel Servicebüro PDF Woche / Hours record sheet Servicebüro PDF weekly

Stundenzettel Servicebüro PDF Monat / Hours record sheet Servicebüro PDF monthly

The record sheets must be archived as follows:

-  for tutors in informatics: handed in to the organizers of tutor operations (Tutorbetrieb)

-  for tutors in mathematics: handed in to the Infopoint Mathematik

-  for all other temporary assistants: the sheets must be archived with the unit / chair which has employed you e.g. Chair, RBG, Research Unit etc, in the relevant secretary’s office.

Further information on this topic can be found under : 

FAQ für Betreuer (only available in German)

Mindestlohn im Dienstleistungskompass (only available in German)

Rundschreiben ZA2 Mindestlohn vom 16.04.2015 (only available in German)

Rundschreiben ZA2 Erhöhung des Mindestlohns zum 01.01.2017 vom 14.02.2017 (only available in German)

Rundschreiben ZA2 zur Erhöhung des Mindestlohns und Arbeitszeitkonten vom 19.12.2018 (only available in German)

From 2019 onwards it is possible when neccessary for the job to set up an individual "Arbeitszeitkonto" (working time account) for student assistants which can be paper based or electronic. This account records overtime  and "undertime" hours (maximum 50% of the regular monthly working hours). These hours needs to be sign off by supervisor in each case. The working time account has to be balanced to 0 by the time the contract is concluded.

Working time accounts are often neccessary for tutor jobs or events,as the working time may often be distributed very unevenly.

The working time accounts have to be archived for two years at the unit responsible for the employment of the student assistent.

Independent of the working time account, the documentation regulations according to minimum wage law have to be fulfilled as before.

For further information (in German only): 

Rundschreiben ZA2 zur Erhöhung des Mindestlohns und Arbeitszeitkonten vom 19.12.2018

"Möglichkeiten der Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung bei Studierenden mit wissenschaftlichen Hilfstätigkeiten an der TUM"

Templates:

Working time accounts template for Tutor (in German)

Author: Sabrina Falkenberg, Herbert Ehler