You're starting work alongside your studies and wondering: what happens to my student finance, my tax and my benefits? Here are the rules in outline, with the source. This is exactly the kind of regulation that changes, so check the current position with DUO and the Tax Administration.
Does earning extra income affect your student finance itself?
No. DUO states that from 2020 you may earn without limit and that no earnings ceiling applies [1].
Do you pay tax on your wage as a working student?
Yes. When you work, your employer usually withholds tax from your wage in advance: payroll tax. You can get a discount through the payroll tax credit or, if you're studying, through the student and pupil scheme, under which the employer withholds no or less payroll tax [2]. If you paid too much, according to DUO you can usually get part of it back through the Tax Administration [1]. Read more in our article on the payroll tax credit and your first job.
Does a higher income affect your healthcare or rent benefit?
Possibly. Your income counts towards the amount of your benefit. For benefits the relevant income is the toetsingsinkomen: if you filed a tax return, that's your verzamelinkomen, otherwise your taxable wage; wages from a side job and other earnings count [3]. A higher income as a working student can therefore affect your benefits. How much depends on your situation and the current benefit rules; calculate it with the Tax Administration.
How do you avoid an unpleasant repayment later?
Report your income when it changes: even if you already receive a benefit and your income changes, you must report it, otherwise you get the wrong amount. Make the best possible estimate of your annual income and report it via Mijn toeslagen or the app. The Benefits Office advises estimating your income too high rather than too low: that way you run less risk of having to repay afterwards, and if your income turns out lower, you still get what you're entitled to [4].
What can you do right now?
- Check via Mijn Toeslagen whether your income estimate still holds once you know roughly what you'll earn
- Keep your payslips, even if you switch jobs during your studies
- In doubt? Ask DUO or the Tax Administration instead of guessing
Sources
- DUO (2026): Bijverdienen, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Belastingdienst: Ik werk in loondienst, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Dienst Toeslagen (Belastingdienst): Het inkomen dat telt voor toeslagen is het ‘toetsingsinkomen’, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Dienst Toeslagen (Belastingdienst): Hoe zorg ik dat jullie mijn toeslag met het juiste inkomen berekenen?, accessed 11 October 2026.
Transparency: VOIDS connects working students with organisations and therefore has an interest in this topic. We back up facts with sources and connect research and trends to our own experience from practice.
