Working while you study

Student jobs are obviously only open to properly enrolled full-time students.

Employer and student need to sign an open-ended employment contract in writing before the student can start working. The contract has to define the duties and state the start and end dates of the contract, as well as the number of hours per day and per week, the wages and the date on which it will be paid.

A normal workday lasts about eight hours. By law the maximum workweek is 38 hours, but there are exceptions (for the hospitality industry for instance). The rules are even stricter for the under 18s. The (age-based) minimum wages also apply to jobbing students.

• Full information about Opens in new windowlaws and regulations governing student jobs (FR/NL) is available at Belgium.be.
• The website of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue too provides Opens in new windowlegal information over student job.
• The website of Actiris also offer Opens in new windowstudentjobs (FR/NL).

Generally speaking, jobbing students are recruited at source: at their universities and colleges. Keep an eye on the notice board or contact your school’s social services department.

Temporary employment agencies often have student jobs on offer too.

Some organisations are a source of jobs for students:

• Opens in new windowJobs for students (FR/NL) are posted on the Actiris website.
• You can also search using the term ‘studentjobs’ in the Opens in new windowVDAB database (NL).
• The website 'of Bruxelles-J has a list of useful links and addresses of Opens in new windowstudent job services in Brussels (FR).