Student employees at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin can look forward to a pay rise from 1 January 2026. At its meeting on 4 December 2025, the university management decided to voluntarily increase the hourly wage for student employees at HU from 14.32 euros by 5.3 percent to 15.08 euros from 1 January 2026 in anticipation of the TV-L collective agreement. The Central Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer, the Staff Council of Student Employees and the Representative Body for Severely Disabled Employees welcome the move.
The trigger for the voluntary increase in the hourly wage in favour of student employees is an increase in the statutory minimum wage at federal level on 1 January 2026 and the associated adjustment of the low income threshold. According to Section 10 (1) of the State Equal Opportunities Act (LGG), HU is required not to establish any marginal employment relationships. This can be prevented by paying a voluntary non-tariff allowance.
"The statutory increase in the federal minimum wage from 1 January 2026 will also lead to considerable additional costs at HU, which will place an additional burden on HU's tight budget due to the Berlin Senate's austerity measures. I am therefore all the more pleased that the voluntary increase in the hourly wage, from which our student employees will benefit, is also the most economical way for HU," said Niels Helle-Meyer, Vice President for Budget, Human Resources and Technology at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin.
The hourly wage for student employees had already been raised to 14.32 euros on 1 January 2025. From 1 January 2026, the Berlin minimum wage will be 14.84 euros per hour and 13.90 euros at federal level.