Freelancing as a student in Belgium: what, why & how

More and more students in Belgium are selecting freelance work. Whereas traditional part-time jobs, such as working in the hospitality industry, used to be popular, freelancing is now a smart way to combine work and study.

You have more freedom, can gain valuable experience and are more financially independent. The flexibility of freelancing allows you to organise your own time, so you can easily balance your studies and work.

What is freelancing as a student?

Freelancing as a student is other than a traditional student job. With a student job, you work for an employer and are subject to the rules of an employment contract, such as the limit of a maximum of 650 hours per year.

Freelancing as a student means you work as a self-employed student, which offers you more freedom. As a self-employed student, you are responsible for your own administration and tax returns, but you can benefit from lower social security contributions if you earn less than €17.374,08 per year. This statute also gives you the opportunity to organise your own hours and select work that fits in with your studies.

Some popular freelance activities for students include:

• Web design: Create websites for small companies or private persons.
• Graphic design: Design logos, posters and other visual elements.
• Copywriting: Write texts for blogs, websites and advertisements.
• Social media management: Management of social media channels for companies or brands.

Freelancing offers the chance to put your creativity and skills to the test, whilst gaining work experience in your field.

The legal aspects of freelancing in Belgium

As a self-employed student, you must adhere to a number of rules. Fortunately, student status offers a number of advantages, but there are also obligations you need to take into account.

• Self-employed student status: you are eligible for this status if you are aged between 18 and 25 and are enrolled as a student at an educational institution for at least 27 credits per academic year.
• Registration with a social insurance fund: every self-employed person is subject to the social status of self-employed persons and is therefore required to register with a social insurance fund.
• Registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE): you must register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO) to be able to work officially as a freelance student. Your social insurance fund will be happy to assist you with this.
• Social security contributions: do you earn less than €8.687,04 per year? If so, you do not pay social security contributions, but you remain socially insured. If you earn more than €8.687,04 but less than €17.374,08, you pay 20.5% in social security contributions on the income above the threshold amount. For income above €17.374,08, the same contributions are paid as for a self-employed person in their main occupation and your benefits as a self-employed student are lost.
• Income limits: you remain a dependent of your parents for tax purposes as long as your net means of subsistence do not exceed €12.300. That limit is the same for every family situation. On top of that, the first €7.010 of your income as a self-employed student does not count as means of subsistence. If you are unsure about your situation, check with your accountant or your social insurance fund.
• Maximum income for students: as a student, there is no cap on your income. However, do bear in mind the various limits on your social security contributions.

Why freelancing as a student in Belgium is a smart choice

Freelancing has many advantages. It offers you the opportunity to effectively combine work and study, which would be more difficult with a traditional part-time job.

• Networking: Freelancing helps you build contacts in your field. This network can be of great importance to your career later on.
• Flexibility: You can organise your own hours. This means you don’t lose any time commuting or being tied to fixed working hours. As a result, it is often easier to combine with your studies than a regular student job.
• Practical experience: You get the chance to further develop your skills, which will come in handy later in your career.
• Financial benefits: Thanks to your student status, you can benefit from tax breaks and lower social security contributions. This way, you can get a taste of life as a freelancer, but with more perks!

How do you get started as a student freelancer in Belgium?

Step 1: Select your niche

Think carefully about your skills and what the market needs. Select an area you’re passionate about and where there’s demand.

Step 2: Register officially

As a student freelancer, you must register officially with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO), as well as with a social security fund.

Step 3: Build a portfolio

Start with smaller assignments to build your portfolio. This helps you establish credibility and convince future customers.

Don’t have an assignment straight away? You can also get started with practice projects until you’ve done enough assignments to showcase them.

Step 4: Search for clients

Get started on freelance platforms specifically designed for freelancers, such as Jellow, Freelance Network or GIGhouse.

You can also tap into your own network, such as friends and family, or put out a call on LinkedIn.

Your teachers often have an interesting network to tap into too, so be sure to question them!

Step 5: Keep your admin in order

As a freelance student, you’re also required to do your own bookkeeping and admin. Keep a good eye on this! Create invoices, track your income and expenses, and make sure you make the most of tax benefits. That way, you won’t face any surprises at the end of the year.

Dexxter for students

Dexxter is the perfect tool for students who want to work as freelancers.

It’s free for self-employed students in their first year, so you don’t have to worry about your bookkeeping.

With Dexxter, you can easily manage your admin and don’t have to focus on complicated tax rules!

Try it now for one year free!