It pays to file a student tax return!

If you are a student, you are generally not obliged to file a tax return. However, filing voluntarily means you can get money back from the state - and quite a bit at that!

Many people studying probably think filing a tax return isn’t worth it because they don't work full time, but this is not true. As a student, you have more expenses during your studies than you might realize, and many of them are tax-deductible (find those under 4).

When am I obliged to file a tax return as a student?

In some instances, it may be mandatory for a student to file a tax return:

• If you have more than one employer (more than one job) and do not pay income tax on both salaries
• In cases of a loss carried forward from previous years.
• You can find other cases in the article on the obligation to file a tax return

This generally cannot be determined, though, the latest figures show that employees who have submitted a tax return for a year receive an average of 1,095 euros back from the tax office.

For students, this amount is usually lower. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t file – a tax refund for a student can be very worthwhile.

Taxfix is the easiest way for students to file a tax return. You don't need a diploma or a master's degree in tax law to file a tax return with Taxfix. We make things easy to understand:

1. In the simple question-and-answer procedure, you are guided through your tax return step by step. You’re only asked to answer simple questions, and there are no extensive, complicated forms.
2. All your necessary data is collected and automatically entered into the official tax forms.
3. All your study costs are included in your tax return.
4. Your estimated tax refund is calculated immediately – free of charge and without risk.
5. When you are satisfied, you can submit your tax documents to your tax office through Taxfix.
   
   

Finish your tax return even faster.

Use tax office data and save time on your taxes: With Taxfix’s data retrieval, much of your tax info is retrieved directly from the tax office and automatically entered into your tax return. Less paperwork for you!

Your expenses during studies may be different or lower than at a later stage in life and employment – but you still have every opportunity to get good money back from the taxman!

You can claim these costs as tax deductions:

As you can see, there are many ways to deduct costs in your tax return. The Taxfix app helps you with this. It reminds you of your expenses, retrieves all the necessary information from you by asking simple questions, and accurately enters your expenses in the right places.

We have collected more information on deductions for students in our guide.

As a student, you usually fall into tax class 1 – also the standard class for employees – but exceptions can occur:

• If you have several employers, tax class 6 applies
• For single parents, tax class 2 applies
• Other life circumstances, such as marriage, also put you in a different tax class

Not earning any money during your studies? Do your tax return anyway! With a loss carry-forward, you can profit from it later.

This is how it works: When you file your tax return, your income and expenses are offset against each other. If you have a loss because your expenses are too high, it is carried and offset against your income in the next tax year.

With the loss carry-forward, you can take losses into the period after your studies too, saving on taxes in your first year of work.

In contrast to a first degree, a second degree/secondary education is considered further education. As an example, expenses for your Master's degree, or a course of study after you have completed an apprenticeship or another course of study can be deducted in a tax return as further education costs.

These are considered income-related expenses, and can therefore be deducted in full. This saves you income tax during your studies.

A first degree refers to a person’s first course of study.

If this is one's first education at all – for example, no training was completed before the studies – these studies are then considered as initial education.

If we assume that the first study is also the first training, the allowable expenses are only deductible as special expenses, not as income-related expenses, as in the case of second training (see above). The maximum deductible amount is limited to 6,000 euros.

If you are studying and are required to file a tax return, you have the same amount of time to do so as other mandatory tax filers. Unfortunately, there is no relief for student tax returns. Since you are required to file a tax return for several jobs, you should be aware of this deadline.

Deadlines for mandatory submissions:

• 2023 tax year : September 02, 2024
• 2024 tax year (with tax advice): July 31, 2025

It is important to note in general that students are not required to file a tax return. But, since a student tax return can still be very worthwhile, we recommend calculating your possible tax refund with our quick and easy Taxfix tax calculator.As with other tax groups, students have four years to file a voluntary tax return.

Deadlines for voluntary submissions:

• 2023 tax year: 31 December 2027
• 2022 Tax year: 31 December 2026
• 2021 tax year: 31 December 2025
• 2020 tax year: 31 December 2024

You can find out which submission deadlines apply for other tax years here.

Submitting your tax return retroactively as a student

Even if you haven't submitted a tax return in recent years, it's not too late! As a student, you can file voluntary tax returns for up to 4 years retroactively.

For example, until the end of 2024, you can file your tax return for 2020 and the following years with the tax office.

Can I file a tax return for my studies after I graduate?

Yes, the retroactive four years for the tax return also apply here. Losses carried forward can usually even be claimed retroactively for up to seven years.

The tax office pays you interest

If you file your tax return late, you may even receive more money from the state. If you have not filed a tax return for the last few years, the tax office will pay you interest on the amount you get back. Although a few conditions do apply, this means you can get even more money from the tax office!

You can find all the information under interest from the tax office.

As you have already read, Taxfix is very different from the classic ELSTER online service. Students who do their tax returns with ELSTER are required to fill out complex forms that are often very difficult to understand.

The questions in the Taxfix app, however, are intuitive, simply worded and offer an explanation box if you get stuck.

ELSTER usually makes you fill out several forms, whereas with Taxfix, you can complete the question and answer procedure in one go. In the meantime, you can switch from smartphone to app and back - your data is constantly synchronised.

We also point out deductible costs that you might have missed. Combined with the plausibility check for your entries, nothing stands in the way of your tax refund!

Complete the question-answer flow in less than half an hour on average!

Try it out here!