Some students and starters consider working as a freelancer instead of as a working student, often because it sounds more flexible. It's a different setup, but not automatically a better one. The difference lies in who carries the risk and who gets which security.
What's the core difference between freelancing and being a working student?
As a working student you're an employee: you have an employment contract, your employer withholds payroll tax, and you have rights to, among other things, holiday hours [1] and continued pay during sickness [2]. A freelancer isn't employed: a client doesn't pay staff costs such as payroll taxes, pension contributions and holiday pay for a freelancer [3]. As a freelancer you send invoices and handle your own tax return.
Who carries the risk during illness or a quiet period?
Under a working-student contract with a fixed number of hours, the employer carries a large part of that risk: you get paid during sickness [4]. As a freelancer you don't have those entitlements; they only arise if there turns out to be an employment contract in fact [5]. As a freelancer, no assignments means no income, unless you've insured yourself for it.
Is freelance work quicker to arrange than a working-student contract?
For a short, bounded piece of work, freelancing can fit well. For structural, recurring work you miss the security of a fixed salary and the protection of an employment contract, while the work is just as structural as in a working-student role.
Can a company just offer a working-student role as a freelance gig?
Not without limits. Whether there's an employment contract depends on the features: work under the client's authority, pay and personal performance of the work [6]. In addition a new rule is coming: for an hourly rate below € 38, a presumption of an employment contract will apply. A freelancer can invoke it; the client must then prove there is no employment contract, and if that fails, the freelancer is entitled to rights such as continued pay during sickness and protection against dismissal. The amount has been € 38 per hour since 1 January 2026 (initially € 36) and the change takes effect on 31 December 2026 [5]. Get advice before entering a freelance setup for something that looks like a regular job.
When does freelancing fit a student or starter?
- For loose, short-term assignments without fixed hours or fixed working times
- When you deliberately want the freedom to work for multiple clients at once
- When you can handle the admin side, from invoices to tax filing, alongside your studies
Why VOIDS prefers the working-student model
For structural, relevant work alongside a degree, VOIDS chooses a working-student contract over a freelance setup. You get a fixed salary and accrued rights, and a quiet month for the business doesn't directly hit your own income.
Sources
- Rijksoverheid: Ik heb een nulurencontract. Heb ik recht op vakantiedagen en vakantiegeld? (vakantie-uren: 4 keer de uren per week, vakantiegeld minimaal 8%), accessed 11 October 2026.
- Ondernemersplein (Rijksoverheid): Loon (salaris) doorbetalen bij ziekte, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Ondernemersplein (Rijksoverheid): U heeft personeelstekort of tijdelijk veel werk, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Hoeveel loon krijg ik doorbetaald als ik ziek ben?, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Ondernemersplein (Rijksoverheid): Laag uurtarief van zzp'er kan leiden tot arbeidsovereenkomst, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Wat staat er in een arbeidsovereenkomst?, 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.
