Why the state disability pension doesn't work as a safety net for students.
To receive a disability pension, not only medical but also insurance-related requirements must be met. From a medical perspective, disability exists as soon as it is medically certified that someone is unable to work more than three hours per day for a period of six months.
To apply for this benefit, you must fulfill the so-called general waiting period under insurance law and have paid mandatory contributions. The waiting period means that at least five years of contributions to the statutory pension insurance have been paid throughout your working life. Mandatory contributions mean that at least three years of mandatory contributions for insured employment or activity have been paid within the last five years before the onset of the disability.
It follows that students (just like pupils), provided they have not been employed in a position subject to mandatory pension insurance during the period in question, are not entitled to a reduced earning capacity pension from the state, as they do not (or cannot) meet the requirements.
After completing their studies, students should be aware that they generally need to have held a job subject to social security contributions for five years to meet the aforementioned requirements. Those who worked during their studies should inquire about the extent to which social security contributions were paid and whether these can be credited towards the waiting period and mandatory contributions.
In any case, it should be noted that the reduced earning capacity pension only offers a small basic level of state security, which does not compensate for the last earned income.
