Useful
How does a student cooperative work?
Entering the world of work can seem intimidating at first—especially if you don’t know who to turn to for help. Fortunately, as a student, things are a bit easier for you, since student cooperatives were created to provide a framework for legal and safe employment.
It’s important to us that we don’t just see you as a student, but also as a client: we’re here to help you find the job that suits you best. Get to know how we work!
What is a student cooperative?
Cooperatives are organisations created to serve the economic and other social (cultural, educational, social, health-related) needs of their members.
A student cooperative provides students with active student status at educational institutions – such as secondary school students, those studying at vocational schools or in adult education, and higher education students – with the opportunity to work legally and safely, as well as to support their practical training and professional development.
So it’s not just about earning some pocket money through the cooperative – the kind of work you do during your student years can also influence your professional progress and future career path.
At Y Generation Student Cooperative, we can employ students aged 16 or over enrolled in full-time education (including foreign students studying in Hungary), and students aged 15 or over during school holidays, provided they have written parental consent.
Why is it worth working through a student cooperative?
Once you turn 16, you can work with parental consent, and after turning 18, you can do so independently. While full-time students can also apply for jobs directly like any adult – browse job ads, attend interviews and sign contracts – working through a student cooperative offers several advantages. Let’s take a look at these.
Easier job search
One of the biggest benefits of working with a student cooperative is that you don’t have to spend hours searching for job ads or refreshing websites. Here you can choose from a wide range of opportunities. On our website, you’ll find plenty of job listings – whether you’re interested in hospitality, warehouse work, receptionist or office jobs, driving, or remote customer service roles.
Safe working conditions
When taking a job, you never know in advance what kind of treatment or colleagues you’ll encounter – unfortunately, some workplaces don’t treat student workers with the same respect as adult employees. A student cooperative ensures safe conditions: the employer signs a contract not with you, but with the cooperative. More importantly, your wages are guaranteed and your employment fully complies with legal regulations. This means you’ll have valid insurance and receive all the necessary documents for your tax return from us.
Higher net pay
Of course, one of the most important questions for any worker is how much they’ll earn for the time they work. It’s worth knowing a little about taxation: normally, your salary is subject to a 15% personal income tax and an 18.5% social security contribution. Until you turn 25, you’re exempt from paying personal income tax, regardless of where you work. However, in a standard employment relationship, your employer still deducts the 18.5% social contribution.
If you work through a student cooperative, you’re not considered insured, so your full gross salary is paid out to you. That’s why this is the most popular form of work among young people – it offers the highest net earnings.
What about employers?
As a student cooperative, our job is to connect students – like you – with employers. We aim to provide students with meaningful professional development, while offering employers access to quality entry-level talent. Our clients include private companies, municipalities and even state institutions, so our job listings cover a broad range.
These positions typically do not require qualifications or at least don’t require proof in the form of a diploma. This makes them ideal entry-level or internship-type roles. This ensures that every student can find a job that meets their goals – whether that’s earning money, gaining experience or building a future career.
What kind of jobs can you find through Y Generation?
We offer positions covering the full range of the job market: from light physical labour and simple jobs in retail, hospitality and services, to office and call centre roles. More and more of our listings also include internships that provide valuable professional experience.
These career programmes can help you gain practical insights while studying – giving you an edge after graduation. Our job ads clearly list the responsibilities, conditions and wages for each position. We offer student jobs in Budapest as well as in other cities across Hungary.
How can you become a member of Y Generation Student Cooperative?
First, you’ll need to register – this can be done easily through our website. However, to sign the paperwork required for employment, you’ll need to visit our office in person: Budapest, District XIII, Radnóti Miklós Street 2.
Please note that we can only employ full-time students, so you’ll need to present a valid student ID or a school attendance certificate. You’ll also need your ID card, address card, tax number and social security card. Don’t forget: to receive your wages, you’ll need a personal bank account. During registration, you’ll also need to purchase a cooperative share for 1000 HUF – this will be refunded when you leave the cooperative.
How can you apply for a student job?
Naturally, you’ll have a role to play in the application process. Before applying, it’s important to prepare a CV that includes your current studies and any previous work experience.
As all applications start online, the employer will also see your CV. We carry out an initial screening to check whether you have the required skills and attitude for the position. The job ad will specify the requirements, and where possible, the advantages the employer may take into account. Based on this, and depending on the role, we’ll invite you for a short interview, then forward your CV to the employer. If your application is successful, our coordinators will contact you with the next steps.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us! You can reach us by phone or in person on working days between 10 AM and 6 PM. For more contact options, click here.
