VBL Pension Scheme

All university employees who are liable to pay statutory insurance contributions will also be enrolled by Freie Universität Berlin in an additional occupational pension scheme. This supplementary pension scheme is provided by the public sector insurer VBL. Eligible employees are initially automatically enrolled in the “VBLklassik” scheme. You can find details of the scheme and its benefits on the VBL website (www.vbl.de).

The website also tells you where to get advice on what scheme is right for you, and provides information on how you can add to your occupational pension through fully funded pension contributions on a voluntary basis.

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Note for researchers and academic staff:

As of January 1, 2003, academic employees at universities or research institutes who are on a fixed-term contract lasting five years or less, and who have not yet accrued any benefits under a supplementary pension scheme for periods in which they were liable for mandatory insurance contributions, can apply for exemption from automatic enrollment in the VBLklassik scheme. 

The exemption application must be submitted within two months of the beginning of the employment contract (cf. Section 28 of the VBL Articles of Association). On timely receipt of the application, and given that the employee is eligible for exemption, they will be enrolled in a voluntary insurance scheme with VBL that operates on a points system. Under this scheme, only the employer pays contributions for the duration of the employment contract.