Work while Studying in Germany

Once you’ve been granted a student visa or residence permit for Germany (including for preparatory college or a preparatory language course), you’re allowed to work part-time. You can work up to 20 hours a week during term time. Outside term time, you can work more, up to a total limit of 280 half-days (of no more than 4 hours each) or 140 full days in any calendar year. For any additional hours, you’ll need permission from the local immigration office and agreement from the German Federal Employment Agency. Your work must be as an employee; you’ll need permission from the local immigration office to undertake self-employed or fee-based work.

You can work more hours if your employment is as a student assistant at the university where you study, but you’ll still need to inform the local immigration office if you exceed the usual limit. Student assistant roles, in Germany, are job positions available only to enrolled university students, where you’ll work a limited amount of time per week at a university institute or department, performing tasks like assisting with lectures, preparing tutorials, lab work, library support, or administrative duties, usually with flexible hours.

Alternatively, you may want to complete an internship while studying in Germany. If this is a mandatory part of your degree, it won’t require permission from the local immigration office, and there are no restrictions on the hours you can work. Voluntary internships not required for your degree are subject to the same restrictions as part-time work: no more than 20 hours a week during term time, and a maximum of 280 half-days or 140 full days in any calendar year. For any additional hours, you’ll need permission from the local immigration office and agreement from the German Federal Employment Agency.

Part-time work as a student, and voluntary internships lasting more than three months, are subject to the German minimum wage, currently €12.82/hour. Please note that you’ll be liable to social insurance, health insurance and income tax if you exceed certain thresholds of income or number of hours worked – you can find out more here. No minimum wage applies for shorter internships and mandatory internships; in fact, they can be unpaid.

You can find further details on part-time work and internships while studying in Germany on the DAAD website.

British citizens on a prospective student visa or residence permit may also work part-time up to 20 hours per week, but are not permitted to undertake internships.

Disclaimer: the information in this guide has been collated from government, academic, professional and public institution sources available at the time of publication. However, it is subject to change, and errors and omissions are excepted. Please always check directly with the relevant decision-making bodies and/or take professional advice for specific cases.