Working as a student in Germany - All the information you need

Working while studying in Germany has many advantages that go beyond the financial ones

A working student's job during your studies does not only boost your finances. The job requires many facets of you as a colleague, employee, supervisor, newcomer, or expert. You get to know yourself in different roles and perhaps in difficult situations. You also meet people outside your university circle and circle of friends. Of course, a job will also enhance your CV: Working while studying in Germany proves that you can manage your time well, and work hard. It doesn't really matter what industry you're in - it's important to recruiters that you have practical experience. Before you start working as an international student in Germany, you should find out about the general conditions and rules that are in place. They are important to know as making a mistake can increase your insurance and tax bills considerably. You can find answers to the most important questions here:

The 9 most important questions about working as a student in Germany

1. Can I work while studying in Germany?

Studying and working is perfectly OK in Germany. However, there are limits to how many hours you can work before being required to pay full insurance contributions.

In order not to lose your status as a student, the amount that you are allowed to work full-time outside of the lecture period is limited to 182 calendar days (26 weeks) within one year of employment.

2. Are international students allowed to work in Germany?

International students have their own set of regulations, which govern how long they can work before their taxes and social contributions rise. 

For EU nationals, the limit is 20 hours per week during the semester. For students coming from outside the EU, the limit is either 120 full days, or 240 half days every year.

3. What is the difference between full days & half days? 

A full day is defined as 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week in Germany, This means that students are allowed to work only 2.5 full days per week during the semester. This limit can be exceeded during the semester and during the summer break, however, international students should keep the annual quota in mind and make sure not to exceed the 120 full-days per year limit.

Part-time or half-days are defined as anything under the definition of a full week. So a part-time job in Germany usually is a job that requires up to 20 hours or less per week. 

4. How much can I work as a student in Germany?

You may not spend more time working than you do studying. Otherwise, studying is no longer your main occupation. Therefore, as a student, you may not work more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period.  You may work more during semester breaks: Students are allowed to work more than 20 hours per week for 26 weeks during the period of one year of employment (note that this does not have to correspond to a calendar year). In this case, it has no effect on your “student” status with regard to social security.

5. Can students work more than 20 hours a week in Germany?

There are some exceptions to the 20 hours rule mentioned above. Academic jobs are usually categorized differently. If you take a student assistant role at CBS, this won't count towards the 120-full days limit that applies to international students. In addition, mandatory internships that are a part of your study programme also are exempted from the 120- full days rule. 

Check out our undergraduate degrees 

Check out our graduate degrees

6. How much can I earn working as a student in Germany?

The amount of your income plays a role in several aspects. On the one hand, it affects your student status: It's not the amount you're earning, but the amount of time you're working. (see question 1: How much can I work as a student in Germany?). Another aspect of income are taxes: If you exceed certain limits, you will be liable for wage tax (for example, as an employee) or income tax (for example, as a working student or self-employed person). In any case, you should file a tax return for each year in which you study and work in Germany. The respective income limits and tax-free amounts also depend on your age and marital status. Your income is also important for your health insurance. To remain in the family health insurance and be exempt from paying your own health insurance contributions, you may not earn more than 5,400 euros per year in a part-time job. The minimum wage in Germany is around 9 € per hour. Higher-skilled student positions could offer a higher pay range from 11-20 € per hour. Side jobs such as babysitting, catering, and working in a cafe or a restaurant mostly pay somewhere around the minimum.

7. How much can I earn as a Bafög recipient?

First of all, you must report any changes in your income to the Bafög office as certain income limits apply.  If you earn more than this, the additional income will be deducted from your Bafög. You can earn a gross income of 5,422 euros per year or 452 euros per month without it being deducted from your Bafög. Anything above this amount will be deducted from your Bafög. You can find detailed information on the topic of Bafög and additional income here. With a 450-euro minijob, students who receive Bafög are definitely on the safe side. Whether the job is related to your studies or not is irrelevant. The number of hours worked is also irrelevant for the Bafög.

8. What types of employment/student jobs are available for students in Germany?

For starters don't worry about working while studying. It's very common in Germany, especially among international students, and there are many opportunities to consider. 

As a student, you have even more options than "normal" employees. For example, you can work as a student trainee or intern. The sticking point is usually the obligation to pay social security. In turn, your marital status, income, and type of employment count towards this.

Here are the most common types of students jobs in Germany:

• Working student:

  You work in a company in a field that is related to your studies. For example, as a business student in marketing, human resources, or sales. A working student's job has many advantages: First, you can apply your knowledge in practice. Second, you get to know new areas from your field of study in practice. Third, you have your foot in the door of a company that may offer you a permanent job after graduation. Fourth, you gain sound work experience and enhance your CV. Fifth, you have probably successfully practised a demanding application process. Sixth, you get to know people and their experiences in an environment that is relevant to you. Seventh, the earnings are usually somewhat better than in side jobs like babysitting or waitressing. Eighth, a working student is considered a normal part-time employee and has the corresponding holiday entitlement.

• Minijob:

  The classic among the part-time jobs is the minijob. You may earn up to 450 euros per month. With a minimum wage of 9.50 euros per hour (as of Jan. 2021), you have to work a maximum of around eleven hours per week or around 47 hours per month for this amount. As a full-time student, you do not have to pay taxes or social security contributions on this amount. This also makes the minijob attractive for employers. If you are under 25 years old and have family health insurance as a student, you can work in a minijob without having to pay extra contributions.

• Midijob:

  More than a minijob, less than full-time - the midijob is in between. The basic difference: health insurance and unemployment insurance are due, of which the employer pays a higher share than in a full-time job. Earnings may be between 450 and 1,300 euros per month. Like normal part-time employees, you are entitled to holidays and continued payment of wages in the event of illness and you pay pension contributions. Students are only allowed to earn up to 850€ per month as to not loose your student health insurance.

• Self-employed/freelancer:

  You can also work without an employer in jobs such as promotion, copywriting, tutoring, or web design. Check with your tax office to see if you need a trade license for this.

• Internship:

  You have to distinguish between a compulsory internship, a voluntary internship, and an internship abroad. As the name suggests, a compulsory internship is an integral part of your studies. Employers do not have to pay a minimum wage for compulsory internships. Therefore, you often earn nothing or very little during a compulsory internship. The situation is different for voluntary internships: If it lasts longer than three months, you are entitled to the minimum wage. The CBS International Business School attaches great importance to practical experience. Both the Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes include a compulsory internship. This way, all students can gain practical experience in order to be able to apply what they have learned in real situations. Companies place a lot of value on relevant practical experience when hiring new staff. You can find out more about integrated mandatory internships in our study programme.

  Here you can find more information about internships in Germany for international students.

9. How to find student jobs in Germany?

A good way is your network: Ask your flatmates, fellow students, and friends about job opportunities. Best case scenario, they can recommend you and you'll already know what to expect. Otherwise, there are job portals like stellenwerk.de, appjobs or Young Capital that filter jobs according to the city and feature up-to-date listing. CBS enables its students to work in a wide variety of areas, be it in teaching as a student assistant or in different departments of the administration. In addition, the CBS Career Service Center has many current job advertisements for CBS students in its own job portal.