Students from the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland benefit from unrestricted access to the German labour market and have the same rights as German citizen students. If they work more than 20 hours per week they must pay certain insurance contributions (like German students).
For your employment you need to provide a German tax identification number ("Steuer-IdNr."). You usually receive this after the registration of a place of residence at the local residents' registration office ("Bürgeramt"). Learn more about the first steps of working in Germany as a student.
For students from outside the European Union, special legal regulations apply based on the purpose of their residence permit. If your residence permit has been issued for studying in Germany these regulations apply:
Generally, in each calendar year you may work up to a total of either 140 full days or 280 half-days without prior authorisation. Up to 4 working hours per day count as a half-day.
The day restrictions above do not apply if you are working as a scientific or academic student assistant or as a tutor. However, you still have to inform the municipal immigration office ("Ausländerbehörde").
The day restrictions above do not apply if you carry out your Bachelor's or Master's thesis or compulsory internship with a company as part of your degree programme. You need no prior authorisation.
Other working student activities, voluntary internships, Mini jobs and employments with a company - whether paid or unpaid - come under the 140/280 day regulation above.
You are not allowed to be self-employed or work as a freelancer.
If your residence permit in Germany has been issued for other purposes (such as asylum or family reunion), different laws apply and you must apply for a work permit at the municipal immigration office ("Ausländerbehörde") and you may also need permission from the federal employment agency ("Bundesagentur für Arbeit"). The 140/280 day regulation does not apply.
Balancing studies and work
Different forms of employment are possible for international students in Germany. You should look for a job that suits your study situation and motivation.
To finance your studies in the first semesters, we recommend that you work a maximum of one day or no more than 10 hours a week in a part-time job. Look for jobs that you can combine with your lectures, e.g. in retail, production or catering service. Here you can work well in shifts alongside your studies. Good German language skills and proper application documents raise your chances of actually getting a first job. To do this, you should especially look at so-called Mini-Jobs that are in your area. It is essential to manage the study workload before adding a job to that workload.
Regardless of the industry or position: successfully balancing your studies and work is the most important thing for your success as a student and your career. Future employers will also want to see how successful you are in your studies. Studying is a full-time task and should be given priority. You can work full-time during the semester breaks to earn more money to cover your expenses.
In the higher Bachelor's or Master's semesters, it makes sense to focus more on career orientation. Once you have gained study and work experience, you can also take on further activities and apply to suitable companies. The Career Center will support you with training and coaching. Companies then employ students as so-called working students, as interns or as part of a Bachelor's or Master's thesis. You can also work at the university as a student assistant or tutor.
Video: How do I finance my studies in Germany?
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Popular job-formats for students
In a mini-job, you can be employed in companies or private households. The minimum wage is 12.41 EUR gross per hour (as of 2024). You pay almost no social security contributions, i.e. you also have more net pay from your gross salary.
Part-time employment (during the semester): You may earn up to 538 EUR/month, i.e. work up to a maximum of 43 hours per month. This is particularly popular in shift models and service work. ("Geringfügige Beschäftigung")
Short-term employment (during the semester break): You may earn more than 538 EUR/month, but not longer than three months or 70 working days in a calendar year. Typical examples are temporary workers during production peaks in industry or agriculture. ("Kurzfristige Beschäftugung")
This model is particularly suitable for the earlier semesters of your studies.
As a working student ("Werkstudent*in"), you are enrolled at the university and can work in a company to earn a living and gain work experience at the same time. The minimum wage is 12.41 EUR gross per hour (as of 2024). Compared to a regular job, you only have to pay into pension insurance and therefore have a higher net salary.
To qualify for working student status, you must not work more than 20 hours a week in total. If you exceed the 20 hours per week limit in the course of a calendar year, you may not be employed for more than 26 weeks with a total weekly working time of more than 20 hours. The hours limit should be exceeded mainly at weekends, in the evening and at night or during lecture-free periods. Attention: other jobs in the calendar year are also included in the hours limit. You are responsible for adhering to and keeping track of the hour limits.
This model is particularly suitable for the later semesters of your studies.
As a student assistant or tutor, you can contribute to the university and earn money at the same time. This is practical because the distances between lectures and work are short.
Tutors help with lectures and exercises and supervise other students. Student assistants work in the academic field or provide administrative support. Depending on their classification and degree, they earn different wages.
Faculties and departments are looking for student support, check the dashboard for open positions.
Employment Law: Basics
You may have agreed to the employment contract in writing or verbally. However, your employer must provide you with the terms of the contract in writing no later than one month later.
The employment contract does not have to be written in English or another language.
The employment contract cannot place you worse off than the applicable law, e.g. less vacation entitlement or pay below the minimum wage.
You can find more information and the mandatory contents of every employment contract at Bundesagentur für Arbeit.
The average working hours in Germany is 8 hours per day. This can be extended to up to 10 hours per day for a short period, with a rest period of at least 11 hours between two shifts.
If you work between 6 to 9 hours a day, you are entitled to a 30-minute break after no later than 6 hours. If you work more than 9 hours a day, the break is extended to 45 minutes. It is not allowed to take a break at the end of the working day in order to leave early. Breaks are not paid.
You are entitled to paid leave. This is at least 2 days for each month in which you work full time. If you work on Sundays or public holidays, your employer must offer you a corresponding number of days off within 8 weeks.
You or your employer may terminate your employment before the contractual end. The notice periods are stated in your employment contract.
A notice of termination is only valid if it can be proven to have been handed over. Notice of termination by email is not deemed to be written notice of termination and is therefore invalid.
Here you will get practical advice on looking for and starting work in Germany.
When looking for work in Germany, your first stop should be the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) and its job board to search job offers, publish your profile and sign up for job offers.
You can find further information about work and career in Germany at the DAAD website (German Academic Exchange Service).
General information for foreigners on taking up work in Germany is provided on the Federal Foreign Office website.
www.make-it-in-germany.com is the official website for international qualified professionals. It informs people interested in studying, working and living in Germany, and how to successfully prepare their arrival to Germany and manage their first steps in Germany.
You can frequently find local job offers on the Campus notice boards (first floor stairwell of Building A at Campus Rosenheim.
Useful job portals - Find a job
Many companies publish their jobs online. Job portals make it easier to find the right job and your future employer in Germany. With some online portals, you can set alerts for fitting job offers.
Check of application documents in German Martin Rippel, careers adviser for academic professions at the Rosenheim Employment Agency helps you optimise your application documents in German. If you are interested in an application portfolio check, please e-mail rosenheim.151-akademiker@arbeitsagentur.de to arrange a personal appointment. Further information is also available at the Career Center of TH Rosenheim.
Check of application documents in English Seeking a placement or first job abroad and need application documents in English? The Career Center offers an individual coaching for all students at TH Rosenheim. Further information is also available at the Career Center of TH Rosenheim.
Jobline LMU - Job applications in English Jobline LMU advises on all aspects of the application. Templates, checklists and step-by-step instructions help with a successful application.
For Graduates: Working in Germany after Studies
Having completed your degree, there are various ways into the German job market open to you through qualified employment: a job related to your university degree.
EU graduates (as well as graduates from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) have the same access to the German labour market as German graduates and do not require a work or residence permit.
Non-EU graduates must take care of new residence and work permits for their purpose of stay. Your application for a new residence permit must be submitted before the student residence permit expires. The respective authority is your local Immigration Office. Make an appointment for a consultation in good time ahead!
Important: Graduates with German language skills have a better chance of getting a job. Therefore, take advantage of the free courses offered by the Language Center during your studies and acquire the necessary German language skills (B2 CEFR) in order to find qualified employment afterwards. German as a foreign language makes it easier for you to find a job, obtain a residence permit and make social contacts.
You can receive a residence permit for 18 months so that you can look for a qualified job that matches your university degree. During these 18 months, you may take up any job without time restrictions in order to cover your costs of living. This residence permit cannot be extended and is counting from from the date of the written notification that you have passed your final examination (i.e. not from the date of exmatriculation). You should plan your job search and apply for a subsequent new residence permit during your senior year of studies.
The requirements for this residence permit (§ 18b AufenthG) for graduates from non-EU countries are:
Proof that you have successfully completed your studies
Proof of sufficient health insurance cover
Proof that you will be able to support yourself while looking for a job
The EU Blue Card is the most common residence permit for university graduates from abroad who take up qualified employment in their field of study in Germany. It is usually issued for 4 years - or until your employment contract expires. It can be extended in the event of subsequent qualified employment.
You must provide proof of qualified employment:
Qualified employment above the gross salary of at least EUR 45,300 / year (as of 2024) - without the approval of the Federal Employment Agency
Qualified employment in occupations with shortage of skilled workers (e.g. STEM sector) also with a gross salary of at least EUR 41,041.80 / year (as of 2024) - only with the approval of the Federal Employment Agency
Qualified job as a career starter in the first 3 years after graduation, regardless of the occupational group, also with a gross salary of at least EUR 41,041.80 / year (as of 2024) - only with the approval of the Federal Employment Agency
The requirements for this residence permit (§ 18g AufenthG) for graduates from non-EU countries are:
Proof that you have successfully completed your studies
Proof of health insurance cover
Proof that you are able to support yourself (employment contract)
Germany has an excellent dual vocational training system. In a dual vocational training programme, you learn a specific profession directly in a company and also attend vocational college. German as a foreign language skills at B2 level are necessary.
For a position, you directly apply to companies that offer a training position (small, medium-sized or corporate companies). The Federal Employment Agency must approve the employment. Apprentices receive a training salary and often also a vocational training grant ("Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe", BAB) from the employment agency. Vocational training is also an alternative if you want to refocus during your studies and are thinking about discontinuing your degree programme.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you must apply for a new residence permit to start vocational training (§ 18a AufenthG).
The German doctorate is highly regarded throughout the world. There are two ways to a doctorate:
Individual doctorate under the supervision of a supervising professor
Structured doctoral programmes in a team of other doctoral students who attend seminars and may also work on the same projects
In Germany, most doctoral students work either at a university, a research institute or in industry. They finance their doctoral studies through employment and/or research scholarships. Depending on your employment and earnings, you will need a specific residence permit to start your doctorate in Germany as a non-EU student.
There are many reasons to become self-employed in Germany. For your business initiative, you should contact the start-up coaching at TH Rosenheim as soon as possible.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you must apply for a suitable residence permit for your entrepreneurial activity.
