© Rolf Schulten
Many students have a part-time job to partially or fully finance their studies or simply to earn something on the side. Students from non-EU countries studying in Germany need to keep a few things in mind if they wish to work while studying. On this page you’ll find everything you need to know as well as tips for finding a job.
Rules for international students
Students from EU and EEA countries as well as Switzerland have free access to the German job market, just like German students.
Students who are not from these countries are only entitled to work for 120 days in a year. This can be 120 full days or 240 half days (up to 4 hours). Only those days actually worked are counted. In addition to these 120 days, international students can work as a student assistant or tutor at the University or another scientific institution without restriction.
If your degree program requires an internship (“Pflichtpraktikum”), you do not need special permission. Internships are not counted towards the 120 full/240 half days. Internships which you do on your own initiative, however, do count towards the 120 days.
There has been a change with regard to the ancillary provisions of the residence permit. International students are now also allowed to be self-employed. Those who still have an older residence permit that still contains the ancillary provision "self-employment not permitted" can have this ancillary provision changed at the State Office for Immigration.
Finding a job
Ideally, students find a job related to their studies at a company or organization while others work as a student assistant or tutor at the University. Students may also work in the food service industry or marketing or provide tutoring.
Within the context of part-time work, there are a few important terms which refer to the type of employment, e.g.
- Mini jobs (or 520-euro job or “geringfügig entlohnte Beschäftigung” which means low-income employment)
- Short-term employment (“Kurzfristige Beschäftigung,” “Semesterferien-Job”)
- Working student (“Werkstuden*in”)
Below you will find job boards for a range of work: internships, student jobs, as well as offers for university graduates in industry and research. The boards feature positions in the Berlin/Brandenburg region as well as a number of national and international offers in all disciplines. Use the filter and search functions to find the right offers for you.
Taxes and insurance
There are a few threshold values with regards to taxes and insurance you should keep in mind when working a student job.
- International students cannot work more than 20 hours during the week during the lecture period. This ensures you retain student status with your health insurance (and are not considered gainfully employed). This does not apply to the lecture-free period and weekends.
- To ensure your income is not taxed, your income for the entire calendar year should be below the current tax-free personal allowance of 10,908 euros. Otherwise your income will be taxed. You may be able to get a partial tax refund by filing an income tax return. However, this depends on whether you can claim sufficient expenses (travel costs, office supplies, etc.) for your part-time job.
Do you require information about tax and social insurance documents for a job which you received through the studierendenWERK job board?
Questions about information and retention periods pursuant to Section 257 (1) no. 4, (4) and (5) HGB for social insurance and wage and tax statements of students, employers, and authorities can be submitted via email to lohnsteuerbuero@stw.berlin