Can I Work While Studying in Germany? Hours and Rules 2026
TL;DR: Non-EU students in Germany may work 140 full days or 280 half days a year, or about 20 hours a week during the lecture period, without a separate work permit. In semester breaks you can work unlimited hours. You earn at least the national minimum wage of 13.90 euros an hour. Mandatory internships do not count against the limit.
Here is the rule that catches people: a one-hour shift burns a whole half day. Not one hour of your allowance, a half day. Students who take short evening shifts through the semester can run out of days by June without ever having worked twenty hours in a week. Everything below is the current rule set, in force since the 1 March 2024 Skilled Immigration Act change, and it matters because living costs run about 900 to 1,200 euros a month and almost nobody covers that from the blocked account alone.
140 full days, 280 half days, and how a day is defined
As a non-EU student you may work 140 full days or 280 half days per year without approval from the Federal Employment Agency. Those numbers replaced the old 120 and 240 on 1 March 2024. A full day is more than 4 and up to 8 hours. A half day is anything up to 4 hours, including a single hour. Count in half days and plan longer shifts on fewer days, and you get considerably more work out of the same allowance.
| Work type | 2026 limit |
|---|---|
| Full days per year | 140 (1 full day = more than 4 up to 8 hours) |
| Half days per year | 280 (1 half day = up to 4 hours) |
| During lecture period | About 20 hours / week |
| Semester break | Unlimited hours |
| Mandatory internships | Do not count toward the limit |
What twenty hours a week actually pays
The national minimum wage is 13.90 euros an hour. At 20 hours a week that is roughly 1,100 euros a month before deductions, which in most cities covers rent, groceries and insurance with a little left. University assistant work pays more than the floor and bends around your timetable, which is why it is worth chasing before the shift jobs.
Which work counts, and which is free
Most jobs eat into the day count: retail, hospitality, libraries, delivery, tutoring, campus roles. Two categories sit outside it. Mandatory internships written into your curriculum do not count at all, and research assistant work at your own university is frequently exempt as well, though your local immigration office has the final word on that. Freelancing and running a business are a different regime entirely and can need separate permission, so do not assume your student permit covers an invoice you send.
Werkstudent, Hiwi, internship
- Werkstudent. A paid role at a company during term, normally capped at 20 hours a week, with social-security treatment that works in your favour.
- Hiwi. Assistant work inside your department. It pays less than industry, sits close to your subject, and builds the relationship with a professor that turns into a thesis or a reference.
- Internship. A mandatory internship required by your curriculum does not touch your day count. A voluntary one does.
Tax and insurance once you have a payslip
Student earnings under the annual tax-free allowance usually attract no income tax, but your payslip will still show deductions for health, pension and unemployment insurance. The pension contribution is not optional for most jobs, and it is not wasted either: it builds a German pension record that counts later for residence and citizenship. Keep an eye on your student health insurance, because the cover changes once your earnings pass the student threshold.
Where the jobs are
- The university jobs board and the Studentenwerk. Both list roles written for student schedules rather than around them.
- On-campus first. Hiwi work is flexible, close to your subject, and the competition is people you already sit next to.
- Get to A2 or B1 German. Retail and hospitality want basic German, and that is most of the market outside tech. Our guide to student jobs in Germany lists which fields hire without it.
- Front-load the semester breaks. Break hours are unlimited, so a heavy summer leaves your term-time allowance intact.
Sources
- Make it in Germany - Study and work
- DAAD - Side jobs
- TU Bergakademie Freiberg - New work regulations March 2024
Planning the money before you fly? Get help with your student visa file, or book a free profile evaluation and we will map the costs against what you can realistically earn.
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