Working as a student in Germany: hours, day limits and Werkstudent rules
In German: Studentenjob / Werkstudent (Arbeitstagekonto)
Working is optional. If you do, the day limits are mandatory for non-EU students.
On this page
Who needs it
This guide is for students enrolled at a German university or college who want to earn money while studying.
- EU/EEA and Swiss students: no work limit under residence law. You can work like any other EU citizen. The insurance rules below still apply.
- Non-EU students with a student residence permit: you may work, but within a yearly limit set by § 16b AufenthG.
How much non-EU students may work
| Type of work | Counts toward the limit? |
|---|---|
| Any job with an employer | Yes: 140 full days or 280 half days per year |
| A day of up to 4 hours | Counts as a half day |
| Studentische Nebentätigkeit (student assistant job at your university or a research institution, "HiWi") | No, not counted |
| Mandatory internship required by your study regulations (Pflichtpraktikum) | Usually not counted as employment; no approval needed |
| Voluntary internship | Usually counts toward the limit |
| Self-employment or freelancing | Not covered by the day account; needs separate permission from the immigration office |
The law calls the day count an Arbeitstagekonto (working-day account). During the lecture period, a job of up to 20 hours in a calendar week can instead be counted as two and a half working days, however many days you actually work.
Job types and insurance
Werkstudent (working student)
A Werkstudent job is a regular job for enrolled students. It comes with a special social insurance status:
- Health, care and unemployment insurance: no contributions from these wages. You stay in student health insurance.
- Pension insurance: mandatory. You and your employer each pay half of 18.6%.
- The 20-hour rule: the status generally applies only if you work up to 20 hours a week during the lecture period. In semester breaks you can work more. If you regularly work more during term, you may count as a normal employee with full contributions.
Wage tax is withheld according to your tax class. If your yearly income stays low, you usually get it back through a tax return.
Minijob
A Minijob pays up to €603 per month (the 2026 limit). The limit is linked to the minimum wage and usually rises when it does. You pay no health, care or unemployment insurance. Pension insurance is deducted unless you apply to opt out. For non-EU students, a Minijob still counts toward the day limit.
Internships
- Mandatory internship: usually free of social insurance, and no approval from the Federal Employment Agency is needed.
- Voluntary internship: treated like a normal job. For non-EU students it usually uses up days.
What you need
- Your tax ID, for your employer
- Your social security number
- Your Immatrikulationsbescheinigung (proof of enrolment), for Werkstudent status
- Proof of health insurance
- Non-EU: your residence permit, with its wording on employment
- A German bank account for your salary (bank account)
How to do it
- Check your permit's wording (non-EU). Most student permits allow work within the day limit.
- Find the right job type: HiWi, Werkstudent, Minijob or internship.
- Give your employer your tax ID, social security number, enrolment certificate and health insurer.
- Track your days (non-EU) in a simple list: date, hours, full or half day.
- Renew your enrolment certificate with your employer each semester.
Common problems
Can I work full-time in the summer break?
Yes, as long as you stay within your yearly limit (non-EU). For a Werkstudent, full-time work in the semester break doesn't normally end the special status.
Does my blocked account payout count as income?
No. It's your own savings, not work income. See blocked account.
Can I work before my studies start, for example in a language course?
Different rules apply before your studies start and during preparatory courses. Ask your immigration office before you take a job.
Can I freelance as a student?
Non-EU students need explicit permission from the immigration office for self-employment. See freelancing.
Official sources
Rules can change. These are the pages we checked — they have the final word. How we check facts
Immigration rules depend on your nationality, job and personal situation, and the immigration office decides each case. This guide is not legal advice — check with the authority or a qualified advisor before making decisions.
Related guides
- Student health insurance · Krankenversicherung der Studenten (KVdS)You need health insurance to enrol at a German university. How student public insurance works, what it costs in 2026, the age-30 limit and opting out.
- Blocked account · SperrkontoHow a German blocked account works for student visas: the 2026 amount, monthly payouts, alternatives like a Verpflichtungserklärung, and what to do after arrival.
- Residence permit · Aufenthaltstitel (Aufenthaltserlaubnis, eAT)Who needs a German residence permit, the main permit types for work, study, family and job search, how the Ausländerbehörde works, and what to do while you wait.
- Tax ID (Steuer-ID) · Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer (IdNr, Steuer-ID)Your German tax ID is an 11-digit number sent by post after your first Anmeldung. When it arrives, how to request it again, and how it differs from the Steuernummer.
- Payslip · Lohnabrechnung / GehaltsabrechnungHow to read a German payslip: gross pay, wage tax, church tax, solidarity surcharge and the 2026 social insurance rates that turn Brutto into Netto.