Quick answer
If you come from outside the EU, you can work 140 full days or 280 half days a year while you study in Germany. Work as an academic assistant at your university has no day limit, but you must tell the foreigners' office (DAAD).
You must be paid at least the minimum wage: EUR 13.90 an hour from 1 January 2026 and EUR 14.60 from 1 January 2027 (Gesetze im Internet, minimum wage ordinance). Freelance or self-employed work needs the foreigners' office's permission, and working beyond the limit needs approval that is given only in cases of special financial need.
Compare work rights
See Germany's rules next to another country's, with the most you could earn in a term month.
The rules at a glance
For students from outside the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland on a German study permit.
| Question | What the rules say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How much you can work | 140 full days or 280 half days a year. | DAAD, side jobs |
| Academic assistant jobs at your university | No day limit; you still have to tell the foreigners' office. | DAAD, side jobs |
| Freelance or self-employed work | Only if the foreigners' office permits it. | DAAD, side jobs |
| Working more than the limit | Needs permission from the Federal Employment Agency and the foreigners' office, given only in cases of special financial need. | DAAD, side jobs |
| Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland | Unrestricted access to the labour market; above 20 hours a week they pay some insurance contributions, like German students. | DAAD, side jobs |
| Minimum wage | EUR 13.90 an hour from 1 January 2026; EUR 14.60 from 1 January 2027. | Gesetze im Internet, minimum wage ordinance |
| After you graduate | Residence permit of up to 18 months to look for a job after graduating, if you can support yourself; you may work while you search. | BAMF, graduates |
Rules checked on 24 September 2026 against the official pages linked. They change: confirm on the linked page before you act.
What to do next
Check the job counts as student work before you sign, and ask your university's International Office if you are unsure which category it falls into.
