Part-Time Jobs in Germany for International Students

A part-time job can cover a large part of your living costs in Germany. At the 2026 minimum wage of €13.90 per hour, 20 hours a week comes to about €1,205 per month before tax.

Working while studying is a good option for many students. With a part-time job, you can concentrate on your studies and still earn money to help finance your life.

A part-time job is not only good for your finances. It also helps you learn more about yourself, and about which jobs and positions you do and do not like.

In addition, a part-time job improves your resume. If you work while you study, you show that you can manage your time well and that you are resilient. The industry matters less than the fact that you have gained experience in the job market.

How Do International Students Find Part-Time Work?

At Your University

A position as a research assistant at your university is ideal for students from a non-EU country. Check the university bulletin board or your university's online job exchange to find these openings. Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte or Hiwis (academic assistants) supervise the library, lead tutorials, or gather research literature for professors.

Tip: Hiwi jobs are the best option if you want to work longer hours. The Residence Act states plainly that student jobs are not counted toward your 140-day account. Tell your Foreigners' Office about the job anyway, and follow your university's own rules on hours.

Outside the University

To find a part-time job outside your university, start with online job boards. The Federal Employment Agency's Jobbörse is free and filters by city and hours. Your local Studierendenwerk also posts student jobs, and local newspapers are sometimes worth a look. Typical student jobs outside of university include serving in restaurants, working at trade fairs, and courier services. Tutoring is another good way to supplement your budget.

Through the Federal Employment Agency

The Employment Agency runs a job placement service for students and gives personal advice. A visit is worth your time if you are looking for a part-time job. Bring your residence permit and your enrollment certificate.

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What Are the Rules and Restrictions About Working as an International Student?

International students in Germany can earn money while studying. You can wait tables, work as a research assistant, or give tutoring in your native language. Many students use the lecture-free weeks to earn extra money or cover their living costs.

However, the rules depend on your nationality. Read this part carefully if you are not from the European Union:

• Non-EU students: you have a 140-working-day account per year. Stay at or under 20 hours a week during the semester and you will not use it up.
• EU and EEA students: you have freedom of movement, so no day account applies. You can work like a German student, and the 20-hour line only matters for your social security status.
• Student assistant jobs: work as a Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft at a university does not count toward the day account.
• Mandatory internships: an internship your program requires counts as part of your studies, not as employment, so it does not use up your days.
• Self-employment: freelance and self-employed work is not covered by the day account. You need separate permission from the Foreigners' Office first.

What Is the Process of Finding a Job in Germany?

There are many job opportunities for international students who study abroad:

1. Check Out the Job Market

Take a look at the regional labor market first. Check the local employment agency, online job portals, local newspapers, and university notice boards. Once you have found some interesting offers, it is time to apply.

2. Apply for Relevant Part-Time Jobs in Germany

The application process is straightforward. Like German students, you usually apply by email with a CV and a short letter of motivation attached. In Germany, a good cover letter matters a lot, even for part-time jobs. Our guide to the German CV format shows the layout employers expect, and the Expatrio library has free CV and letter templates you can reuse.

3. Make a Good Impression at the Interview

Have you been invited to a job interview? Now it is time to make a good impression and talk about any previous experience in the field. It also helps to mention that you are attending or have attended a German language course. Interviews in Germany are a mix of in-person and online calls, depending on the job. Our guide to the German job interview covers the questions that come up most often.

4. Take the Job Opportunity

Has one of the jobs you applied for offered you a position? Take the opportunity. Agree the basics with your employer first, including your weekly hours and how the hours are recorded, then start work.

5. Make Use of the Post-Study Job Seeker Visa

After graduating from a German university, you can apply for an 18-month residence permit to look for a job under section 20 of the Residence Act. During that time you may work full-time in any job while you search for a role that matches your degree. Once you find a qualifying position, you can switch to a work permit or an EU Blue Card.

Important: Apply for the job seeker permit before your student visa expires. Do not wait until after graduation to start the process.

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How Much Do Part-Time Jobs in Germany Pay?

The minimum wage in Germany rose to €13.90 per hour on January 1, 2026. It is set to rise again to €14.60 per hour in January 2027.

Here is what the minimum wage means in monthly terms. The figures are gross, before tax and social security, and assume the same hours every week.

Our calculation, based on the 2026 statutory minimum wage of €13.90 per hour and an average of 4.33 weeks per month.

That is not a coincidence at 10 hours. The mini-job earnings limit of €603 a month is tied to the minimum wage and is set at exactly 10 hours a week. Compare these figures with your own monthly living costs before you decide how many hours you need.

How much you earn above the minimum depends on your skills, the industry, and the regional labor market. In cities like Munich and Hamburg, hourly wages are usually higher, but so is the cost of living. Academic assistants, production assistants, and trade fair staff often earn a little above the minimum wage.

Highest Paying Part-Time Jobs in Germany

Are you looking for a better paid option? These are the best paying part-time jobs in Germany for students:

1. Research scholars
2. Research assistants and academic assistants
3. Support staff
4. Teaching English as an English tutor
5. Industrial production assistants

Do International Students in Germany Have to Pay Social Security Contributions?

Mostly not, as long as your studies come first. Students who work 20 hours a week or less during the semester hold the Werkstudent status. That status keeps you free of health, long-term care, and unemployment insurance contributions on your wages.

Two points catch students out:

• Pension insurance still applies. Once you earn more than the €603 mini-job limit, pension contributions come out of your pay even as a Werkstudent.
• You still need your own health cover. The exemption applies to your job, not to you. You keep your student Health Insurance and pay for it as usual.

Tip: keep your employment at or under 20 hours per week during the semester. That protects your Werkstudent status, keeps your social security contributions low, and keeps you inside your day account at the same time.

Do I Have to Pay Taxes as an International Student in Germany?

Students with a mini-job can earn up to €603 per month (as of 2026) with no income tax and no employee social security contributions. If you regularly earn more, your job is reclassified and tax and contributions can apply.

Even above that limit, most students pay little or no income tax. The basic tax-free allowance is €12,348 for 2026, which is more than a 20-hour job at minimum wage pays in a year. Any wage tax deducted from your payslip can usually be claimed back with a tax return.

Your tax ID arrives automatically by mail after you receive your residence permit and register your address with the city. Keep that letter. Your employer needs the number before your first payslip.

What Are the Best Part-Time Jobs for International Students in Germany?

These jobs work well for international students:

1. Student Assistant

One of the most popular jobs among international students is student assistant. The reasons are clear. You work at the university, often in a field related to your studies, and you can fit your hours around your timetable. Most positions let you work regular hours during the semester and cut back during the exam period.

Your tasks vary a lot. Depending on the institute, you might run experiments, compile material for lectures, provide administrative support, or work on theoretical projects.

Pay starts at the minimum wage of €13.90 per hour and reaches around €17 per hour or more, depending on the university and the position.

2. Tutor

If you enjoy a subject and like sharing what you know, this job can be very rewarding. A tutor runs sessions that reinforce the course content through exercises. Tutors either prepare the material themselves or get help from professors and other university staff.

You need a talent for teaching and for speaking without notes, plus real interest in the subject. Be ready for background questions, so know the material thoroughly.

Your pay is comparable to a student assistant, because you are employed on the same kind of contract.

3. Courier

Food, clothes, books, and medicine all get delivered to the door these days. As a courier you will find work quickly, because couriers are always needed.

As an international student you will most likely deliver by bike, so you should be physically fit. Some services use e-bikes. Your hours depend on your employer and can run into the late evening.

You are paid by the hour or per delivery, depending on the company. Tips from customers top up your pay. Couriers receive at least €13.90 per hour, and often a little more depending on the platform and city. Delivery work is also where students most often run into subcontractor arrangements, so it is worth knowing the warning signs and your rights first.

4. Waiting Tables

Waiting tables is a good balance to sitting at a desk all day. You mostly work afternoons, evenings, and weekends in bars or restaurants, so the job rarely clashes with your classes. Busy days can be stressful, but more guests also mean more tips. That is the biggest plus of the job, because few other student jobs are tipped this well.

The hourly wage starts at the minimum wage of €13.90 per hour. On a good night, tips can add more than the best-paid student jobs pay per hour.

5. Part-Time Jobs for English Speakers

Speaking German will improve your job prospects a lot. Even so, you can find part-time jobs that suit English speakers with little or no German. All of the jobs above can be done in English.

Waiting tables in English is hard in a small town, but not a problem in a big city. Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg have the most English-speaking roles, in hospitality, logistics, and campus jobs.

Before You Sign Your Contract

Run through these five points before you accept an offer. They are the ones students ask us about after the fact.

• Get it in writing. Your contract should state your hourly wage, your weekly hours, and your notice period. If an employer will not put it in writing, read your rights as a student worker before you start.
• Check the hourly rate. Anything below €13.90 per hour is not legal for most jobs.
• Count your days. Note the shifts you work each month, so you always know where you stand on your 140-day account.
• Stay at or under 20 hours. During the semester this protects both your Werkstudent status and your residence permit.
• Claim your holiday. Part-time employees earn paid annual leave in proportion to their hours, just like full-time staff. See our guide to employment law in Germany.

Conclusion

Which part-time job you choose should depend mainly on your own interests. As an international student, you should also be careful not to break any rules tied to your visa status. It is also worth knowing what to do if an employer treats you unfairly. A student job is a good way to get a first impression of professional life in Germany. You gain some extra euros, and you improve your resume along with your professional and social skills.

Many internationals also need to show proof of funds through a Blocked Account to get a German visa. You can open a Blocked Account with Expatrio and add other required services such as Health Insurance in the same Value Package.

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