Student Applicant:

Over 60% of international students in Germany opt to work part-time towards covering their living expenses.

Ways of financing studies in Germany include scholarships, parental income, student loans, personal savings and working part-time.

For the student applicant, the work authorization is as given below –

• The student must be over 18 years of age
• International students in Germany are allowed to work for up to 120 full days or 240 half days of the year.
• Do note that a job as a research assistant or student assistant at your university will not be counted towards your limit.
• Overseas students can work full-time in Germany during their regular university breaks.
• They can also work additional hours if their job can be considered to be mandatory work under certain regulations.
• An internship during semester break, even if unpaid, will be regarded as normal work and subtracted from the 120-day credit balance.
• Required mandatory internships that are part of the course do not count.
• Non-EU students are not allowed to work as a freelancer or in a self-employed capacity.
• Those aiming to work longer than the 120-day limit must take specific permission for the same. The foreigner’s registration office [Ausländerbehörde] and the local employment agency [Agentur fur Arbeit] issue these permissions.

The recommended course of action for anyone looking at part-time work while studying abroad in Germany would be to find a job that is related to their field of study.

This way, not only do they stand to gain in terms of covering their living expenses, but they can also use the work experience gained to add credits to their studies.

Spouse:

In general, spouses are given the same rights as the spouse is already in Germany. Therefore, if the spouse in Germany has the right to work, the spouse who comes to join him or her will also have that right. But also note that only work permit holders can apply for the dependent visas.