Student Jobs in Germany: Try these 10 Proven Methods

Student Jobs in Germany: Try these 10 Proven Methods, Desi in Wonderland

Finding a student job in Germany is not very difficult as some people make them. In fact, I will share the 10 best methods to get jobs in Germany for students. 

As you know thousands of students fly to Germany for a better life and future. Sure, these students look for part-time jobs in Germany. But, only a few of them succeed in finding high-paying student jobs.

This is why I will share the exact methods to find student jobs in Germany.

Before we jump to our main topic, there are a few things you should know about student jobs in Germany. There are rules and laws regarding these jobs. You have to follow these rules to avoid any ban or penalty.

I have formulated a list of frequently asked questions. So let’s get started…

The most common question asked by students who want to study and work in Germany.

Can I work right after I arrive in Germany?

The answer is No.

When a student arrives in Germany, he gets a category D or type D visa from the German consulate or embassy located in your country. This visa is valid for 3 to 6 months. According to German laws, you cannot work with a type D visa.

Now to work in Germany as a student, you have to apply for a student visa extension. After arriving in Germany, join the university as well register in the residing city. Then you apply for a student extension visa. Once you obtain the visa extension, you can work in Germany while studying.

How many hours can I work in Germany as a student?

As a student in Germany, you work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. Now: Let’s break these numbers into hours and days. If you work eight hours a day, you work for 120 days in a year. But, if you work 4 hours a day, you work for 240 days per annum.

Another important question most people forget to ask.

How many hours to work during a semester and semester break? 

The answer is simple…

During your semester, you work 20 hours per week that means 80 hours per month. On the other hand, on a semester break, you work 150 hours per month, which is 40 hours per week.

It’s a tough balance.

But if you want to work in Germany while studying, organize your working hours.

How to avoid penalty and stay organized in Germany?

Well, create an excel sheet to maintain a record of your working hours and number of days. In fact, it is very important to have a record of your working hours, so you don’t exceed the limit.

If you go overboard and exceed the limit of your working hours, you get into trouble by violating the law.

How much can a student earn in Germany?

You just learned that students work on an hourly basis in Germany and the minimum hourly wage is 8.5 Euros. But as a student, you can also earn up to 15 euros or 20 euros per hour depending on your company location, your type of work, and your skill.

Let’s break each element down:

First, we consider the location

The pay in some cities is higher than in other cities. For example, if you are in Munich you might earn more than in Bremen or some other northern part of Germany. Here you have to keep in mind that the cost of living in Munich will also be higher.

Should I pay tax if I’m a student?

Yes, if you earn more than 450 euros per month that you pay taxes on it. To avoid tax, you need to look for mini-jobs that pay 450 euros every month.

You won’t be able to cover all your expenses for the whole month with this amount. But you can cover your rent or maybe your food expenditures.

Best Part-Time Jobs options for Students in Germany

The thing is most of the jobs are not suitable for students. In fact, many jobs require fix hours and strict rules to follow. That said, we would be taking a close look at the student jobs and seeing whether it is a worthwhile pursuit.

Here the list of best job opportunities for students in Germany:

  • HiWi in University
  • Hiwi in Industry
  • Odd jobs/ mini-jobs
  • Food delivery driver
  • No German-speaking jobs

HiWi in University

HiWi is a German term that means voluntary assistant but these are paid jobs.

You have probably heard that professors, post-doctoral students, or Ph.D. students in your university are looking for HiWi. That means they need an assistant or helper to perform certain tasks to complete their research works.

Note that…

There are many benefits to these jobs.

  • Firstly, you earn money and support yourself.
  • Second, you learn in-depth about your field.
  • Finally, if you do well your name is published in a research paper. It will give a boost to your future.

 

HiWi in Industry

HiWi jobs are not restricted to universities. Instead, you will find many Hiwi jobs in the companies.

Similar to Hiwi jobs in university, these are paid jobs and you gain experience. However, Hiwi jobs in companies are much more beneficial.

  • With Hiwi jobs in the company, you have a high chance to get a permanent job in the company.
  • Even if you do not secure a permanent position, you will have practical work experience on your resume.

 

So, when compared with HiWi in university or in a company, definitely go for HiWi jobs in the company.

Odd jobs/mini-jobs

The third type of student job in Germany is for those who do not want to work in their fields. They wanted to work somewhere else or they just wanted to take the mind off from their studies.

You can find these jobs in international offices, internal services, dorms, café, libraries, and bars.

Mini jobs like packing jobs. They’ll be paying you 10 euros per hour and then in that case you’ll be only working 45 hours per month.

There are moving jobs where you help to move stuff from one location to another. The timings are flexible and employers often hire students for these types of part-time jobs.

Food Delivery Drivers

This is the profession mostly occupied by unskilled students. If you do not have any working experience, it is ok.

You can join delivery services in Germany and work as food delivery drivers. Later in the article, I will share the links of some popular delivery service providers in Germany.

No German Speaking jobs

The biggest hurdle for foreign students in Germany is the language. Most of them do not speak or even understand the language.  These students often face difficulty in finding student jobs in Germany.

But there is a solution to this problem. Jobs like kitchen helper or packaging jobs do not require you to speak German. So, you can look up and apply for these small jobs.

15 Proven methods to find a student job in Germany

One of the simplest jobs that students look for is a driver job at Uber, Careem, Lift Etc.

The process to join such companies in Germany is quite different from South Asian countries. You have to keep in mind that it is a lengthy process.

Although the timing of such jobs is flexible, there are few things you have to consider.

Firstly, Uber and cream are not available in every city. The company operates only in big cities.

Secondly, you have to register with the taxi companies and need a special driving license to work with these companies.

Students who look for a driving job can also join delivery companies such as Lieferando and Foodora instead of taxi companies.

Here I would like to mention that these jobs might help you financially for the moment. However, in the long run, these jobs do not provide any other benefits.

Sometimes difficult times make us choose shortly beneficial jobs. And, it is ok to work at odd jobs to sustain yourself or cover your expenses. There is no harm in doing it.

I would highly recommend students in Germany to look for a job within their field of study. It will take time and effort to look for such opportunities, but the benefits are long-lasting. In addition, I will be listing each job opportunity for students in detail.

Let’s get started…

Online University Jobs

Almost all Universities have websites with job portals.

The purpose of these portals is to provide students with opportunities to work in related fields so they can learn more and earn at the same time.

This helps the students to advance in their studies and broaden their horizons.

The money from these jobs lessens the financial burden of the students that result in creating less stressful environments for students to study and succeed.

Now the question is who put the jobs on University’s online job portal and what these jobs are.

Jobs on University’s online portal

Major jobs that you will find on a portal posted by Professors or Ph.D. students who are looking for assistance. There will be many Hiwi Jobs on the university online job portal.

The ideal scenario will be that…

  • Through the portal, you came to know that your Professor needed assistance to complete a research paper.
  • You apply for this job with all required documents as well you are hired for the job.
  • You complete the tasks assigned by the professor.

At end of the job, you will get the following benefits:

  • Receive acknowledgment for your work
  • Earn money for your hard work
  • Gain experience that you put in your resume
  • Get the future reference for new jobs

 

Offline University jobs

In some cases, Professors and Ph.D. students are very busy and unable to post jobs on university job portals. These are hidden excellent opportunities that a student because you will have fewer competitors for the job.

You have to send unsolicited applications to professors and their secretaries.

Here I want you to consider a few things before sending applications.

  • Carefully research the working field of your employee and
  • check whether you can provide any assistance or not.
  • Once you are sure that you can assist them, work on formulating your application.

 

There are many applications available that you can just copy and paste. However, it will ruin your chances. You have to be authentic and truthful in your application. Include your work experience, your interest, and the benefits that you can provide.

How to write an Impressive University job application

Here are a few tips for an impressive application.

  • Divide your application into three parts: Cover letter, resume, and supporting documents.
  • The supporting documents such German language certificate or reference/ workshop details highlight your experience.
  • Combine all the documents in a single pdf file unless any other format is specified.

 

Follow up Email

Spamming your application will not land you the job. You wait for a month to send a follow-up email.

If you do not receive an email or confirmation after the follow-up mail move on. Look for another opportunity and work on developing a network and connection within your departments.

Be Confident

The connections within the university and good relationships with faculty members are beneficial in the long run. Be confident and use a direct approach to ask about HiWi jobs.

Tell them about your interest and learn about their work. Better, keep the printed copy of your applications ready.

Company Website

Compared to University, there is a better place to find a job. That is to find a job in the industry related to your field of study.

A part-time job in the industry often leads to permanent positions. The experience earned in the industry is not comparable to any other job.

Ask Senior Students

Senior students have knowledge about industries that operate in your field of study. The experience they share will help you make better decisions in finding jobs.

Collect the information such as company name, website, or emails to approach the authorities in the company.

Access the company’s website to find available job openings. If you don’t have any openings, don’t be disheartened.

You can email unsolicited applications to the general career email address of the company. You can also keep checking the website for future job openings.

Industrial Partners

Most of the engineering-related programs have industrial partners.

You can find the list of these industrial partners on the university website or Program website. Use this list to find further details of these industries and approach them.

There are higher chances for you to be hired due to the collaboration of your university with the industrial partner.

Follow the same approach mentioned earlier.

  • Check the company website for job opportunities in the company.
  • If there is no job opening, send an unsolicited application to the company.
  • After a month you can also send a follow-up email.

 

Company Expos

Now, this is a bit pricey approach to find a job. Sometimes companies arrange job expos or journal product expos. You can also use google to find expos related to your study field.

To save cost look for student discounts or group discounts. You can ask your program coordinator to help you get free passes.

Notice board

This is the old traditional method to find jobs. Although most notice boards offer odd jobs, they are good to make quick money. You will find a notice board in your university or dormitory.

Here is a tip while going through jobs on the notice board. Never neglect jobs that are backdated. It is not necessary that a few weeks old job opening be filled. Therefore, you might still have a chance.

Studentenwerk job portals

There is a special job portal to hire students known as Studentenwerk. Here the local businesses who need part-time assistance put jobs for students.

Like the notice board, most jobs on Studentenwerk job portals contain odd jobs. Nevertheless, Studentenwerk jobs are not limited to odd jobs; you can find many different types of jobs. You have more options to choose from and more job opportunities to apply.

Linkedin

LinkedIn is a social media that emphases on professional networking and career progress. Employers and recruiters both use LinkedIn. You can develop, strengthen and extend your professional network on LinkedIn.

Most importantly, recruiters and employers use LinkedIn to search for candidates.

If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, you need to create one now. If you did not update your profile, you need to do it now.

  • LinkedIn provides you a chance to display your profile and expertise as well as highlight your credibility.

 

XING

XING is known as the German LinkedIn. It works similar to LinkedIn.

I would recommend you to create and maintain your professional profile on it. It provides better network opportunities in Germany to develop a career in the industry.

Use keywords to search jobs online

One of the common and cheapest ways to find a job in Germany is by researching online. You can use company websites and job portals to find any job in Germany.

To make your research more effective, use specific terms or keywords. These keywords are the types of jobs that are perfect for students. Employers use these terms in the job descriptions to specify that they are looking for students to perform certain tasks.

Here I will share the list of keywords.

  • Minijob
  • Nebenjob
  • Teilzeit jobs
  • HiWi Jobs
  • Abend jobs
  • Wochendejobs
  • Ferienjobs (during semester break)
  • English jobs

 

Now how to use these keywords. Open your browser and type

Keyword + your city name

This form of research will help you find specific jobs for students. As you specify the location in your search, it will list available job openings for students in your city. By finding a job in your city, you will save time and travel costs.

Facebook Groups

Facebook is not only a place to connect with your friends. It also helps to connect with like-minded people.

You find Facebook groups with people that share the same interest and location. You will find groups like students job in Germany, Pakistani in Germany, or Indian in Germany.

The purpose of these groups is to connect you with people from different places but living in Germany. You can use these groups to develop your network and connect with new people in Germany.

You can also use the keywords mentioned earlier to find the jobs on Facebook. Companies often create Facebook pages for their business. On these pages, you find their contact details as well as any job openings details.

Umzugshelfer

Umzugshelfer means relocation assistant jobs. These are part-time jobs to earn extra cash. The timings are flexible and do not require any experience.

So, if you do not have much working experience and you can look up Umzugshelfer or relocation assistant jobs in your city.

There is one website for the whole of Germany. You can register yourself there to work as a helper. Here is the link: http://studenten-umzugshilfe.com

In addition, another website specifically covers the south of Germany. https://studentenhelfer-intern.de/

Food Delivery Services

Food delivery companies in Germany need drivers to deliver food on time. This is also a perfect job to earn some extra cash in free time.

Students can easily apply for these jobs. The requirements of these jobs are minimal and do not require much experience.

Here is the list of delivery services in Germany:

Foodora: https://www.foodora.com/careers/

Liefrando: https://www.takeaway.com/drivers/de

Deliveroo: https://deliveroo.de/en/

The procedure to apply for delivery jobs in Germany is simple. Click on the links given above. It will take you to the job forms. You can fill the form and submit it.

Job Portals

Another best place to look for student jobs in Germany will be german job portals. Here is a list of a few for you to start your search.

 

Conclusion

Finding part-time jobs in Germany is one struggle that students go through in Germany.

I have made a video to help students find part-time jobs and get an idea of the part-time job salary.

Here are the links to my videos. Moreover, do not forget to give your review and comment.

Student jobs in Germany (Part 1)

In this video, student jobs in Germany I have explained

  • How many hours foreign students allowed to work in a year?
  • What is minimum wage?
  • Types of student jobs (HiWi) 
  • Types of odd jobs

How to find Student Jobs in Germany (Part 2)

In this video, I have explained the best ways to find a students job in Germany

1 thought on “Student Jobs in Germany: Try these 10 Proven Methods”

  1. Really great content. In the start I felt I knew much of it. Continuing to read it made me feel there is a lot more than I have known about German job market. Thanks a lot Jibran bhai for sharing your valuable experience.
    Just started my first semester in MSc SSE at Freiburg. Looking forward to following your guidelines in job search.

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