Study in Germany

The 16b AufenthG (student permit) is the residence permit that non-EU students get in order to study in Germany. This residence permit allows students to work for 140 full days per year, or 280 half days per year.

Important: Germany classifies a half day as up to 4 hours of work, whereas a full day is anything over 4 hours.

After graduation, and crucially, before their §16b student permit expires, international students can apply for the §20 AufenthG (also referred to as a job seeker permit).

This permit is specifically designed to bridge the gap between graduation and finding a job related to your qualification in Germany, giving graduates 18 months to do so, while enjoying unlimited work rights during this period.

Once you land a qualifying role, students can then transition from §20 AufenthG onto either the EU Blue Card (if the salary threshold is met) or a standard work permit.

Finally, after several years on a qualified work permit, you become eligible for PR.

§ 16b AufenthG Key facts

• Duration: issued for the length of your study programme, typically granted for up to 2 years at a time and renewable until you complete your degree
• Work rights: capped at 140 full days or 280 half days per year (a half day = up to 4 hours; anything over 4 hours counts as a full day).
• Eligibility: you need an unconditional or conditional offer of admission to a recognised German university, plus proof of financial means (blocked account of roughly €11,904/year for 2026) and health insurance
• What you can work while studying: any part-time job is allowed within your day/hour allowance; it doesn't need to relate to your field of study.

§ 20 AufenthG Key facts

• Duration: up to 18 months from the date your permit is granted
• Work rights: unlimited during this period. Unlike the 140/280-day cap during studies, there's no restriction on hours once you're on the job-seeker permit
• Eligibility: you need to have completed a recognised degree at a German higher education institution.
• What you can work while searching: you're allowed to take on any job during this period (not just qualification-related work) to support yourself while job hunting, even though the permit's ultimate purpose is to find a role matching your degree