Whether you’re aiming for a research career or a corporate role, getting some work experience while studying helps you develop important skills and shape your career. You might discover your dream career while in a work placement (or just as importantly, jobs you don’t want to do). You’ll also work in different work environments, which can teach some of the skills you’ll need to excel in a professional setting.
Note: This post is provided only as information, and provides information which is current as of May 2026.
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Why Consider Work Experience During Your Studies?
Here are a few benefits of work-integrated learning:听
- Some employers may request local work experience, which you can get through on- or off-campus work.
- If the company thought you did well during your work placement, they may offer you a full-time job after graduation.听
- Graduates may not need to apply for entry-level positions if they have measurable work experience. This may mean a higher salary and better benefits.
Dual Study Programmes
Some of the best-known work-integrated learning opportunities in Germany are . These programmes blend hands-on and in-class learning. After finishing one of these programmes, graduates often will have earned both a degree and a vocational qualification. Dual study programmes are available in many different fields, including sales, skilled trades, IT, and nursing. Plus, in most cases, students are paid for the work they do for a company during their dual degree.
Because dual degree students also need to sign a job contract with a company when they start their degree, the enrolment process can feel more complicated. There are also limited numbers of English-language dual study programmes, these positions are highly sought after. (There are more German-language programmes, so international students with German proficiency have an advantage.) If you have questions about your eligibility for dual study, ask your university’s , for support.
Dual study programmes have three main streams. Depending on your academic goals and experience, one of the streams may work better for you than others. Read on to learn if the career-integrated, practice-integrated, or training-integrated stream is right for you.
Career-Integrated Dual Study
The most work-forward of the three streams, in which students work full-time. The work they do is considered “vocational further training,” so this stream is most popular among professionals with extensive experience looking for continued professional development.
The coursework component of career-integrated dual study programmes is often self-driven, similar to a distance-learning course, and topics are closely connected to the practical work.
Practice-Integrated Dual Study
In this programme, students alternate between participating in study phases and working phases. Course content relates to the practical training, and graduates earn an academic degree that allows them to practice their profession.听
However, while graduates gain extensive work experience, they . This is a key difference between practice-integrated and training-integrated dual study programmes.
Training-Integrated Dual Study
In this stream, students will study and work at the same time in an occupation that requires formal training. Programme content is linked between the student’s placement and in-class learning. Graduates earn both an academic degree that allows them to enter a profession, and an academic degree in a recognized occupation which requires formal training.
Internships
International students may complete while studying in Germany. Internships generally take place during the break between semesters.
However, unless your internship is a compulsory part of your study programme, it counts toward the total time you may work as a non-EU international student (which is set at up to 140 days per year, or 280 half days). As a student, you’re also limited to working 20 hours per week or fewer. This is true whether your internship is paid or unpaid.
Work-integrated learning opportunities during your studies can prepare you for success, both while you’re a student and after graduation. While dual study programmes may be more challenging to find for students without German language proficiency, watch for internship opportunities or on-campus roles like being a research or student assistant, locally known as a ‘Hiwi,’ or tutor affiliated with a lecture or seminar class. While these opportunities are part-time jobs, rather than work-integrated learning, these roles are excellent ways to build transferable, employable skills.
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