In Germany, foreign students can earn money even during their studies
The German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsches Studentenwerk) warns foreign students. "If you work too much and not in your field of study, you extend your study period. It is better to use time free from lectures and seminars for work," the organization writes. During the semester, when lectures and seminars are held, a student can work up to 20 hours per week. The German National Association also notes that the job market for students is becoming increasingly difficult, and there are fewer vacancies.
According to a current study by the German National Association for Student Affairs, students' expenses amount to up to 950 euros per month. It is clear that many are looking for part-time jobs to pay for dormitories, insurance, public transport passes, and leisure activities.
How do Russian-speaking students in Germany earn a living today? Can they work while studying? What employment options are available for students? Deutsche Welle spoke with students from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia about how and where they found student jobs.
Elena Romashko, PhD student at the University of Göttingen: "I graduated from university with degrees in theology and philosophy in Minsk, and then moved to Germany to learn German. Soon after, I enrolled in a master's program in religious studies. During my language courses and studies, I received a scholarship, so I didn't have an urgent need to find a job. I occasionally worked part-time on international student projects. In one organization, the work schedule was irregular: I could receive texts at night and had to send the completed translation by morning.
I also looked for part-time work in my field so that the 'work experience' section on my resume wouldn't be empty. I sent my documents to many employers but always received rejections. I wasn't even invited for an interview. I found all projects only through personal contacts."
Olga Piech, student at the Technical University of Dortmund: "After enrolling in a master's program in the fall of 2016, I immediately started asking my acquaintances who were already studying and working in Dortmund how I could find a job. A friend from Ternopil, where we studied together, recommended a catering company. I got a temporary employment contract there, and my salary depended on how many hours I worked.
At first, I liked my job: an international team, exciting events, interesting trips. However, it soon began to interfere with my studies. Sometimes I went without a break or lunch for more than ten hours. In the end, I left the company due to poor conditions."
Vasyl Pauk, student at the University of Regensburg: "I graduated from the University of Economics in Ternopil and enrolled in a program in European Studies in Germany. For the first two years, I received a scholarship. When my scholarship was not renewed, I had to go to work.
At first, I worked a Minijob (450 euros per month): setting up tents and maintaining order at concerts. Then I worked full-time during the summer holidays on a production line, and the money I earned over two to three months I later spread out over the entire year. Currently, I have taken a leave of absence from my studies and am doing a well-paid internship at a mechanical engineering company, where I handle communication with clients from Eastern European countries. My salary is always paid on time, and I don't work overtime. The only problem is the Bavarian dialect. It took me a long time to get used to it."
Keti Machavariani, student at the Music Conservatory in Münster: "I am originally from Tbilisi. I came to Germany through the Au Pair exchange program. In my second year, I stayed as a volunteer under the 'Voluntary Social Year' program. A year later, I enrolled in the conservatory, and that's when the problems began. Finding a job was difficult, but after a few months, I got a job as a waitress. I soon left that job: hard, low-paid work with irregular hours. Now I work in a bar, where I am paid not per shift but per hour worked.
My salary is enough, but I have to save a lot. Balancing work and studies is very difficult: on weekends, I work behind the bar at night, and in the morning I have to be at rehearsal and then perform at a concert. But I never work at the expense of my classes and rehearsals – after all, I came to Germany for an education."
Vadim Davydenkov, student at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences: "I moved to Germany from Moscow and enrolled in a master's program in computer science. I am now in my second year. I hardly looked for a job: I applied for two positions in my field, got a rejection from the first company, and was hired by the second about a month later, where I work on software development.
I work two to three days a week, or more precisely 86 hours per month with hourly pay. This is the maximum number of hours I can work on a student visa. What I earn covers everything: rent, insurance, phone and internet, food, and even travel. I set my own schedule for how many hours I work each day, so my studies don't suffer much.
I might extend my studies by one or two semesters, but in Germany, even Germans often do that, not to mention foreign students."