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The Student Career Roadmap for international students
Quick overview
The Student Career Roadmap is a practical and individually customizable checklist, especially designed for our international students.
Purpose:
- a step by step guide for your path from university to a career in Saarland, Germany or Europe
- a guide to review what you already know
- to identify your career goals
- to define the important milestones for securing your dream job
Time frame: You'll be able to reach some of these milestones within a few days or weeks, for others you'll need a little more time.
If you're having problems along the way, there's no need to panic. We're here to help – every step of the way!
So let's take a closer look at the various stages of your roadmap.
Stage one: Planning ahead
Welcome to the University of Saarland!
The more you know, the easier it will be to benefit from your new surroundings:
Try these tips:
- Take part in the Welcome Week, which the Welcome Center organizes for all new students.
- Join the semester opening event for new students in your degree programme.
- Take a look at the university's 'Coming to Saarbrücken' web page.
Meeting other students provides social support and diverse perspectives, which can enrich your university experience and personal growth!
Take a look at the offers of the Centre for International Students (ZiS) :
- ZiS activities for our international students by ZiS – the university's Centre for International Students.[NG1]
- ZiS buddy programme *you & me*.
- working groups within AStA (General Student Committee)
- Keep in touch with your university teachers, co-workers and fellow students.
Join in networking activities such as conferences, student summits, networking cocktail events, etc. !
Setting your goals, helps you to identify the steps for achieving success in your studies and your job experiences!
Reflect these with the following questions:
O Where do you see yourself in a few years ?
O What do you want to achieve in university ?
O What do you want to do, after you graduate?
O Do you want to spend time abroad as an exchange student?
O Are you interested in an industrial work placement or an internship?
O Are you thinking of staying in Germany after you graduate?
O Do your personal, social and career goals influence each other?
Our workshops and events can help you find the answers to these questions:
Application documents are the starting point for every position you apply for, whether that's an internship or a full-time graduate role in Germany.
In order to achieve these, you will need to understand the specifics of the application documents. To begin your application process, please ensure you have the following documents prepared:
- Cover letter (CV)
- Motivational letter
- A profile on employment-focused platforms such as LinkedIn and update it regularly.
- Criminal record certificate: When you apply for a job in social work, you may be asked to provide a criminal record certificate (Führungszeugnis).
You can apply for your it from the Residents’ Registration Office (Bürgeramt) online Federal Office of Justice or in person. You will need to pay a service charge of €13 and show your ID.
If you would prefer to go to the Residents' Registration Office in person, you should first make an appointment, which you can do online. We recommend applying in person if you happen to live near the Residents' Registration Office. In this case, you will only need to take your ID card or passport and the letter from your potential future employer.
There are two types of criminal record certificate:
type 'N' for private purposes (Führungszeugnis für private Zwecke): sent to your home adress
type 'O' for submission to a government agency of public authority (Führungszeugnis für behördliche Zwecke): send to your future employer an extended criminal record certificate (erweitertes Führungszeugnis)
You are welcome to send us your documents and we help you with personalized tips and tricks: career(at)uni-saarland.de
Also we prepared a special section with lots of tips, covering all aspects of the application process: Take a look, you'll be glad you did!
Learning German should be one of your top priorities!
Why?
For…
1. …active participation in German culture and daily life
2. …easier integration into the professional and social environment
3. …better chances of finding a job
4. …getting to know different people for friendships and romantic adventures
5. …easy communication in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even Liechtenstein
Learning possibilities:
As an international student at Saarland University, you can take German courses free of charge at the International Study Center Saar (ISZ Saar). The ISZ Saar offers a wide range of language courses:
Pre-sessional short intensive courses (for Erasmus students)
In-sessional courses (for all international students)
German language courses for doctoral students
Intensive courses to prepare for the DSH exam
Please note that registration dates will vary depending on the course. If you are taking in-sessional courses (i.e. courses that run during the main teaching period), you can take more than one course at the same time (e.g. a grammar course and a C1 level course).
There are also a number of other options that you can explore to improve your German – all free of charge:
Saarland University's Tandem language learning programme
Deutsche Welle’s online German language courses
Alumniportal Deutschland’s online language learning tools
Don't forget that you can improve your German language skills by listening to music and watching movies in German, talking to German speakers or volunteering in your community!
The rules and regulations for working in Germany, will depend on your country of origin. If you want or need to work more, than the specified number of days, you must get approval from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit).
Working as an international student
As an EU citizen or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you can work like German students 20 hours a week without special permissions. If you want to work more thant that, you are required to make insurance contributions, just like German students.
Non-EU citizens are allowed as a student employees to work up to 20 hours per week.
The earnings and type of employment are irrelevant, but don’t work more than 140 days a year or 280 half days (as of March 2024). To work more, you need special permission from the Agentur für Arbeit employment agency and the immigration office. For more detailed information, please contact the university's Welcome Center or get in touch directly with the Foreigners Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) at your place of residence. Information is also available on the following websites:
Study In Germany: Earning money while studying
Make it in Germany: Employment opportunities after graduating
Income tax
Every employed or self-employed person in Germany has to pay tax on their income. However, you don't have to pay tax if you earn less than €520 per month. The same applies if you receive a scholarship (e.g. from the DAAD). If you earn less than €10,908 per year, you can file an income tax return and the tax authorities will refund the taxes that you paid in that year.
Retirement benefits / Pension funds
All employees in Germany must pay into the statutory pension insurance scheme. This payment is deducted automatically from their salary:
| montly income from job(s) | insurance contributions |
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Health insurance
As a student with or without a part-time job, you have to pay health insurance contributions based on your earnings. However, if you work more than 20 hours a week, you will have to pay an earnings-related health insurance contribution. We recommend that you talk to your employer about this, before you take on extra hours.
Unemployment insurance
Students do not normally pay unemployment insurance contributions. This means that you will not be entitled to receive unemployment benefits if you lose your part-time student job.
Working after Graduation
An application for a job-seeker's residence is necessary, if you've recently graduated or you'll be graduating soon. It’s valid for up to 18 months.
Working: Voluntary or mandatory?
Voluntary: This includes study-related internships, usually lasting less than three months during the semester break. It is not required by your degree program. But they provide an opportunity for you to gain some insight into the working life of a particular field. This type of internship is only paid with minimum wage, if it lasts longer than three months.
Mandatory:This includes a work placement or internship, required by the degree programmes and studies and governed by university-specific rules. The time is not getting paid. In some cases, scholarship funding may be an option (Source: DAAD).
In both cases, please remember to check the duration of your (student) residence permit so that you can complete your study programme before it expires. If you are not an EU national, you will also need to inform the Foreigners' Registration Office when they start a work placement or internship.
Minimum wage
Since 1 January 2024 the statutory minimum wage is 12,41 € per hour in Germany. It is adjusted from time to time. If you have any questions about minimum wage issues in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has set up a hotline that you can call: 030 60 28 00 28.
FAQs
1) Does the Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) also apply to foreign students?
Yes, the Minimum Wage Act applies to voluntary internships in Germany that last longer than three months and to mandatory work placements / internships in Germany, regardless of the student's nationality.
2) I am doing my Master's thesis project in business administration in a company. Will I be paid the minimum wage?
No, your thesis project is neither a business activity that would normally be carried out at the company, nor an internship. However, if you work for the company in addition to completing your thesis project, you may be entitled to the minimum wage for the work that you do. Each case will need to be examined individually.
3) Some employers offer work placements / internships that last up to a year. Do they have to pay the minimum wage to student interns?
Yes, anyone undertaking a study-related internship lasting more than three months must be paid the minimum wage from day one.
Stage two: Preparing to make the move from university to the world of work
Students can take advantage of the numerous on-campus and off-campus service providers offering information and advice on a wide range of topics:
Central Student Advisory Service
Federal Employment Agency - Campus office
One of the best ways of finding a work placement, internship or job is to visit an online job portal or attend a recruiting fair.
The Career Center of the Saarland University maintains the Career Portal with weekly updates for jobs and internships for students.
'next' - Saarland University's on-campus employment fair
Once a year, the Career Center offers the on-campus job fair 'next', which connects employers with students from different disciplines.
Job Board - The Federal Employment Agency's searchable database
This job database maintained by the Federal Employment Agency offers job opportunities in the various federal states.
Voluntary work experiences are highly appreciated by employers.
Also you'll be able to see how you can contribute to shape your new environment – whether that's by doing it for a good cause or getting involved in student activities on campus.
Sign up for one of the voluntary programmes available at the university and broaden your horizon!
These education programs might be interesting for you, if you want to expand your knowledge in certain areas that are related or complementary to your specialist field.
In most cases, these programs are offered on a part-time basis, online, in the evenings or at weekends. So you may be able to fit them into your schedule.
Get certificates for your participation and keep them for your application documents!
Continuing Education Center Saar
Liste von MOOC-Plattformen
Tip: You can also ask at your workplace about other certifications and training courses that are offered to employees.
Saarland University organizes courses and workshops, which help you to improve your written and spoken language skills as well as to develop your intercultural, social and other core competences.
Unless otherwise stated, these courses and workshops are free for Saarland University students. But don‘t forget to register before the deadline!
International Study Centre Saar (ISZ-Saar)
Elisabeth Rau
Zentrum für Lehren und Lernen
Studentische Angestellte
career(at)uni-saarland.de