Foreign students from Non-EU-countries (enrolled at a German University) are allowed to work 120 days full time or 240 half days per year. For residence permits issued after March 1, 2024, it is now 140 or 280 days.

You are not allowed to be self-employed or work as freelancers as long as you didn´ t get a permission from the foreign authority. 

Any work as „HiWi“ (working as a student assistant) does not count on your 120 full or 240 half days. 

Internships that are compulsory in your curriculum do not count  on your 120 full or 240 half days either. If you plan to do your bachelor or master theisis in a company please get in contact with the Foreigners' Registration Office and bring along your contract.

Any other internship which is not forseen in your curriculum counts on your days no matter if it is paid or not.

You can find more detailed information on the issue of working as a student on the web page of DAAD or on the page of Deutsches Studentenwerk.