Student jobs and internships in European countries

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Austria without any permit, just like Austrians.

• Marginal job (geringfügige Beschäftigung): if you earn no more than €551.10 a month (2026), you are only covered by accident insurance and pay no social security contributions. Above this limit you are fully insured (health, pension, unemployment).
• Holiday and seasonal jobs (Ferialjobs) are normal employment: the collective agreement applies, including minimum pay, and your employer must register you with social insurance.
• Compulsory internship (Pflichtpraktikum – required by your study programme): if you really work as part of the team, it counts as employment, with collective-agreement pay including the 13th and 14th salary.
• Voluntary placement (Volontariat): you are there to learn, not to work under instructions – usually no right to pay, only accident insurance.
• Traineeships after graduation: many “traineeships” are in fact employment – then employment law and the collective agreement apply.

Students from outside the EU with a student residence permit need a work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung), which the employer requests from the AMS. Up to 20 hours a week it is granted without a labour market test.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Austria – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Belgium without a work permit.

• Student jobs: with a student contract you can work up to 650 hours per calendar year (since 1 January 2025) with much lower social security contributions. From hour 651 normal contributions apply. You must be at least 16 (or 15 if you have completed the first two years of secondary school), and studying must be your main activity.
• The student contract must be in writing. You can check how many hours you have left with the online service and app Student@work.
• Tax: you pay no income tax on your student job earnings unless you earn more than €15,971.43 a year (2026 figure, gross after social contributions).
• Internships: traineeships that are part of your studies are usually unpaid, although some employers pay for transport or meals. The rules differ between the regions; in Brussels, Actiris offers practical training of up to 6 months.

Students from outside the EU with a student residence permit can work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year, as long as it does not interfere with their studies, and without limit during school holidays.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Belgium – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Bulgaria on the same terms as Bulgarians – part-time or in holiday jobs under a normal employment contract.

• Traineeship (стажуване): for people up to 29 who have finished secondary or higher education and have no work experience. It lasts 6 to 12 months, you work with a mentor, your pay cannot be lower than the minimum wage and the time counts as length of service.
• Internships in the public administration: unpaid, 10 to 45 working days, for Bulgarian and foreign students at Bulgarian universities.
• Youth Employment+: an Employment Agency programme with 12-month jobs in public administrations for young people up to 29.

Students from outside the EU can work without a work permit for 20 hours a week during the academic year and during official holidays.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Bulgaria – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Croatia without any permit. The typical student job is arranged as student work (studentski posao):

• How it works: through an intermediary – a student centre (studentski centar) or an authorised higher-education institution. You, the intermediary and the employer sign a student work contract (ugovor o obavljanju studentskoga posla).
• Who: students enrolled at Croatian universities and colleges, and exchange students in Croatia.
• Pay: at least €6.56 net an hour (2026) – the minimum gross wage divided by 160 hours.
• Holiday jobs: the HZZ seasonal jobs portal lists summer jobs in tourism along the coast.
• Traineeships after graduation (pripravništvo): HZZ subsidises employers who hire registered unemployed people for their first job in their profession, or young people up to 29. You get an employment contract and a salary, usually for up to 12 months – see traineeship support 2026.

Students from outside the EU with temporary stay for university studies may work up to 20 hours a week without a stay and work permit (a compulsory internship that is part of the study programme does not count).

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Croatia – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Cyprus without any permit, on the same terms as Cypriot students.

• Seasonal jobs in tourism and agriculture are the classic summer option – the tourist season usually runs from April to November.
• Traineeships for young jobseekers – the Human Resources Development Authority (HRDA) runs schemes of up to 6 months in a company with a participation allowance of €125 a week, generally for registered unemployed people aged 18–35, including graduates.
• Erasmus+ traineeships and the Eurodyssey exchange programme are other ways to gain work experience in Cyprus.

Students from outside the EU may work up to 20 hours a week, only in certain jobs (e.g. restaurants, cleaning, healthcare, agriculture, food delivery); the employment contract must be certified by the Department of Labour.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Cyprus – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in the Czech Republic without any permit. Apart from a normal employment contract, students often work on one of two agreements:

• Agreement to complete a job (dohoda o provedení práce, DPP): at most 300 hours a year. In 2026 you take part in sickness and pension insurance (and pay contributions) only in months when you earn CZK 12,000 or more from it.
• Agreement to perform work (dohoda o pracovní činnosti, DPČ): at most 20 hours a week on average over the year; no severance pay when it ends.
• Paid holiday applies to both agreements if the agreement lasts at least 28 days without a break and you work at least 80 hours in the year.
• Traineeships have no single legal framework – the conditions, including any pay, are set by the organisation offering them.

Students from outside the EU who study an accredited university programme full-time in the Czech Republic have free access to the labour market – no work permit is needed, but you must hold a valid residence permit. The same applies to graduates of Czech universities.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in the Czech Republic – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Denmark without a permit, on the same terms as Danes. Pay and conditions follow the collective agreement or your contract.

• Even for a student job you need a CPR number and a tax card (see “Your first weeks”).
• From 2026 you pay the 8% labour market contribution from the year you turn 18.
• Many large companies run graduate programmes – Workindenmark collects them on its graduate programmes page.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Denmark – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Estonia without any permit, just like Estonians. A student job is a normal job: the minimum wage, holiday and working-time rules apply.

• Short jobs and health insurance: your employer’s health insurance only covers you if your contract is for more than one month or for an unspecified term – for short holiday jobs, keep your European Health Insurance Card.
• Study leave: if you work and study at the same time, you can take up to 30 calendar days of study leave a year – 20 days paid at your average wage and 10 days unpaid – plus 15 extra days, paid at the minimum wage, to complete your studies.
• Work practice for jobseekers: if you are registered as unemployed with Töötukassa, you can do work practice with an employer for up to 4 months and receive a stipend of €3.84 a day plus a travel allowance (EURES, 2026).

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for study can work without a work permit, with no limit on working hours, as long as the job does not interfere with your studies – you must keep passing your courses on time.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Estonia – practical information.

Students from the EU, Liechtenstein and Switzerland can work in Finland without any permit.

• Part-time and summer jobs are normal employment: the sector’s collective agreement applies, and all employees are entitled to paid annual holidays or holiday compensation.
• Tax card: get one before your first payday and give it to your employer – your tax rate depends on your income.
• Internships and traineeships: the state administration advertises internship places on Valtiolle.fi.

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for studies may work in any field for an average of 30 hours a week (on average 120 hours a month, or 1,560 hours a year). Internships required by the degree do not count towards this limit.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Finland – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in France without any permit, like French students.

• Internships (stages): if your internship lasts more than 2 consecutive months (44 days at 7 hours a day) – or more than 309 hours in the same academic year – the company must pay you an allowance (gratification) of at least €4.50 an hour (2026; 15% of the hourly social security ceiling). It is due from the first day, paid at the end of each month, and is free of income tax up to the amount of the annual SMIC.
• Apprenticeships: apprentices earn between 27% and 100% of the SMIC, depending on their age and year of training.

Students from outside the EU (except Algeria) with a student visa or residence card can work up to 964 hours a year (60% of the legal annual working time) without a separate work permit; the employer must declare them to the prefecture at least 2 working days before they start. Algerian students need a work authorisation and may work up to 50% of the annual working time in the sector.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in France – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Germany without a permit, just like Germans.

• Mini-job: if you earn no more than €603 a month (up to €7,236 a year, 2026), it is a mini-job with lower deductions. You pay a small pension contribution, but you can opt out.
• Working student (Werkstudent): to avoid paying the social security contributions of a regular employee, you may work no more than 20 hours a week during term time. During semester breaks, at weekends and at night you may work more.
• Compulsory internship (Pflichtpraktikum – required by your study regulations): the minimum wage does not apply.
• Voluntary internship longer than three months: it must be paid at least the minimum wage.

Students from outside the EU may work up to 140 full days or 280 half days a year, or up to 20 hours a week during lecture periods, without approval from the Federal Employment Agency. Jobs as a student assistant at a university are not limited.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Germany – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Greece without any permit, just like Greek students.

• Summer jobs: tourism is the classic student job – hotels, restaurants, cafés and entertainment on the islands and the coast hire extra staff in spring and summer.
• Apprenticeships: DYPA vocational schools offer 2-year apprenticeship programmes for people aged 15–29 in more than 37 specialisations, with paid work in a company: apprentices get 80% of the minimum daily wage – €32.87 a day from April 2026.
• Traineeships are also part of many vocational and higher-education programmes; Erasmus+ can support a traineeship abroad.

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for studies may work part-time.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Greece – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Hungary without any permit, on the same terms as Hungarian students.

• School cooperatives (iskolaszövetkezet): this form of work is mainly for full-time day students. It is not an employment relationship but a civil-law contract; the pay may not be lower than the proportionate part of the minimum wage.
• No income tax under 25: employees under 25 are exempt from the 15% personal income tax on income up to HUF 715,765 a month (2026).
• Seasonal work: agriculture employs seasonal workers – on average 35,500 a month in 2023.

Students from outside the EU with a study residence permit (or a student mobility permit) may work up to 30 hours a week during term time, and full-time for up to 90 days a year outside the study period.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Hungary – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Iceland without any permit. If you stay longer than 3 months, register with Registers Iceland – students have their own registration category.

• Student and holiday jobs are covered by the collective agreements like any other job – your pay and terms may not be lower.
• Short jobs: if you work in Iceland for less than 6 months without registering legal domicile, you need a system ID number (kerfiskennitala) for tax purposes – Iceland Revenue and Customs (Skatturinn) applies for it, usually at your employer’s request (form RSK 3.30). It gives you no residence rights.
• Tax: tell your employer to use your personal tax credit (ISK 72,492 a month in 2026). With a small part-time income, it can cover all of your income tax.

Students from outside the EEA with a student residence permit may work without a work permit for up to 60% of full-time during their studies, and more during scheduled breaks between terms.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Iceland – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Ireland without any permit, just like Irish students.

• Minimum wage applies to student jobs too – €14.15 an hour (2026) from age 20, with lower rates at 18 and 19.
• Before your first job get a PPS number and register the job with Revenue – otherwise you may pay emergency tax.
• Seasonal and summer jobs, for example fruit picking, give you the same employment rights as other temporary or fixed-term workers.
• Under 18: no more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

Students from outside the EU/EEA with Stamp 2 permission may work up to 20 hours a week during term and up to 40 hours a week in June, July, August and September and from 15 December to 15 January.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Ireland – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Italy without any permit, just like Italian students.

• Traineeships (tirocini) outside your study programme: training and guidance traineeships last up to 6 months and are for people who got their qualification in the last 12 months. A traineeship is not an employment contract – you get a participation allowance of at least €400 a month (as stated by EURES, 2026), and you are insured against accidents at work and for third-party liability. Both the sending organisation and the host company appoint a tutor.
• Rules on traineeships differ slightly from region to region.
• Seasonal jobs in tourism and hospitality are common, especially in summer and in the south and on the islands.

Students from outside the EU with a study residence permit may work up to 20 hours a week, with a limit of 1,040 hours a year.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Italy – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland have free access to the Latvian labour market, just like Latvians.

• Student and holiday jobs are normal employment: you sign a written contract, and the minimum wage, working-time and paid-leave rules apply.
• Age limits: you can work from the age of 15; people under 18 need a medical examination before they start.
• Internships: Latvia has no formal legal definition of a “traineeship”, so check before you start whether you will have an employment contract, pay and insurance. If you are studying in another EU country, an Erasmus+ traineeship grant can cover travel and living costs.

Students from outside the EU may work up to 20 hours a week during their studies and up to 40 hours a week during study holidays.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Latvia – practical information.

Students from the EEA and Switzerland follow the same rules as other EEA workers: you need a permit for any job, regardless of how long it lasts – also for a short holiday job.

Students from outside the EEA: a residence permit issued for studies does not entitle you to work.

AMS FL lists job portals for students and internships on its job portal page.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Liechtenstein – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Lithuania without a work permit, just like Lithuanians. A student or holiday job is normal employment: the written contract, minimum wage and working-time rules apply.

• Age limits: the minimum working age is 14; young people aged 14–16 may only do light work.
• Traineeship (stažuotė) through Užimtumo tarnyba – for people with a qualification who have not worked in that profession for at least 6 months in a row. It lasts up to 6 months, 20–40 hours a week, under an agreement between you, the employer and the employment service. You receive a monthly grant of €449.67 (0.39 of the minimum wage, 2026) or the amount of your unemployment benefit.
• Apprenticeships (pameistrystė) combine about 70% training at work with 30% at a school.

Students from outside the EU may work up to 20 hours a week, without this limit during the summer holidays (doctoral students have no limit).

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Lithuania – practical information.

EU students can work in Luxembourg without a permit. There are special contracts for pupils and students:

• Student job during the academic year (fixed-term student contract): for pupils and students aged 16+ enrolled in secondary education, a BTS or at the University of Luxembourg. You may work 15 hours a week on average over a month or 4 weeks (60 hours in total), and up to 40 hours a week during school holidays. Your pay may not be lower than the minimum wage for your age, and you are covered by all branches of social security.
• Holiday job (student contract during school holidays): for pupils and students aged 15 to 26 in full-time education, for at most 2 months or 346 hours a calendar year. You must get at least 80% of the minimum wage for your age; you are only covered by accident insurance.
• Internships always need a written internship agreement. A compulsory internship of 4 weeks or more is paid at least 30% of the unskilled minimum wage; practical training is paid at least 40% (4–12 weeks) or 75% (more than 12 and up to 26 weeks). If you already have a BTS or bachelor’s degree, the skilled minimum wage is the reference.

Students from outside the EU with a student residence permit may work up to 15 hours a week on average over a month outside study time; the limit does not apply during school holidays.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Luxembourg – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Malta without a permit, just like Maltese students.

• Minimum wage applies to you too – lower weekly rates at 16 and 17, the adult rate (€229.44 a week in 2026) from 18.
• Summer and casual jobs – you can filter for them on the Jobsplus vacancy portal.
• Work Exposure Scheme (Jobsplus) – practical training for jobseekers, up to 12 weeks, with an hourly allowance based on the national minimum wage and a written agreement.
• Apprenticeships through MCAST or ITS last 1–3 years and combine training with work under employment law (hours, leave, bonuses, social security).

Students from outside the EU may work up to 20 hours a week after their first three months of study; full-time students on a higher education course recognised by MQRIC may start in their first year. You apply for a work permit once your residence permit has been issued, and Jobsplus may restrict some sectors.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Malta – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in the Netherlands freely, without any permit.

• Youth minimum wage: under 21 you are entitled to a lower hourly minimum. From 1 July 2026: €11.99 at 20, €8.99 at 19 and €7.50 at 18.
• Seasonal and holiday jobs: the minimum wage applies, but employers do not have to guarantee seasonal workers a fixed number of hours.
• Internships: pay is not compulsory – the employer decides. According to EURES, students usually receive between €150 and €750 a month (2026). As a trainee you have to arrange your own health insurance.

Students from outside the EU/EEA may work up to 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August – but only if the employer has a work permit (TWV) for them. An internship that is part of your study programme does not need a TWV.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Netherlands – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Norway alongside their studies. If you study there for more than 3 months, you register with the police – free of charge – just like workers.

• Part-time and summer jobs are normal jobs: you need a written contract, a tax deduction card and an ID number (D number or national identity number).
• In hotels, restaurants, cleaning and the other sectors with legally binding minimum wages, the minimum applies to you too.
• The Ung section of arbeidsplassen.no collects first jobs, part-time jobs and jobs that need no experience.
• Holidays: you are entitled to holiday from your first year, but holiday pay is only earned from the work you did the year before.

Students from outside the EU/EEA automatically get permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week with their study permit, and full-time during holidays.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Norway – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Poland without any permit, just like Polish students.

• Contract of mandate (umowa zlecenia): if you are a student under 26, no social security or health insurance contributions (ZUS) are paid on it. On an employment contract they are always paid, whatever your age.
• Tax relief for young people (ulga dla młodych): if you are under 26, your income from employment, contracts of mandate, apprenticeships and professional internships is free of income tax up to PLN 85,528 a year. You do not need to apply. The relief does not cover social security and health contributions.
• Graduate traineeships (praktyki absolwenckie): for graduates under 30. They last at most 3 months and may be paid or unpaid; the pay may not exceed twice the minimum wage. A paid traineeship can be ended with 7 days’ notice, an unpaid one immediately.

Students from outside the EU who study full-time at a Polish university (a public university or one approved by the minister of the interior) can work without a work permit, and so can graduates of full-time studies in Poland. Part-time and distance-learning students are not covered by this exemption. Internships that are part of the study programme do not need a permit either.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Poland – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Portugal without any permit, just like Portuguese students.

• IEFP traineeships (Estágios ATIVAR.PT): paid professional traineeships of 9 months (exceptionally up to 12) for young people and other job-seekers – eligibility depends on the programme, and offers are listed on iefponline.
• Summer jobs for students (PEJENE): short placements of 2–3 months in the summer.
• Public administration (EstágiAP XXI): 9-month traineeships in public bodies; INOV Contacto offers international traineeships of 6–9 months.
• Seasonal jobs in tourism and fruit picking, especially in the Algarve.

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for studies may work – as employees or self-employed – alongside their studies.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Portugal – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Romania on the same terms as Romanians. A student job is normally a regular (often part-time) employment contract – pay and rights are proportional to your working time.

• Traineeship for graduates (stagiu): if you have a bachelor’s degree and are new to your profession, the first 6 months in a job can be a traineeship under a written traineeship contract, alongside your employment contract, with a mentor. Your salary cannot be lower than the national minimum wage.
• Help for employers: employers who take on graduate trainees can receive RON 2,250 a month per trainee for the 6 months from the unemployment insurance budget.
• Finding offers: the ANOFM job search lets you filter vacancies for graduates and trainees.

Students from outside the EU may work part-time during their studies without a work authorisation, for a maximum of 4 hours a day.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Romania – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Slovakia without any permit, on the same terms as Slovak students.

• Agreement on temporary student work (dohoda o brigádnickej práci študentov) – a special work agreement for students under 26. On one such agreement per month you can claim a deductible amount of €200 a month (odvodovo odpočítateľná položka): up to this amount no pension insurance contributions are paid. It does not apply to accident and guarantee insurance.
• Traineeships can be paid or unpaid – the organisation offering the traineeship decides. An unpaid traineeship needs a written agreement; a paid one is based on a work agreement.
• Seasonal work is work that depends on the seasons, is repeated every year and does not exceed eight months in a calendar year.

Students from outside the EU need to check the conditions for working during their studies with the local labour office (ÚPSVaR) before they take a job.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Slovakia – practical information.

The most common way to earn money while studying in Slovenia is student work (študentsko delo) – temporary and occasional work for pupils and students.

• How it works: you work for an employer on a referral (napotnica) issued by an authorised student employment service. You cannot do student work if you are employed or registered as unemployed.
• Who: students enrolled at a Slovenian school or university and foreign students living in Slovenia on an international exchange programme.
• Pay: at least €8.98 gross an hour (from 5 February 2026). Pension and disability insurance and a special health insurance contribution are paid on student work.
• Traineeship after graduation (pripravništvo): for your first job in your profession. Paid trainees get at least 70% of the basic wage for the position – and not less than the minimum wage. Unpaid (voluntary) traineeships are only possible in sectors where regulations or collective agreements allow them. At the end there is usually an exam.

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for study may also work in Slovenia while the permit is valid, under the conditions of Slovenian employment law.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Slovenia – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Spain without any permit, just like Spanish students.

• University internships (prácticas académicas externas) are part of your studies and do not have to be paid. Since 1 January 2024 students on internships – paid or unpaid – are registered with the Social Security by the university, company or training centre: you are covered (e.g. for accidents) and the time counts towards your pension.
• After graduation you can be hired on a training contract to gain work experience (contrato formativo); pay follows the collective agreement and may not be lower than the minimum wage.
• Seasonal jobs: tourism and farming hire many extra workers – for example for the grape harvest in September.

Students from outside the EU with a long-term study stay for higher education may work for up to 30 hours a week without a separate work permit, as long as the job is compatible with their studies.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Spain – practical information.

Students from the EU/EEA can work in Sweden without any permit, on the same terms as Swedes.

• Part-time and holiday jobs are normal employment: the same rules on contracts, working time and holidays apply, and your employer deducts preliminary tax from your pay. Tourism and seasonal work are among the jobs where you can sometimes manage without Swedish.
• Seasonal work – in agriculture, forestry and tourism – is covered by the Employment Protection Act and collective agreements.
• Graduate trainee programmes (traineeprogram) – for graduates with up to 2–3 years of work experience; they usually last at least 12 months and are normally full-time jobs. Look for them in Platsbanken, among other places.

Students from outside the EU with a residence permit for higher education granted from 11 June 2026 may work at most 15 hours a week during term time. There is no limit in June, July and August, or for work that is part of the programme, such as an internship. Permits granted earlier follow transitional rules.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Sweden – practical information.

Students from the EU/EFTA fall under the free movement rules, like other EU/EFTA workers. For a job of up to three months (90 working days a year), your employer simply notifies the authorities online; for longer jobs you need a residence permit from the canton.

Traineeships in Switzerland are fixed-term contracts, generally of short duration. Students under 20 are entitled to 5 weeks of paid holiday a year, others to 4 weeks.

Students from outside the EU/EFTA at a Swiss university may work no sooner than six months after the start of their studies and at most 15 hours a week outside the holidays. The university must confirm that the job will not delay your studies, and your employer has to apply for permission.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Switzerland – practical information.

Unless you have settled or pre-settled status (or are Irish), as an EU student you come to the UK on a Student visa like everyone else (application fee £558). The work rules for Student visa holders:

• Degree-level students may work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time outside term time; below degree level the limit is 10 hours a week.
• You may not be self-employed, work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, or fill a permanent full-time job.
• Work placements that are an integral part of your course are allowed.

Internships: if you do real work as an intern, you count as a “worker” and must get at least the minimum wage. Exceptions: internships of less than a year that are a required part of a UK further or higher education course, pure work shadowing and voluntary work for charities. As a visitor you cannot do any paid or unpaid work, work placement or internship.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in the United Kingdom – practical information.