After arrival in Berlin

Registration, LEA residence permit, working while you study, after graduation.

First weeks

1. Register your address (Anmeldung) within 2 weeks of moving in (§ 17 (1) BMG).
2. Health insurance and enrolment at your university.
3. Residence permit at LEA Berlin (Landesamt für Einwanderung, Keplerstraße 2): apply online, pay by card or PayPal, the office checks your file, then you get an in-person appointment. The card arrives after about 4 to 6 weeks. Fees: see Costs.
   When to apply for a renewal: the service page says at most 4 months before expiry; another Berlin page says preferably 8 weeks before. Apply early.

The permit usually lasts 2 years, at least 1 year (§ 16b (2)).

Working while you study (§ 16b (3))

• You may work 140 working days a year, counted as a "working-day account". A day of up to 4 hours counts as half a day. Alternatively per week: up to 20 hours in the lecture period, any hours outside it, count as 2.5 days. The more favourable count applies each week.
• Jobs as a student assistant at a university or research institute do not count towards the limit. A "Werkstudent" is not a separate legal category we could find; it counts within the days.
• Ask LEA if you are unsure. Exceeding the limit can put your permit at risk.

After graduation

• You can stay up to 18 months to look for a job that fits your degree (§ 20 (1) no. 1 and (2) AufenthG). During the search any employment is allowed (§ 4a (1) AufenthG; § 20 contains no ban). You must be able to support yourself (§ 20 (2)).
• Then: Blue Card or skilled-worker permit. Blue Card 2026: €50,700 gross a year, or €45,934.20 for shortage occupations and graduates within 3 years.