If you work and live in Germany, you will have heard for sure about Bildungsurlaub. Do you know that you can take some time off for your professional training?

Bildungsurlaub is a quite unsual word. It means “educational holiday”, or rather “educational leave”: that is, you can take some time off to attend specific courses for your professional growth: yoga, foreign languages, political seminars, whatever suits your needs … and the employer keeps paying you! So, you do not need to take your holiday days to start studying a new langauge: you can basically have both a Bildungsurlaub and your vacation days.

In Germany, the professional and the political training is a right

The term “holiday” has a huge variaty of meanings: you can relax on the beach, go hiking or learn something. In this latter case, there is no longer need to use your vacation days. Instead, you can apply for a Bildungsurlaub. Have you ever dreamt about a study trip in Barcelona? Have you ever wished to attend a Spanish course but never had time to do it? With the German Bildungsurlaub, everything you have always dreamt of is possible.

The Bildungsurlaub is a great chance for your professional growth, but it is also a good way to reduce stress. That is why, more and more companies are investing in specific courses for their employees. A happy employee will always be more assertive and able to connect with their colleagues in a collaborative way. 

Who can apply for the Bildungsurlaub?

• Employees (part-time and full-time)
• Those engaged in dual vocational training (or Ausbildung)
• Freelancers
• Home workers

Special rules apply to civil servants.

Who pays for the Bildungsurlaub?

It is the employee that pays for their Bildungsurlaub, not the employer. Although you should spend some money on it, it is definitely a chance you should not miss: you can take some days off without deducting them from your vacation days, and you will be given the chance to take part in highly formative experiences (and the employer keeps paying you!).
Prerequisite: if you want to sign up for professional courses (berufliche Weiterbildung), they should be consistent with your tasks and duties in the company.

Where can I find Bildungsurlaub courses?

You can find thousands of Bildungsurlaub courses on Bildungsurlauber and here.

Applying for a Bildungsurlaub step by step

• Once you have chosen your preferred training offer, you will have to ask your employer for a Freistellung (or leave permit). This must be done at least 6 weeks before the course beginning. What does Freistellung mean? It means that for max. 10 days, you are entitled to take part in an educational experience while continuing to be paid as if you were going to work.
• You will then have to request a certificate of enrollment (Anmeldungsbescheinigung für die Teilnahme an der Bildungsveranstaltung) and the document certifying the recognition of the course as a Bildungsurlaub by the Berliner Senate (Anerkennungsbescheid der Senatsverwaltung für Integration, Arbeit und Soziales). This can be done at the school in which you are going to attend your course.
• After getting the aforemetioned papers, your employer can give the consent, or refuse to give it.
• After the course, you will get a certificate of attendance which you can show your employer.

For more information about your right to a Bildungsurlaub, take a look here.

Educational leave in Germany – Bildungsurlaub

Not only Bildungsurlaub!

Are you interested in a more general German course? Take a look at our offer of intensive courses in the morning, afternoon or evening and reserve your spot by writing an email at info@berlinoschule.com. 

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