Costs and jobs

Affordable Study Destinations With Part-Time Work: What to Check

6 min read · Checked against official sources in October 2026

How we compared the six countries

This is a comparison, not a ranking. We chose Germany, Finland, Hungary, Canada, Australia and the UK. For each, we read the official page on work limits, the money you must show, and the time you may stay after graduating. Other countries are also worth studying. Rules change often, so confirm every figure on the official page before you decide.

Ask three questions of every destination. What will the whole course cost? How many hours may I legally work? What happens after I finish? If you cannot answer all three from an official page, you are not ready to pay a deposit.

How many hours can a student work?

These limits apply to students on a normal study permit or visa. Your own permit may say something different, so read it.

• Germany: up to 140 days a year for students from outside the EU. More needs approval from the foreigners' office and the Federal Employment Agency. Required internships in the degree are not counted.
• Finland: up to 30 hours a week on average during the academic year, and full-time in holidays.
• Hungary: not more than 30 hours a week in the teaching period, and full-time for up to 90 days a year outside it.
• Canada: up to 24 hours a week off campus while classes run. During scheduled breaks there is no weekly limit if you meet the conditions.
• Australia: up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, and unlimited hours in scheduled course breaks.
• UK: up to 20 hours a week in term time for full-time degree-level study at an eligible sponsor, and full-time outside term time.

Tuition and money you must show

Tuition depends on the university and course. Funds shown to the immigration office are a minimum, not a budget.

• Germany: DAAD says there are generally no fees for Bachelor's courses or most Master's courses at state institutions. Baden-Wuerttemberg charges non-EU students 1,500 EUR a semester for most programmes. A semester contribution of 70 to 430 EUR applies. DAAD gave the visa proof as 992 EUR a month from 1 January 2025.
• Finland: Study in Finland says tuition usually runs from 9,000 to 20,000 EUR a year for fee-paying students. The Migri minimum for living is 800 EUR a month, or 9,600 EUR a year.
• Hungary: fees depend on the university and programme, and the immigration office page gives no fixed amount for living funds. Read the programme page.
• Canada: living costs of 23,448 CAD a year for one person outside Quebec if you apply on or after 1 September 2026, plus first-year tuition and travel.
• Australia: tuition varies by provider and course. The official student site gave no dollar amount for living costs, so check the Home Affairs checklist.
• UK: 1,529 GBP a month in London or 1,171 GBP outside London, for up to nine months, plus the first year's course fees. Funds must be held for 28 days in a row.

Why part-time work rarely pays for tuition

DAAD states it is very hard to fund your entire living costs through side jobs. Study in Finland warns that finding work can be difficult without the local language and that wages may not cover both tuition and living costs. Whatever the hourly pay, the weekly cap limits what you can earn, and classes, travel time and job hunting use up hours.

Canada and the UK also ask you to show tuition in addition to living funds. Treat any job as a small help with daily costs, not as the plan for paying fees.

Staying after you graduate

A post-study permit lets you stay to look for work. It does not give you a job, and each country sets conditions.

• Germany: a permit of up to 18 months to look for a job after a German degree, if your living costs are secured.
• Finland: Study in Finland describes a two-year post-study permit to look for work or start a business.
• Hungary: the immigration office says you can apply for a job-seeking permit if you completed your studies and the job fits your level of study. You must still hold a valid study permit when you apply.
• Canada: the Post-Graduation Work Permit can last up to three years depending on programme and length. Graduating does not automatically make you eligible, and most applicants need language test results.
• Australia: how long you can stay depends on your qualification. Generally you must be 35 or under and have held a Student visa in the last six months.
• UK: the Graduate visa lasts two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027. Doctoral graduates get three years.

A simple budgeting method

Use this order and write each number down with the date you checked it.

• Step 1: Take tuition for the whole course from the university's offer, not only year one.
• Step 2: Take the official living-cost figure as a floor. Germany's 992 EUR a month is 11,904 EUR a year. Finland's 800 EUR is 9,600 EUR. The UK figure outside London, 1,171 GBP for nine months, is 10,539 GBP. Canada's 23,448 CAD a year is about 1,954 CAD a month. Rent and food in your city may cost more.
• Step 3: Add one-time costs: visa fee, health insurance, flights, deposits and first-month setup.
• Step 4: Add a buffer of 10 to 15 percent for price and exchange-rate changes. This is our advice, not an official rule.
• Step 5: Count part-time income as zero. If you earn, treat it as extra.
• Step 6: Ask how your family will show the funds, and what happens if a payment is late.

What IGC counsellors check with you

IGC counsellors ask for your tuition offer, the family budget and sponsor details, then check them against the official pages above. We tell you if the numbers do not work. We cannot promise a visa, a job or a scholarship.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay my tuition with a part-time job?

Official sources say it is very hard. DAAD and Study in Finland both warn that student jobs rarely cover full costs, and work hours are capped. Plan to pay tuition and living costs from savings, family funds or scholarships.

Which country allows the most work hours?

The limits are written differently, in days, weekly hours or fortnightly hours, so a direct ranking would mislead. Read the official rule for your permit and course level, and count what you could realistically work.

Does a post-study permit mean I will get a job?

No. It gives you time to look for work. Employers decide who they hire, and countries add conditions such as secured living costs, language results or age limits.

Do these rules stay the same every year?

No. Work limits, funds and post-study stay periods have changed in recent years. Check the official page again before applying and again before you pay anything.

If you want to test your budget against real course offers, book a free profile assessment with IGC. We will walk through the numbers with you and tell you what we cannot confirm.