Educational Leave in Germany: your entitlement by federal state
How many days do you get, when does the right kick in, and how long is the application window? Here are all 16 German federal states at a glance. If you want to use educational leave for further training, I will help you find the right program.
What is educational leave?
Paid time off for vocational, civic or general further education. Not regulated at federal level but by each state.
Educational leave (Bildungsurlaub or Bildungsfreistellung) is paid time off from work for further training. Your employer keeps paying your salary while you attend an approved seminar or course. The days are on top of your regular vacation, not deducted from it.
There is no federal law on this in Germany. Each of the 16 states regulates it individually, with its own number of days, application deadlines and accreditation rules. Currently 14 of 16 states have a dedicated educational leave law. Bavaria and Saxony have no state-level law so far. Saxony has announced an introduction from 2027 in its coalition agreement.
Eligibility typically requires: an employment relationship in the relevant state (your place of work counts, not where you live), a minimum employment period of usually six months with your current employer, and participation in a course officially recognised under that state's law. Recognised means the course provider holds an accreditation under the state law.
Applying usually works like this: you find an accredited course, submit a written request to your employer within the deadline, and attach the recognition certificate from the provider. Your employer can only refuse or postpone for compelling business reasons, not because the topic does not appeal to them. For part-time work, the entitlement is pro-rated based on weekly working days.
16 federal states at a glance
As of 10.05.2026. Days per year, minimum employment period, statutory basis and application deadline in one table.
| Federal state | Days / year | Min. employment | Statutory basis | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 5 days | 12 months | Bildungszeitgesetz (BzG BW) | 9 weeks before start |
| Bavaria (Bayern) | no state law | n/a | only via collective or company agreement | n/a |
| Berlin | 10 days / 2 years | 6 months | Bildungszeitgesetz Berlin (BiZeitG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Brandenburg | 10 days / 2 years | 6 months | Brandenburgisches Bildungsurlaubsgesetz (BbgBUG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Bremen | 10 days / 2 years | 6 months | Bremisches Bildungsurlaubsgesetz (BremBUG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Hamburg | 10 days / 2 years | 6 months | Hamburgisches Bildungsurlaubsgesetz (HmbBUG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Hesse (Hessen) | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Hessisches Bildungsurlaubsgesetz (HBUG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz (BfG M-V) | 8 weeks before start |
| Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Niedersächsisches Bildungsurlaubsgesetz (NBildUG) | 4 weeks before start |
| North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Arbeitnehmerweiterbildungsgesetz (AWbG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Rhineland-Palatinate (RLP) | 10 days / 2 years | 6 months | Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz (BFG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Saarland | 5 days (6 / 2 years) | 6 months | Saarländisches Weiterbildungs- und Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz (SWBFG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Saxony (Sachsen) | no state law | n/a | introduction from 2027 announced (3 days / year in coalition agreement) | n/a |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz Sachsen-Anhalt (BFG LSA) | 6 weeks before start |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Bildungsfreistellungs- und Qualifizierungsgesetz (BFQG) | 6 weeks before start |
| Thuringia (Thüringen) | 5 days (10 / 2 years) | 6 months | Thüringer Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz (ThürBfG) | 6 weeks before start |
Sources: state laws (BzG BW, BiZeitG Berlin, AWbG NRW, HBUG Hessen and others), KMK overview "Bildungsfreistellung in den Ländern", and public information from the responsible ministries. As of 10.05.2026.
A note on reading the table: where you see "5 days (10 / 2 years)", the entitlement can be combined across two calendar years and taken as a ten-day block. Part-time employees get a pro-rated entitlement based on weekly working days. What counts is the state where your workplace is, not where you live. The current version of the state law always prevails. I update this table when laws change.
Common questions about educational leave
What counts as educational leave, when can the employer refuse, what happens if you change states.
Which state applies: where I live or where I work?
What matters is the place of work, meaning the state where you are employed and your main activity takes place. If you live in Bavaria but work for an employer in Hesse, Hesse's law applies and you have an entitlement. With remote work and no fixed company office, the employer's registered seat is used, which has to be checked case by case.
Can my employer refuse educational leave?
Only for compelling business reasons or if other employees already have leave during the same period. "Bad timing for me" is not enough. In small businesses with fewer than ten employees there are sometimes special rules, e.g. in Saarland, where the employer may refuse if more than one third of the workforce has already used the entitlement during the current year. Postponement is possible, outright refusal is rarely defensible.
What counts as an accredited course?
The course provider must be accredited under the relevant state law. Recognised content covers vocational, civic and general further education, with each state interpreting this slightly differently. Language courses, IT courses, leadership training, stress management or yoga with a focus on concentration can qualify, provided the provider holds an official recognition. Always check before booking that the course is approved for your state.
What happens to days I do not use?
In most states you can combine the entitlement of two consecutive calendar years and take ten days in a row. If you take none for two years, the days expire. Educational leave can be saved up, but not accumulated indefinitely. Details are in the relevant state law.
Does the entitlement apply during my probation period?
No. Almost everywhere the entitlement only kicks in after six months of continuous employment with your current employer. In Baden-Württemberg it is even twelve months. If you change jobs, the clock starts again. The entitlement does not transfer from one employer to the next.
What if I work in Bavaria or Saxony?
There is currently no legal entitlement. Time off is only possible if your collective agreement or company agreement provides for educational leave. Ask HR or the works council. Saxony plans a state law with three days per year from 2027, but it is not yet in force. Alternatively you can combine regular vacation with self-funding, or pick a part-time program that runs in the evenings and on weekends.
Can I use educational leave for a full degree program?
Not for an entire degree, that would be far too long given the day count. But for individual modules, on-site phases or block weeks of part-time degree programs it can work, provided the provider is accredited. There are also university certificates and short courses with educational leave recognition. In the initial consultation we look at whether a program from my partner network qualifies.
The information on this page is general in nature and based on my advisory practice (last updated 10.05.2026). It does not replace an official credit transfer or recognition decision by the respective university and is not legal advice. Specific decisions are made by universities, the ZAB (Germany), the BMBWF (Austria), or the SBFI (Switzerland). I clarify binding next steps with you in the initial consultation.
Which study path fits your educational leave
You have days to spend, but you need the right program to spend them on. In 30 minutes I clarify what fits your profile and your goals.