Jobs In Hessen

Hey Andy,

I commend you in your zeal to start learning a new language and decide to pick up and move.  Not many American kids take such initiative these days.  However, it is not that easy to get a job and work in another country.  It is not like moving from one state to another in the USA.  Without the authorization to work in Germany you would be the equivalent of an illegal alien in the USA,  ...not minimizing Germany's illegal migrant problem.

However, if you have set your mind to it already, I am sure you will succeed.  There are ways you could get a working permit.  I suggest you turn this blog inside out and upside down and do your research.  There are a lot smarter people on this blog then myself.  I am sure your options are already listed somewhere in here.  I would just give you one hint:  There a many German young people (in their teens) who come to the USA with a J1 visa and work here temporarily.  See if there is an equivalent of that from Germany.

Good Luck!  I am cheering for you!

Unlike the first reply, my understanding is that you want to move to Germany as a student, and only work after successfully completing the course. That is a viable method and automatically gives you a work permit.
Just note that, while universities are free (or almost free - there usually is a EUR200-500 administrative fee per 6-month-term, which often includes a semester ticket for public transport), at least for German-language basic degree courses,, living costs are high (you need at least EUR800/month to survive) and you will not be allowed to work more than a few hours in jobs related to your studies (e.g. internship) - it is not possible to earn your living that way!
So you might need to work and save a few years to be able to afford this (there are no student loans for foreigners).

I can't give you too many details, but I can say that Hessen is a powerhouse for Germany's economy.

In terms of jobs, mechanical and tech sectors seem to be booming there. If you are leaning towards the sciences, you will also find great work throughout the region (and actually much of Germany).

For someone who is hoping to be in business and is an English speaker (of course your German should be up to par as well) larger and more diverse cities such as Frankfurt offer quite a few opportunities.


If you are worried about job prospects because of language barriers cities like Munich, Berlin, and cities that have American military bases normally have international organizations within them where you might find work.

Great that you're already working to improve your German. We should stay in touch, as I'm on a similar path as you and am a few steps ahead (I should be in germany by 2017 if all goes according to plan, and it would have been sooner if I didn't decide to do a full study year in Germany to improve my German - study abroad is something I'd really suggest). I'd love to pass on any advice or resources I hear about to you:)!

sources: research I did when I was trying to figure out where I'd consider living in Germany and a lot of the reasons why I want to live and find work in Hessen

What you said about finances may be true; however, I would like to note that  DAAD readily offers several scholarships to students to study in Germany (both at the undergraduate and graduate level), so do not let money be a stumbling block for you.

There are also several other organizations (as well as universities themselves) that sponsor students to study in Germany (via stipends, scholarships, and grants). Contact me, and I'll forward you some of the information I've found in my search.