Further training during studies is worth it when it fits your career goal and can be combined with your timetable. Additional qualifications make sense when they close gaps in your degree or deepen specialist knowledge: languages, data analysis, project management, presentation skills or a certificate in your field. A course that only fills your CV, by contrast, brings little and costs time you need for exams.
The key points at a glance
- Weigh additional qualifications by their use for your career goal, not by the number of certificates.
- Many universities offer extra programmes, for example through the career service, the language centre or elective modules. Ask there first.
- Whether a course earns credit points (ECTS) is decided by your examination regulations and the examinations office.
- The training voucher from the Federal Employment Agency is aimed primarily at the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment. It is not a standard route for students.
Is further training during studies worth it?
That depends on your goal. If you want to work in a sector where certain skills are expected, such as statistics software, a foreign language or the basics of project management, further training gives you a visible advantage. If you do not yet know where you want to go, internships, working-student jobs and elective modules are often the better choice.
Before you enrol, check three things: how many hours per week the course takes, when the exam and submission phases fall in your studies, and whether employers in your sector recognise the certificate. A course you drop out of does more harm than good.
Which additional qualifications make sense for students?
| Area | Examples | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Deepening subject knowledge | Statistics, programming, bookkeeping, legal foundations | Degrees in which methodological knowledge is in demand |
| Languages | Foreign language certificates, specialist language | Study abroad, international careers |
| Digital skills | Data analysis, office skills, basics of web development | Almost all subjects |
| Transversal skills | Presentation, project management, moderation | Entering the workplace in companies and organisations |
Start by looking within your own university: many have language centres, key competence programmes and a career service. Their offers often run alongside lectures and are tailored to students. If you also want to learn online, the free learning resources online (in German) include platforms and courses.
Does further training earn ECTS credit points?
Not automatically. Your examination regulations determine whether a course counts towards your degree. There is often an elective or key competence area in which credit points are possible for suitable offers. Before you sign up, ask the examinations office or the student advice service whether the course is recognised and what proof you will need.
Even without recognition, a certificate can be useful for applications. In that case, highlight it on your CV with its content and scope, not just the course title.
How do you find time for further training alongside your studies?
Plan further training like a lecture, with a fixed slot in your calendar. Self-paced courses suit semester phases with a lot of lectures, while more intensive formats such as block courses suit the lecture-free period.
- Start with one course, not several.
- Schedule study time outside exam periods.
- Compare the time required with what your studies already demand of you.
- Keep notes and study material in one place. You will find suitable tools among the best tools for notes (in German).
What does further training cost, and who pays?
Options range from free online courses to paid certificate programmes. Providers set their own prices. Compare costs, scope and recognition, and check whether an exam or a certificate is charged separately.
Depending on your situation, different funding routes may be possible, for example a contribution from your employer if you work alongside your studies, or offers from your university. The training voucher from the Federal Employment Agency (in German) confirms that the conditions for funding vocational further training are met. It is aimed at the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment, and different conditions apply to employees. The agency decides after an advisory interview whether a measure is funded. Information is available from the Federal Employment Agency.
Further training or a part-time job alongside your studies?
You can combine both, but you do not have to. If you need to earn money alongside your studies, you often have less room for courses. A part-time job related to your field or a working-student post provides work experience and can teach skills that employers value. Decide based on budget, time and career goal which matters more to you.
After your degree, further routes open up, which we describe under further training after your degree (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Which further training makes sense alongside my studies?
Whatever fits your career goal: languages, data skills, project management or subject-specific deepening. Choose a course whose content you can explain in a job interview. Certificates with no link to your path bring little.
Does an additional qualification count as a study achievement?
Only if your examination regulations recognise it. Before you start, ask the examinations office or the student advice service whether and how the course counts, and what proof you need to submit.
Can I take online courses for my degree?
Yes, online courses fit flexibly into everyday life. Check the provider, the scope and whether a certificate or a confirmation of participation is issued. Whether it is recognised depends on your university and on your later employer.
Can I get a training voucher as a student?
The training voucher is aimed at the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment, and different conditions apply to employees. As a student you should not count on it. The Federal Employment Agency will clarify in an advisory interview whether funding is possible.
So proceed now
- Work out which skill is missing for your career goal.
- Look first at the language centre, the career service and the elective area of your university.
- Ask the examinations office whether credit points are possible.
- Plan the course outside the exam phase and start with one offer.
Related reading
- Where to find free courses? The best learning platforms (in German)
- Further training after your degree: options at a glance (in German)
- Training voucher: who gets it and how to apply (in German)
- Digital notes during your studies: the best tools compared (in German)
- Part-time master’s degree: taxes, costs and insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
