Quick answer
Taking Bildungsurlaub for 10 days in a row is possible if your German state allows it. Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Rhineland-Palatinate already grant 10 days over 2 years; Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein let you combine two years under conditions, Baden-Württemberg does not. Our 10-day course in Málaga costs €650.
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In this article
Can you combine two years of Bildungsurlaub into 10 days?
That depends on your German state, not on us. Bildungsurlaub is state law, and each state statute sets its own entitlement and its own rule on combining years. Five states grant the entitlement as 10 days over 2 years. Seven more set 5 days a year but allow a carry-over or an advance draw, so you reach 10 days. Baden-Württemberg rules this out, and Thuringia allows it only in one narrow case. Bavaria has no law, and Saxony’s law starts on 1 January 2027, with 3 days a year.
This post is based on the state table on our Bildungsurlaub page and the overview “Bildungsfreistellung in den Ländern” from Germany’s Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK). Where we could not confirm a rule there, we point you to your state law or HR department instead.
Which states give you 10 days from the start?
Five states define the entitlement directly as a pool spanning two calendar years. There is nothing to combine: the 10 days are built into the law.
| State | Law | Entitlement | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandenburg | Erwachsenenbildungsgesetz | 10 days over 2 calendar years | With employer consent, longer pooling for job-related training |
| Bremen | Bildungszeitgesetz | 10 days over 2 calendar years | Period starts with your first job in Bremen; no carry-over into the next one |
| Hamburg | Bildungsurlaubsgesetz | 10 days over 2 years | With employer consent, up to 4 years |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz | 10 days over 2 calendar years | Recognised; your employer may check that state’s own rules for courses abroad, so apply early |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | Bildungsfreistellungsgesetz | 10 days over 2 years | Period starts on 1 January of each odd year; unused days lapse |
In these five states you submit one application for the full 10 days and book the 10-day course once your employer approves. In Bremen and Rhineland-Palatinate, your two-year window matters: whatever is unused at its end lapses. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the current window ends on 31 December 2026 and the next starts on 1 January 2027.
In which states can you combine two years?
In these seven states the entitlement is 5 days a year, but the law allows combining it with the year before or after. The conditions differ; all details below are from the KMK overview.
| State | How you reach 10 days | Deadline or condition |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | Advance draw on the following calendar year | Apply 6 weeks ahead |
| Hesse | Transfer of this year’s entitlement to the next, up to 10 days | Apply 6 weeks ahead |
| Lower Saxony | Last year’s entitlement can be used this year; with consent, up to 4 years for one continuous course | Current law; not confirmed for the new law from 2027 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | Two calendar years’ entitlement can be combined | Notify your employer in writing, in the current year, for the coming year |
| Saarland | Transfer of last year’s entitlement, up to 10 days | Only with your employer’s (or public employer’s) consent |
| Saxony-Anhalt | Pooling over two years | Apply 6 weeks ahead |
| Schleswig-Holstein | Blocking with last year’s unused entitlement | Notify your employer by 30 September of the current year |
Berlin looks forward: the KMK overview of the Berlin Bildungszeitgesetz says that, drawing in advance on the following calendar year’s Bildungszeit, the entitlement can be combined into 10 working days. In other words, you take 10 days this year and use up next year’s entitlement at the same time.
Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein work the other way round: you leave one year’s entitlement unused and take it the next year together with the new one. For Hesse and Lower Saxony, the KMK overview names no further condition. In Saarland, the transfer needs your employer’s or public employer’s consent. In Schleswig-Holstein you must notify your employer of the blocking by 30 September; with consent, it can also draw on future entitlements in advance.
For Lower Saxony, this applies under the current Bildungsurlaub law. A new Bildungszeit law takes effect there on 1 January 2027, with an 8-week notice period; whether the carry-over rule stays unchanged, we could not confirm officially. If you plan a course from 2027, check with your HR department or with us first.
North Rhine-Westphalia puts it briefly in the statute: “the entitlement of two calendar years can be combined” (Section 3(1), Arbeitnehmerweiterbildungsgesetz). According to the KMK overview, you must tell your employer in writing during the current year that you will combine for the coming year. Our course is recognised in North Rhine-Westphalia; your employer may check that state’s own rules for courses abroad, so apply early. We send the recognition proof before you pay.
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For Saxony-Anhalt, the KMK overview lists pooling over two years without a further condition. Still, agree the internal process with your HR department first.
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Where is combining years not possible, or only limited?
Baden-Württemberg rules it out: according to the KMK overview, the annual entitlement lapses at year end, so pooling over several years is not possible. In Baden-Württemberg you can therefore take our 5-day course as Bildungszeit; for 10 days in a row you would need extra regular holiday or a voluntary arrangement with your employer.
Thuringia allows a one-off transfer into the following year only if your employer refused a Bildungsfreistellung you requested in the current year, or withdrew its approval. The KMK overview does not provide for saving up days voluntarily; ask your HR department about this.
Bavaria has no Bildungsurlaub law. Any entitlement there can only come from a collective agreement or voluntary leave from your employer.
Saxony introduces an entitlement of 3 days a year with its Qualifizierungszeitgesetz from 1 January 2027; even two years together would give only 6 days. Our course is not yet recognised there, and we will apply as soon as it becomes possible. For 10 days in Saxony, plan with regular holiday.
What does our 10-day course in Málaga look like?
Whether your 10 days come from a two-year entitlement, from combining two years or from two separate bookings, the course is the same: two weeks of 30 lessons (UE) of 45 minutes each, 60 in total. Mornings run from 9:30 to 13:30 in a small group (3 to 5 participants on average, never more than 7) with general Spanish at your level. Afternoons, from 14:00 to 16:00, a teacher works with you alone for two lessons on “Spanish for work”, with a daily theme from Spain’s working life, society and politics.
In the second week you apply those themes to your own industry: specialist vocabulary, a simulated meeting, a short presentation and a written learning report at the end. The afternoon themes form the course’s socio-political component (Hesse expects one) and give it the job connection that Berlin and Baden-Württemberg require. Levels run from A1 with no prior knowledge to C2, and the online level test is free.
How do you apply for both years at once?
Combining years does not change the basic rule: you only book after your employer approves. What changes is that you may need one extra step before the application.
- Check your state’s rule. In the five states with 10 days over 2 years, this step disappears. Elsewhere you may need a written notice (North Rhine-Westphalia; Schleswig-Holstein by 30 September) or your employer’s consent (Saarland).
- Request our documents. We send the seminar programme, the sample employer letter and, where available, the recognition proof for your state within one working day, free and without booking.
- Talk to HR informally 2 to 3 months ahead. With a carry-over, HR often has to work out its own internal process first.
- Submit the written application on time, 4 to 9 weeks before the course depending on the state, 12 weeks in Saxony from 2027. The notice for combining years can be due earlier: put both dates in your calendar separately.
- Book only after written approval. The booking confirmation arrives immediately, the confirmation for your employer within one working day.
- On the last day of the course, the school issues your certificate of attendance with your lesson count and level.
What does the 10-day course cost, and what is included?
| Duration | Lessons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days (1 week) | 30 lessons | €350 |
| 10 days (2 weeks) | 60 lessons | €650 (€50 less) |
Included are the level test, course material, a weekly cultural activity, WiFi, all employer documents in German and the certificate of attendance with your level; enrolment, material, the level test and the certificate each cost €0. An optional airport transfer costs €65. Accommodation per week: homestay €239 shared or €290 private, student residence €220 shared or €285 private; see our pricing page and the homestay page. If the course is job-related, the course, flight and accommodation can usually be deducted as work expenses; check with your tax adviser if in doubt.
Start on a Monday that begins a full 5-day week. Weeks with a Spanish public holiday do not suit Bildungsurlaub, so for 10 days neither week should have one; the Málaga course calendar shows the free weeks. If you want to keep building job-related Spanish afterwards, our Business Spanish course in Málaga continues without the Bildungsurlaub deadlines.
Why Málaga for 10 combined days?
Ten days in a row are worth more where you keep learning outside class. The school sits in La Malagueta, two minutes from the beach, with around 300 days of sunshine a year. The airport is 15 minutes away, with direct flights from most major German airports. Málaga speaks clear Andalusian Spanish, and the Picasso and Pompidou museums are within walking distance.
Frequently asked questions
Can unused Bildungsurlaub days be carried over to the next year?
It depends on your German state. Five states already grant 10 days over 2 years. In Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein, two years can be combined, each with its own deadline or condition. In Baden-Württemberg the entitlement lapses at year end, and in Thuringia a carry-over is only possible after a refusal.
Which states give me 10 days automatically?
Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Rhineland-Palatinate define the entitlement as 10 days over 2 calendar years. You submit one application for the full period and book the 10-day course once your employer approves.
Can I take 10 days in a row in Baden-Württemberg?
Not as a legal right. In Baden-Württemberg the annual 5-day entitlement lapses at year end and cannot be pooled. For 10 days in a row you would need extra regular holiday or a voluntary arrangement with your employer.
Is the course recognised in North Rhine-Westphalia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania?
Yes, our course is recognised in both states. Your employer may check that state’s own rules for courses abroad, so apply early; we send the recognition proof for your state before you pay. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania grants 10 days over 2 years, and North Rhine-Westphalia allows two years’ entitlement to be combined.
By when must I tell my employer I want to combine years?
Each state sets its own rule. Schleswig-Holstein requires notice of the blocking by 30 September of the current year, and North Rhine-Westphalia requires written notice during the current year for the coming year. In Saarland the transfer needs your employer’s consent. These dates come on top of the normal application deadline.
What about Bavaria and Saxony?
Bavaria has no Bildungsurlaub law, so any entitlement can only come from a collective agreement or voluntary leave. Saxony introduces 3 days a year from 1 January 2027, so two years would give at most 6 days, not 10. Our course is not yet recognised there.
Is the 10-day course cheaper than two 5-day courses?
Yes. Ten days with 60 lessons cost €650, against €700 for two 5-day courses, so you save €50. The level test, course material, a weekly cultural activity and all employer documents are included.
Do I need a stronger job connection for 10 days than for 5?
No. The “Spanish for work” programme runs the same way every course day, just over two weeks. In Berlin and Baden-Württemberg, where a job connection is required, the afternoons cover it throughout.
How do you start combining your years now?
Check your state’s status and deadline in the state table on our Bildungsurlaub page, request our documents and note any notice deadline for combining years separately from the application deadline. Whether your employer approves is their decision, so you only book after they say yes.
Related reading - How to Apply for Bildungsurlaub: Deadlines and a Sample Letter - Bildungsurlaub Abroad: What Your State Allows (Spain Check) - Bildungsurlaub 2027: new state laws, deadlines and planning a spring Spanish course
Sources: entitlements, deadlines and our recognition status by state from our own Bildungsurlaub course page, Málaga, checked on 28 October 2026; Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK), Bildungsfreistellung in den Ländern (entitlement and pooling rules for all 14 states with a law, as of 4 November 2025); Arbeitnehmerweiterbildungsgesetz North Rhine-Westphalia, Section 3 on recht.nrw.de.
Updated 28 October 2026.
