Quick answer
Bildungsurlaub is statutory paid educational leave for employees in Germany, usually five working days a year and often accruable to ten. It can be used for a Spanish course abroad in most states if the course holds formal recognition for your Bundesland, which normally requires around six teaching hours a day across a full week.
German employees have a legal right to paid educational leave, and a Spanish course abroad can qualify. Most people who are entitled to it have never used it. Here is how Bildungsurlaub works, what makes a course eligible, and the deadlines that catch people out.
In this article
What is Bildungsurlaub?
Bildungsurlaub, sometimes called Bildungszeit or Bildungsfreistellung depending on the state, is statutory educational leave for employees in Germany. In most participating states it amounts to five working days a year, often accruable across two years to give you ten consecutive days.
Your employer continues paying your salary. You pay for the course and travel. Crucially, this leave is separate from your ordinary holiday entitlement, which is the whole point.
Which German states offer it?
Most, but not all, and the rules differ by state rather than nationally. The two long-standing exceptions have been Bavaria and Saxony, which have not had comparable statutory schemes.
Because entitlements, minimum employment periods and recognition procedures are set at state level and do change, check your own Bundesland’s current rules before booking anything. Your works council or the relevant state ministry is the authority, not a language school’s marketing page.
Can you use it for a Spanish course abroad?
Yes, in the participating states, provided the course is recognised for Bildungsurlaub purposes. Recognition is the entire question, and it has conditions:
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Take a free level test- Minimum hours per day. Typically around six teaching hours daily, which usually means an intensive course rather than a standard one.
- A full working week. Usually Monday to Friday, without the course being interrupted.
- Formal recognition granted by the relevant authority in your state, often applying to a specific school and course.
- Documentation. A certificate of recognition beforehand and proof of attendance afterwards.
A school that offers Bildungsurlaub courses will tell you which states it is recognised in. Ask for that in writing before you book flights.
What is the application timeline?
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 to 4 months before | Confirm your state’s rules and your eligibility. Minimum employment periods of six to twelve months are common. |
| Choose the course | Confirm it is recognised for your specific state, and get the recognition document. |
| Notify your employer | Usually required weeks in advance in writing. States commonly specify a notice period, often several weeks. |
| After approval | Book the course and travel. |
| Afterwards | Submit the attendance certificate to your employer. |
The notice period is what catches people. Booking first and notifying late is the most common reason a request is refused.
Can an employer refuse?
They can decline on limited grounds, typically operational necessity, and in many states they must justify it. They generally cannot refuse simply because they would rather you were at work, since the entitlement is statutory rather than discretionary.
If you expect friction, submit the request in writing well within the notice period and keep a copy.
Why Spanish, and why abroad?
Because the alternative is spending five paid days in a seminar room at home. Ten consecutive days of intensive Spanish in Málaga or Buenos Aires, at six hours a day plus a city outside the door, moves most people a meaningful distance rather than producing a certificate.
Our schools in Málaga and Buenos Aires run intensive courses in the format Bildungsurlaub requires. Ask us which states our recognition currently covers, and start with the free level test so you are placed correctly on day one, since a recognised course with the wrong level wastes the entitlement.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bildungsurlaub?
Statutory paid educational leave for employees in Germany, typically five working days a year and often accruable to ten across two years. Your employer keeps paying your salary; you pay for the course. It is separate from your normal holiday.
Can I use Bildungsurlaub for a language course abroad?
Yes in most participating states, provided the course holds formal recognition for your Bundesland. Recognition normally requires around six teaching hours a day across a full working week.
Which states do not offer Bildungsurlaub?
Bavaria and Saxony have historically been the exceptions among the German states. Because rules are set regionally and do change, confirm your own state’s current position before planning.
How much notice do I have to give my employer?
It varies by state and is commonly several weeks in writing. Missing the notice period is the most frequent reason requests are refused, so check the requirement before you book anything.