Bildungsurlaub explained: How to get 5 extra days off to learn or improve English in Cornwall
- Annie
- 12 hours ago
- 5 min read
If you work in Germany, there’s a good chance you are legally owed 5 extra days of paid leave this year - and you might not even know it.
It’s called Bildungsurlaub, and it’s a statutory right that provides employees with paid time off for certified professional development. The best part? You don't have to sacrifice a single day of your regular vacation, and you certainly don't have to spend those 5 days sitting in a crowded, windowless seminar room in a busy city. You could spend them learning or improving your professional English with Skool in Cornwall.
Here is everything you need to know about how Bildungsurlaub works, how to claim it, and how to use it for an unforgettable language-learning trip to Cornwall.
What is Bildungsurlaub and how does it work?
Bildungsurlaub (educational leave) is a statutory right for employees in Germany to take additional paid time off for certified continuing education. A structured Bildungsurlaub English course gives you dedicated days to focus entirely on the language, with qualified teachers, a clear curriculum and real accountability – all while continuing to receive your normal salary.
The basic allowance: Full-time employees generally receive 5 paid days per calendar year (or 10 days over a two-year block) for approved educational courses.
Your salary remains intact: Your employer continues to pay your regular salary while you attend the course. You simply pay for the tuition and travel costs.
Does it have to be strictly work-related? Not strictly! While the course must support general or professional in a global language like English is recognized as a vital career asset.
Who can apply for Bildungsurlaub?
To qualify for educational leave, you generally need to meet a few basic requirements:
You are an employee in the private or public sector, an apprentice, or a trainee.
You have been with your current employer for at least 6 months.
Your workplace is located in a German federal state that legally recognises Bildungsurlaub.
Which federal states grant Bildungsurlaub entitlement?
Educational laws in Germany are managed state by state. Currently, 15 out of 16 German federal states have active Bildungsurlaub legislation (Bavaria is currently the only exception).
Berlin: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Requires a 30-hour weekly course. Notice period to employer: 6 weeks.
Brandenburg: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Requires 30 hours of lessons per week. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Bremen: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum of 30 hours per week. Notice period: 4 weeks.
Hamburg: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Strict 30-hour requirement, minimum 6 hours per day. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Hessen: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 hours per week. Notice period: 6 weeks (though 8–9 weeks is recommended for faster internal approvals).
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Requires 30 hours of instruction. Notice period: 8 weeks.
Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen): 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 lessons per week. Notice period: 4 weeks.
North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW): 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Requires at least 30 hours per week. Note: Only applies to companies with 5+ employees. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz): 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 hours per week. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Saarland: 5 days per year. Unique Setup: Saarland requires the employee to share time off—2.5 days are granted as paid leave, while 2.5 days are taken from the employee's own free time. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt): 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 hours per week. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Schleswig-Holstein: 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 hours per week. Notice period: 6 weeks.
Thuringia (Thüringen): 5 days per year (or 10 days over 2 years). Minimum 30 hours per week. Notice period: 8 weeks.
Baden-Württemberg: 5 days per year. Unique Setup: Measures in strict 60-minute clock hours rather than standard 45-minute academic lessons. Unused allowance cannot be rolled over to the next year. Notice period: 8 weeks.
Crucial Detail: What matters is where your employer's workplace is based, not where you live. For example, if you live in Bavaria but your employer’s registered office is in Hessen, you are eligible under Hessen’s laws!
How do you apply for Bildungsurlaub?
Applying might sound like an administrative hurdle, but the process is surprisingly straightforward when you choose an accredited provider:
Find an accredited provider: Choose an official course provider that meets your state's strict criteria (such as minimum required lesson hours per week).
Request your application package: Your language school will send you an official registration confirmation, the recognised lesson plan, and state approval certificates.
Submit to your employer: Hand the document package to your employer or HR department. Depending on your federal state, this usually needs to be done 6 to 9 weeks before the course starts.
Enjoy the course: Head to your destination, complete your language training, and receive your official certificate of attendance to submit back to HR.
Why choose Skool in Cornwall over a standard seminar room for learning English?
Traditional language courses often feel like a continuation of the office. But immersion is the fastest way to build confidence and natural speaking fluency. Located in St Agnes, a picturesque UNESCO World Heritage area along the Cornish coast, Skool Cornwall replaces rigid, passive lectures with active, small-group communication.
At Skool, we explore grammatical issues and exceptions, but we believe in the practice of speaking English above all. What does learning with Skool look like, and how is it different from traditional classroom learning? Read more in our blog.
What to expect when using your Bildungsurlaub with Skool Cornwall?
We make taking your Bildungsurlaub as seamless as possible, handling the official admin so you can focus on learning.
State accreditation: Skool Cornwall is recognised for Bildungsurlaub across various German states. We provide the precise paperwork required by your local state ministry and employer.
30-hour intensive program: Our courses meet the standard 30-hour weekly threshold required by law.
Small class sizes: We limit our classes to a maximum of 6 students, ensuring you get continuous individual feedback and maximum learning time. By providing a quiet, comfortable space away from crowded classrooms, we meet your learning styles and needs.
Highly experienced teachers: Some of our teachers have over 20 years of experience and have taught all over the world, from Beijing to Africa. Because we’ve actually lived and worked across different cultures, we truly understand what it feels like to navigate a new language.
Claiming your legal right to Bildungsurlaub is simple, and Skool Cornwall is here to guide you through every step of the process.
