If you have a foreign university degree, you can find out here how you can check the equivalence of it with a German higher education degree yourself or have it examined.
A recognized degree makes it easier for employers to evaluate your qualifications. This may improve your chances on the German job market.
If you have an academic degree in a regulated profession (especially medicine, pharmacy, teaching, education/pedagogy, veterinary medicine, psychotherapy) and would like to work in this profession, please submit your application directly to the competent authority. You can check whether your profession is one of the regulated professions on the Anerkennung in Deutschland website.
Equivalence check with the anabin database
Check on the anabin database page whether your university and your educational qualification are already recognized in Germany. Follow the instructions on the Make it in Germany website to use the anabin database effectively.
If your degree is listed in the anabin database as equivalent to a German Bachelor's or Master's degree and you graduated from an accredited university, you can generally assume that an equivalence check by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) would come to the same result.
You can enclose a positive result with your application. This will show potential employers that your foreign level of education is equivalent to a German one. This can improve your chances of being offered a job.
You can also use a positive search result as proof when applying for a visa or when applying for a residence permit for employment.
An individual assessment of your graduation certificate can be of use if your degree is not listed in the database or the search result for your institute of higher education is not clear.
Equivalence Assessment at ZAB
You can have the equivalence of your degree with a German Bachelor's or Master's degree checked by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). If equivalence is determined, you will receive a written certificate evaluation.
You can find more information about the certificate assessment in the FAQ of the ZAB.
Submitting an application
To start a procedure with the ZAB, you can submit and complete an application digitally.
Fees
The ZAB charges fees for issuing the certificate evaluation. You will also have to pay a fee if your application is rejected.
Translations
If translations are required for the certificate evaluation, have them prepared by sworn translators. You can find them on various websites, such as www.justiz-dolmetscher.de, www.adue-nord.de or www.bdue.de. Please ask for a (no obligation) cost estimate to find out how much you will be expected to pay for the sworn translation.
Expenses and Compensation
Costs may be incurred for the certificate evaluation at the ZAB and for any translations. Reimbursement of costs or funding is possible under certain conditions.
Please note that you must always apply for financial funding before beginning the recognition procedure or commissioning a sworn translation or notarisation. Expenses cannot be assumed in retrospect.
Do you receive benefits from the Jobcenter?
You can apply to the Jobcenter responsible for you to have the costs of translations and certified copies covered. You should also apply for the costs of the equivalence assessment procedure to be covered.
You do not receive benefits from the Jobcenter and are looking for a job?
Contact the Agentur für Arbeit (‘Employment Agency’) for a reimbursement of costs:
Telephone number: +49 800 4 5555 00
You can find the relevant office on the website of the Employment Agency. Enter the zip code of your place of residence and the contact details will be displayed.
If you have the status of a Duldung (‘temporary suspension of deportation’) or Aufenthaltsgestattung ('temporary permission to stay’), please visit us at the Hamburg Welcome Center during the Infopoint office hours.
If support from the Jobcenter or the Agentur für Arbeit is not possible you may choose the following option:
You may be eligible for funding through the Bundeszuschuss (‘Federal Grant’) or the Stipendienprogramm der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (‘Scholarship Programme of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg’).
For further information, you may reach out to the Central Recognition Office (German: Zentrale Anlaufstelle Anerkennung, ZAA). To make an appointment, please send an email with the subject Stipendium to: zaa@welcome.hamburg.de. To speed up the process for you, we also recommend registering via the ZAA web form.
Chapter overviewCounselling on Recognition
Jobcenter customers should contact their local Jobcenter office.
People who do not receive benefits from the Jobcenter can contact the team Orientation Counseling on Recognition at the Hamburg Welcome Center. Please complete the form and send it to anerkennung@welcome.hamburg.de.
For Anyone Currently Living Outside of Germany
Please contact the Zentrale Servicestelle Berufsanerkennung (ZSBA) for general advice, and use the registration form.
