Licence to practise as a psychotherapist in the European Union (EU)

Have you completed your training as a psychotherapist in the European Union (EU) and intend to carry out this profession in Berlin in the future?

To practise medicine, which includes the practice of psychotherapy, you need a state licence, either

• a licence to practise as a psychotherapist (licences authorise the holder to practise independently for an unlimited period of time in the Federal Republic of Germany. The professional licence is only valid for the state of Berlin and only for two years) or
• the Heilpraktiker licence limited to the field of psychotherapy, which is issued for an unlimited period of time.

The prerequisite for a licence to practise as a psychotherapist is the submission of

• proof that your professional qualification entitles you to direct access to the profession of psychotherapist in the country in which it was obtained (so-called authorisation to practise) and
• proof of training, in particular psychological degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s) at universities and equivalent institutions of higher education, which are required to obtain the professional qualification for direct access to the profession of psychotherapist.

If you have not completed postgraduate training in a scientific psychotherapy procedure, you can apply to the District Office Lichtenberg or to the District Office Tempelhof-Schöneberg for a non-medical practitioner’s licence. Further information can be found here:

Non-medical practitioner section of the District Office Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin

Non-medical practitioner section of the District Office Lichtenberg, Berlin

You can download the application for a licence to practice as a psychotherapist under the link Application for a licence to practice (Training in the European Union)

The list of documents to be submitted can be found under the link Checklist for persons with EU training.

Documents that you do not yet have when you submit your application can be submitted later – as complete as possible.

Please send the documents as officially notarised copies by post. In Berlin, copies are notarised by the citizens’ offices or by notaries.

You do not need to appear in person at the authority to process your application.

The license to practice can only be granted if you have the necessary knowledge of the German language to carry out the profession. This must be proven in a specialist language test (C 2) before the psychotherapist chamber.

You will find further information on the specialist language test here:

• Information sheet about the specialised language test for psychotherapists

  PDF-Document (101.7 kB)

• Check list for persons with EU training

  PDF-Document (97.0 kB)

• Application for a licence to practice (Training in the European Union)

  Sample, please submit the German application form

  PDF-Document (156.8 kB)

• Medical Certificate

  PDF-Document (52.3 kB)

If your training in a scientifically recognised psychotherapy procedure differs substantially from the corresponding psychotherapy training in the Federal Republic of Germany and you cannot compensate for these differences through relevant professional experience, you must take an aptitude test or take part in an adaptation course.

For more information on the aptitude test and the adaptation course, see the following Procedural principles for conducting aptitude tests or adaptation courses (currently being revised)

Further information can be found at:

Recognition in Germany – Information Portal for the recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications