Recognition of Foreign Degrees and Qualifications

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People from different backgrounds live together in Berlin. Regardless of where someone was born, where they grew up and completed their school career, learned a trade, studied or perhaps worked for a long time in a profession, their knowledge, experience and skills can be used for further education or their occupation can be recognised.

Is a recognition procedure a must?

In most cases, foreign qualifications do not have to be officially recognised in order to take up a specific professional activity in Germany. In these cases, it is the responsibility of the employer or business partner to assess foreign qualifications. Nevertheless, a German language certificate assessment from a certification authority can be useful for you, especially when applying for a job, since a company can then better assess your qualifications.

Where can I have my qualification recognised?

In all recognition procedures, your foreign certificate will be examined by a competent certification authority and compared to a German qualification. Depending on the qualification acquired, different offices in Berlin are responsible for the recognition, which we present to you on the following pages.

Lachende Jugendliche

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Recognition of School Qualifications

Your German or foreign school leaving certificates will be assessed by our certificate recognition office with regard to their equivalence to the Certificate of vocational education, intermediate school leaving certificate, general higher education entrance qualification and other certificates. More information

Doktorhut auf Bücherstapel

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Final degrees, academic degrees and titles

If a university degree is to be recognised, it depends on whether it leads to a regulated or a non-regulated profession. In the first case an assessment is necessary, in the second case it is not required by law but is often helpful. More information

Schüler mit Lehrer im Klassenraum beim Mathematikunterricht

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Recognition of qualifications as a teacher

If you want to work as a teacher in the public school service in Berlin, but have acquired your professional qualification as a teacher outside of Germany, you will need recognition of your professional qualification. More information

Erzieherin mit Kindern

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Recognition of social educational qualifications earned abroad

Professional qualifications in the fields of social work/social education, early childhood or special needs education that are earned abroad may be officially recognised upon application subject to the provisions of the Act on the Recognition of Social Education and Social Service Professions in the Federal State of Berlin. More information

IT Fachkraft arbeitet am PC

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Recognition of foreign training certificates with school-based vocational qualifications

Have you obtained a professional qualification abroad that corresponds to a profession that is not regulated by national law? Would you like to work in Berlin with your vocational qualification? More information

Mehrere Menschen drehen gemeinsam an Zahnrädern

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Recognition of Professional Qualifications Acquired Abroad

Have you learned a trade abroad and would like to work in Germany? A formal recognition procedure is necessary for a large number of so-called regulated professions. On the following pages you will find links to the competent professional associations and Senate Departments. More information

Further information about this

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