Recognition of social educational qualifications earned abroad

Professional qualifications in the fields of social work/social education, child or therapeutic education that are earned abroad may be officially recognised upon application subject to the provisions of the Act on the Recognition of Social Service Professions (Sozialberufe-Anerkennungsgesetz – SozBAG).

The social educational professions

• Child educator
• Social worker/social education worker (B.A.)
• Therapeutic educator (B.A.)

are regulated by state recognition. The equivalence of your professional qualification with the professions listed above is assessed upon application.

The following application documents will be required:

1. Completed application form
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Proof of identification (copy of passport or identity card)
4. Copy of the police registration in the Federal State of Berlin (registration at the Residents’ Registration Office)
5. Copy of the marriage certificate in the event of a change of name
6. Copy of the original diploma
7. Copy of a summary of the subjects and marks (e.g. Diploma Supplement, student’s record book)
8. Proof of relevant working experience in this field, if any, and other certificates of competence
9. A licence to practise the profession in the country in which the professional qualification was obtained if such profession is regulated in that country.
10. Translations of the documents listed in 5. to 9. into German by a sworn translator.

The social educational professions

• Educator
• Therapeutic educator

are regulated by state recognition. The equivalence of your professional qualification with the professions listed above is assessed upon application.

1. Completed application form
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Proof of identification (copy of passport or identity card)
4. Copy of the police registration in the Federal State of Berlin (registration at the Residents’ Registration Office)
5. Copy of the marriage certificate in the event of a change of name
6. Copy of the original general school certificate or proof of the university entry exam
7. Copy of the original certificate of vocational qualification
8. Copy of a summary of the subjects and marks
9. Proof of relevant working experience in this field, if any, and other certificates of competence
10. A licence to practise the profession in the country in which the professional qualification was obtained if such profession is regulated in that country.
11. Translations of the documents listed in 5. to 10. into German by a sworn translator.

Please note that you are always required to submit your application in the federal state in which you reside.

Address for applicants with residence in the Federal State of Berlin

Please do not submit your application documents by e-mail, as the receipt of large quantities of data cannot be guaranteed. Send your complete application documents by post to:

• Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie
  [Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family]
  V D 10
  Bernhard-Weiß-Straße 6
  10178 Berlin

Translations

You do not require a German translation for documents which were originally issued in English.
Translations of foreign documents which are not written in the Latin alphabet must additionally include a transliteration of the professional title in accordance with the ISO standard.

Other educational professional qualifications

Foreign teacher training is not equivalent to the above mentioned social educational professions, with the exception of pre-school teachers. For further information on the recognition of foreign educational professional qualifications, please refer to the scheme for operators of child day care establishments.

Employment opportunities during the recognition procedure

There are opportunities to obtain employment in the social educational sector during the recognition procedure by means of facilities for lateral entrants. For further details, please call us to make an appointment for a personal interview:

• +49 (0)30 90227 – 6981 on Mondays and Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.

With regard to other fields of work, the employer may obtain a special permit from the competent supervisory authority to employ a so-called lateral entrant.