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BIBB Logo
An offer from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training
Logo: Anerkennung in Deutschland

Information portal of the German government
for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications

Logo: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

Procedure

The federal government, states and chambers are working to simplify and accelerate recognition. Here you can find examples of how it can work better.

Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB)
Graphic shows the ZAB certificate assessment

New ZAB platform digitalises the assessment of higher education certificates.

Initial solution: The recognition in Germany of a foreign higher education certificate is a requirement for many academic professions, or it can be helpful. Until now, this had to be applied for in writing and documents had to be sent off.

Solution approach: The statement of comparability for foreign higher education qualifications was digitalised within 12 months. After applying and uploading the necessary documents, the assessment is completed and a PDF issued with the digital seal.

The Central Office for Foreign Education’s (ZAB) online platform for the statement of comparability for foreign higher education qualifications has been offering this service since 15 February 2024. The entire process is now digital and can be completed without switching media. This service was developed by the ZAB in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The platform provides a user friendly and multilingual interface. Users enter all the necessary information into a dynamic application form, upload their documents and pay the fees directly via PayPal, credit card or bank transfer. The digitalised online service should speed up and simplify processes which previously took months to complete.

The lessons learned to date from this project offer valuable insights for future digitalisation initiatives. In particular, taking a holistic view and engaging all those involved has proved successful. The new platform also impressed the eGovernment competition jury and came first in the category of “Particular social relevance” in September 2024. 

Advice: Please check whether you actually need the statement of comparability. Evidence of the comparability of a foreign higher education qualification with a German qualification can also be provided via the anabin database. 

A guide to using the anabin database is available  here. 

Further information about the statement of comparability and anabin can be found on our page Assessment of higher education qualifications.

Contact: General questions on the statement of comparability
Press release from the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs
Evandro Pflege / Adobe Stock
A group of doctors and nurses stand in the sunlight

National exchange formats simplify the professional recognition of medical professions

Initial solution: The recognition of healthcare professions is carried out by different competent authorities depending on the federal state or region. While the process of recognition is essentially regulated by federal law, interpretations or administrative practices can differ between the federal states. Since 2015, the Recognition Monitoring Department of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has been organising exchange formats for the competent authorities on behalf of the BMBF, among other things to offer the authorities a platform and ensure greater uniformity.

Solution approach: A series of workshops is currently focusing, for example, on recommendations to the competent authorities in order to standardise document requirements in the context of recognition. More standardised requirements should make the process more transparent for professionals and advisory services.

A series of workshops is currently focusing, for example, on recommendations to the competent authorities in order to standardise document requirements in the context of recognition. More standardised requirements should make the process more transparent for professionals and advisory services.

Contact: Moritz Scholz (BIBB)
Halfpoint / Adobe Stock
Male nursery school teacher reads to a group of children

National exchange formats standardise the recognition of nursery school teacher occupations

Initial solution: The occupation of nursery school teacher is regulated at federal state level and, therefore, different regulations govern the recognition of nursery school teacher occupations. The processes involved also differ. On behalf of the BMBF, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training is working together in regular workshops with representatives from the federal states’ competent authorities and other federal state and federal government representatives to produce specific measures and recommendations aimed at harmonising the recognition processes.

Solution approach: These regular meetings of the relevant federal state recognition offices are offered by the BIBB recognition monitoring project to simplify and standardise recognition for nursery school teacher occupations.

Depending on the context, other participants also include representatives of the relevant federal state ministries, the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB), the IQ Competence Centre for Recognition and Job Training (FSAQ), the BMBF and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). The presentation of the initial results in 2023 was well received: these included sample notices which have been developed to ensure greater transparency. Another tool is the sheet supplementing the sample notice. This sets out in visual form the stage in the procedure and the options available for the applicants to take. The results are also being incorporated into the overall strategy for nursery school teachers.

Recommendations of the ‘Overall Skilled Labour Strategy’ working group

Model notices

Contact: Katharina Gilljohann (BIBB)
Halfpoint / Adobe Stock
Male nurse talks to elderly lady in wheelchair

Central Assessment Agency for Healthcare Professions (GfG)

Initial solution: For a long time, there was no nationwide, standardised recognition of healthcare professions in Germany. The federal states therefore established the Central Assessment Agency for Healthcare Professions (GfG) at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB), which began its work on 1 September 2016. Since then, it has contributed successfully to the standardisation of procedures.

Solution approach: The GfG compares foreign qualifications in healthcare occupations against the German reference occupations. In addition, it produces individual assessments and, on the initiative of the federal government, also so-called sample assessments.

The GfG also runs authentication checks of documents and determines the reference qualification for foreign training courses. Since 2022, GfG information has no longer been reserved for administrative bodies only, but is now freely available to advisers and skilled workers via the anabin database. By making their assessments, the GfG is reducing the workload on the competent authorities, contributing to consistent recognition practice across Germany and therefore helping to make procedures transparent. The competent authorities in the federal states continue to provide the final recognition and the authorisation to practice.

Further information about the work of the GfG

Report examples of good practice

Do you know of other examples that contribute to the optimization of recognition procedures? We would be happy to include your example on our website.

Share your experiences with us!