Leistungen A-Z

• Forms: no
• Online procedure possible: no
• Written form required: no
• Personal appearance required: no

Do you have an academic degree from a foreign university such as licencjat, inzener, kandidat-nauk that you would like to use in Germany? If this has been duly awarded by a recognized university, you can use it without a permit under the conditions specified in the State Higher Education Act. You must then use it in the form awarded and indicate the awarding university. If your degree was not awarded in Latin script, you may translate it into Latin script (transliteration). Also, you can add the literal English translation in parentheses. You may also use the foreign degree in a short form (with an addition of origin) if the use of the short form is permissible or customary in the country of origin.

You can dispense with the indication of the awarding university if you have obtained the degree:

• within the European Union (EU)
• within the European Economic Area (EEA)
• from the European University Institute Florence
• of the Pontifical Universities

However, equivalence agreements concluded with other states and the decision of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of 26 June 2014 on the use of foreign academic degrees must be observed. Equivalence agreements and the resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs contain special provisions that favour the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. This is especially true for certain doctoral degrees from Russia, Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada and the USA.

A conversion or transfer of the foreign degree into the corresponding domestic degree is excluded. Exceptions (permits) are possible under certain conditions for university degrees of ethnic German resettlers, their spouses and descendants.

Degree from a recognized university abroad

• officially certified copy of the original foreign diploma or certificate of award
• officially certified copy of the translation of the diploma or certificate
• Copy of identity card or passport (in proceedings under § 10 BVFG)
• in the event of a name change: appropriate evidence such as a copy of the marriage certificate, declaration of the name change

none

You do not need a state permit or confirmation to use foreign degrees, titles, or job titles.

However, you may need written information about the management of your degree and the relevant legal bases, e.g. for submission to

• Residents' registration and registry offices,
• professional chambers and
• Professional associations.

Then you can submit an informal application to the Ministry of Science and submit the necessary documents.

Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg (MWFK)

Division 2 "Science and Research", Unit 23
 

E-mail: service@mwfk.brandenburg.de
Fax: +49 331 866-4998

• §§ 30, 34 Brandenburg Higher Education Act (BbgHG)
• § 10 Federal Expellees Act (BVFG)

In connection with foreign university degrees, the Ministry of Science deals exclusively with questions of degree management (exception: degrees of beneficiaries under the Federal Expellees Act). Evaluations, comparisons and assignments to corresponding German university degrees or university degrees are not carried out by the Ministry of Science.

• Leaflet on the use of foreign academic degrees
• Database for the evaluation of foreign educational qualifications
• Advice on the recognition of professional qualifications
• Assessment of foreign professional qualifications
• Infoportal Recognition in Germany

Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg