Leistungen A-Z

• Application form as well as corresponding notes and information

The profession of educator is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to be able to work in the profession without restrictions, you must provide proof of a specific qualification.

To prove a foreign qualification, you can apply for recognition of your professional qualification. You can also submit the application for the recognition procedure from abroad.

In the recognition procedure, the competent body compares your professional qualification from abroad with the professional qualification in the chosen federal state. The procedure is called: equivalence determination.

You will receive a decision on the result of the equivalence assessment. The notice will state your professional qualifications. If you lack professional qualifications for recognition, the notice will also state the main differences.

To work as an educator, you must meet other requirements in addition to the equivalence of your professional qualifications. You will often have to prove these prerequisites at a later date:

• German language skills at the necessary level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• Personal suitability
• Health suitability

• You have a completed professional qualification as an educator from abroad.
• You want to work as an educator in your chosen state.

You may also need to meet the following requirements:

• You have German language skills at the required level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The responsible office will inform you about the necessary language level.
• Health suitability: You are in good health.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable for work as an educator and have no criminal record.

The responsible office will tell you what documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally:

• Application form from the competent office
• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of the content and duration of your education (e.g. Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records)
• Proof of your professional experience as an educator (e.g. references)
• Information about an application for recognition that has already been submitted. Then indicate the office to which you submitted the application.
• Proof of the content and duration of your education (e.g. list of subjects and grades, study book, diploma supplement, transcript of records).
• Do you come from a third country and do not yet live or work in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland? Then you have to prove You want to work in the profession in the chosen federal state (e.g. applications, entry visa for gainful employment, personal statement).
• Maybe: your birth certificate
• Maybe: proof of your general school leaving certificate
• Maybe: proof of your German language skills: Language certificate
• Maybe: proof that you are allowed to work as an educator in your country of education.
• Maybe: Proof of your personal suitability: certificate of good conduct (e.g. criminal record extract, certificate of good standing)
• Perhaps: proof of your health suitability: medical certificate
  
  

Some documents must be submitted as officially certified copies. The responsible office will inform you which documents you have to submit as a simple copy, as a certified copy or as an original.

The responsible office will inform you about the costs. The costs generally depend on the effort required for processing.

Additional costs may be incurred (e.g. for translations or certifications of your documents or compensatory measures). These costs vary individually.

You can hand in the application with the documents to the relevant office or send it by mail. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The competent body will inform you.

The competent body receives the application. It will confirm to you after one month at the latest that the application has arrived. When the competent body has received all the documents from you, it will process your application.

The competent body then checks: Is your professional qualification equivalent to the professional qualification in your federal state? The content of the training and the duration of the training, for example, are important for the comparison. The competent body also takes into account your professional experience, other certificates of competence and qualifications.

To work as an educator, you must meet other requirements. These include, for example, your personal suitability, your health suitability and your German language skills. The responsible office often checks the further prerequisites after determining the equivalence. Sometimes the other requirements are only important when you are hired. You may have to submit further documents for this. The competent office will inform you.

If your qualification is equivalent and you meet all other requirements, you will receive state recognition. You may use the professional title of state-recognized educator. Then you have the same professional rights as a person with the German professional qualification. Your professional qualification is recognized.

Are there significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? Then your professional qualification will not be recognized.

In most cases, you can then take a compensatory measure. This allows you to compensate for the essential differences.

There are different compensatory measures:

• Adaptation course: You work as an educator and do additional training at a technical college.
• Aptitude test: In the aptitude test, only the areas in which significant differences have been identified are tested. The aptitude test is a practical test. Written and oral work may also be required.

You can often choose between an adaptation course or a proficiency test.

If you successfully complete the compensatory measure, you will receive recognition.

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing in the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you have to submit the documents.

Cottbus State Education Office

Recognition of certificates

Ask an IQ advice center for personal advice on this procedure and your qualifications. The advisors will also help you with your documents before you submit your application. The advice is free of charge.
There are many advisory services. You can find them on the Recognition in Germany portal.
You can also call the hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The hotline will answer your questions on the subject of "Working and living in Germany". Telephone number: +49 30 1815-1111 Office hours: Monday to Friday 08:00 - 18:00 (CET)
If you are abroad: You can also reach the Central Service Center for Professional Recognition (ZSBA) via the hotline. This offers you in-depth advice and support in the recognition procedure and provides location advice.

Cottbus State Education Office

Recognition of certificates

Blechenstrasse 1

D-03046 Cottbus

Ms. Rimpel

Phone: 03554 866 518

• § 1 Brandenburg Social Professions Act – BbgSozBerG
• § 8 et seq. Brandenburg Social Professions Act – BbgSozBerG
• §§ 9 to 13 Brandenburg Professional Qualification Assessment Act - BbgBQFG

Freedom to provide services

You only want to offer services in Germany sometimes and for a short time? Then you usually do not need recognition. You must meet these requirements:

• You must be established in another state of the EU, the EEA or in Switzerland.
• You must provide proof of your professional qualification.
• You must declare or register your activity in writing with the competent body.
• You may need to prove: At least one year of professional experience in the profession in the last 10 years.
  
  

Working as an educator

You may be able to work as a so-called pedagogical specialist without being recognized as an educator. You can then work in a day care center, for example. The responsible office or your employer will inform you about this possibility.

• Information on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the Recognition in Germany portal
• Financial aid for the recognition procedure
• Publicly appointed translators in Germany
• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Ministry of Education Saxony-Anhalt