Will Germany recognise your qualification?
This is the part everyone worries about — so let's make it simple. Germany checks foreign qualifications in two completely different ways, depending on whether you want to study or work.
Academic recognition (for studying)
For university admission, your school certificate or degree is checked against the anabin database and by uni-assist or the university itself. Outcomes range from direct entry to a Studienkolleg preparatory year.
Check anabin (KMK database)Berufliche Anerkennung (for working)
For regulated professions — nursing, medicine, teaching, engineering and more — your professional qualification needs formal recognition (Anerkennung) before you can work in that profession in Germany. This is separate from university admission.
Anerkennung in Deutschland (official portal)The anabin ratings, decoded
The anabin database rates every foreign institution with one of three codes. Look up your university there first — here's what the codes mean:
Recognised institution
The institution is listed as recognised in Germany. Degrees from it are generally accepted as higher-education qualifications — the specific programme still needs to be comparable.
Status unclear
The institution's recognition is not fully established. You may need an individual assessment, for example a ZAB Statement of Comparability, before universities accept the degree.
Not recognised
The institution is not recognised as a higher-education institution in Germany. Its qualifications usually cannot be used for admission — seek individual advice before applying.
Even with an H+ institution, your specific degree programme must be comparable. When in doubt, a ZAB Statement of Comparability gives you an official individual assessment.
Do you need an APS certificate?
Applicants from some countries must have their documents verified by the Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) before applying. Type your country of education:
APS rules change. Always confirm the current requirement with the official APS office for your country before applying. Countries we currently list: China, India, Vietnam, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya.
Planning to work in a regulated profession?
Nurses, doctors, teachers, engineers and several other professions need formal professional recognition (Berufliche Anerkennung) before working in Germany — even after graduating. It's a separate process from university admission, run by the profession's own authority, and it can also support a job-seeker visa. Start early with the official Anerkennungs-Finder.
Open the Anerkennungs-FinderOfficial sources
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