Recognition of Foreign School and Professional Certificates — Foreign Graduation Certificates, Proof of Education, and Professional Qualifications

Diplomas obtained abroad for completing high school or a similar educational equivalent can be evaluated and compared to a German educational school certificate (“Berufsreife”, “mittlerer Schulabschluss” and “Abitur”) by our authority. 

If your certificate or diploma fulfills the requirements, you will receive a recognition certificate necessary for professional purposes (for example to begin vocational training), or to continue your school education.

Additionally, we evaluate qualifications obtained abroad for professions such as educators, geriatric nurses, and other professional qualifications that can be received through a purely school-based education.  

Please visit this website to determine the jurisdiction for the recognition of other professional certifications obtained abroad, as the responsibility vary based on the field that the certification was obtained in: https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/ 

Please make sure to check the local jurisdiction and the jurisdiction for the evaluation of foreign higher education degrees (for example Bachelor’s degrees) or if you intend to study at a German University.  

If you want to visit us in person to make your request, please make an appointment first. You will find our telephone hours under “Contact”.   

We are responsible for the recognition of your foreign school certificates if:

  • You reside in Rheinland-Pfalz
  • You don’t live in Rheinland-Pfalz, but you want to start a vocational training at an institution in Rheinland-Pfalz
  • You want to practice your profession in Rheinland-Pfalz
  • You are from Luxembourg, but you want to continue your education in Rheinland-Pfalz 

Application Form for the recognition of foreign school certificates

These documents must be submitted:

  • CV/Curriculum Vitae with a complete listing of the years you’ve completed at school starting with primary school and including any years at university, if applicable
  • Officially certified copies* of the original school certificates and possible higher education diplomas in foreign language
  • Officially certified copies* of the translation of the school certificates. The translation must be completed by a legally recognized translator www.justiz-dolmetscher.de
  • The translation is not necessary if the original documents were issued in English
  • For the recognition of schools certificates from Afghanistan, Syria and Mongolia, we need to check the original documents. We recommend you send the original documents through “Einschreiben,” a service offered by the Deutsche Post
  • Officially certified copies* of your passport with an EU residence permit or your identity card (for EU citizens)
  • Certification of marriage or a similar document if your name has changed
  • For ethnic German immigrants an officially certified copy* of the certificate by the Federal Law on Refugees and Exiles (German: Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG)
  • If you don’t live in Rheinland-Pfalz, copies of a correspondence with a potential employer or vocational school in Rheinland-Pfalz.

*An official certification can be completed at the local municipal office (“Stadtverwaltung,” “Kreisverwaltung,” or “Gemeindeverwaltung”) or at a notary. 

These persons or institutions are not allowed to complete official certifications: translators, lawyers, auditors, private associations, and the church. 

You will find further information in the FAQ section. 

Please refrain from sending us your request until you have provided the necessary documents. 

We also kindly ask you to refrain from enquiries pertaining to the status of your application. 

Application Form for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications   („Antragsformular zur Anerkennung eines ausländischen Berufsabschlusses“)

These documents must be submitted:

  • CV/Curriculum Vitae with a complete listing of the years you’ve completed at school starting with primary school and including any years at university, if applicable
  • Officially certified copies* of the original school certificates and possible higher education diplomas in foreign language
  • Officially certified copies* of the translation of the school certificates. The translation must be completed by a legally recognized translator www.justiz-dolmetscher.de
  • The translation is not necessary if the original documents were issued in English
  • Officially certified copies* of job references of certificates of professional experience if available
  • For the recognition of a qualification as an educator, social care worker, remedial teacher or geriatric nurse, please submit certified copies of German language tests if available
  • If you don’t live in Rheinland-Pfalz: copies of a correspondence with a potential employer in Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Officially certified copies* of your passport with an EU residence permit or identity card (for EU citizens)
  • Certification of marriage or a similar document if your name has changed
  • For ethnic German immigrants an officially certified copy* of the certificate by the Federal Law on Refugees and Exiles (German: Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG)

*An official certification can be completed at the local municipal office (“Stadtverwaltung,” “Kreisverwaltung,” or “Gemeindeverwaltung”) or at a notary. 

Please let the copies of certificates in the original language and the copies of each translation certified separately.

These persons or institutions are not allowed to complete official certifications: translators, lawyers, auditors, private associations, and the church.

You will find further information in the FAQ section. 

Please refrain from sending us your request until you have provided the necessary documents. 

We also kindly ask you to refrain from enquiries pertaining to the status of your application. 

The recognition of your foreign school certificates and educational qualification is subject to a fee.

The amount of the fee currently ranges between 35 to 80 Euros depending on the kind of recognition certificate. 

To get a statement of equivalence for your foreign higher education qualifications please contact the “Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen” (ZAB) in Bonn https://www.kmk.org/themen/anerkennung-auslaendischer-abschluesse.html

If you need the recognition of your foreign school certificates to start or continue higher education at a German university please contact the university of your choice directly

Important Note

Testimonies from Afghanistan and Syria should be attached as the original document.”

Contact

Personal visits are only possible by prior arrangements

Countries with the letters A-K
Mrs. Luzia Haubrich
Telephone Hours:  
Mon. – Thu.: 11h – 12h 
Mon. + Wed.: 14h – 15h 
Phone: +49(651) 9494-344
luzia.haubrich(at)add.rlp.de

Countries with the letters L-Z
Mrs. Stefanie Heß 
Telephone Hours:  
Mon., Tue., Thu.: 10.30h – 12.00h 
Phone: +49(651) 9494-949
stefanie.hess(at)add.rlp.de

Poland and foreign vocational qualifications
Mr. Dominik Gerke 
Phone: +49(261) 20546-13432
dominik.gerke(at)add.rlp.de

North-, Central- and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Former States of  Yugoslavia, Albania und Turkey
Mrs. Ursula Brandenburger
Telephone Hours:  
Mon. – Thu.:  10h – 12h
Phone: +49(671) 97001-214
ursula.brandenburger(at)add.rlp.de

Syria
Mrs. Monika Zender 
Telephone Hours:  
Mon. + Thu.:       11.00 – 12.00 Uhr
Thu.:                    14.00 – 15.00 Uhr
Tel: +49(651) 9494-330
monika.zender(at)add.rlp.de
 

FAQ - Frequent Questions to the Application Process

Which documents do I need to mail?

  • CV/Curriculum Vitae with a complete listing of the years you’ve completed at school starting with primary school and including any years at university, if applicable
  • Officially certified copies* of the original school certificates and possible higher education diplomas in foreign language
  • For the recognition of schools certificates from Afghanistan, Syria and Mongolia, we need to check the original documents. We recommend you send the original documents through “Einschreiben,” a service offered by the Deutsche Post
  • Officially certified copies* of the translation of the school certificates. The translation must be completed by a legally recognized translator
    http://www.justiz-dolmetscher.de
    Translation is not necessary if the original document was issued in English.
  • Official copies* of personal papers:
    - Officially certified copies of your passport with an EU residence permit or your identity card (for EU
      citizens)
    - Certification of marriage or a similar document if your name has changed
    - For ethnic German immigrants an officially certified copy of the certificate by the Federal Law on
      Refugees and Exiles (German: Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG)

*An official certification can only be completed at the local municipal office (“Stadtverwaltung,” “Kreisverwaltung,” or “Gemeindeverwaltung”) for a fee, or at a notary.

Please let the copies of certificates in the original language and the copies of each translation certified separately.

These persons or institutions are not allowed to complete official certifications: translators, lawyers, auditors, private associations, and the church.

Do I need to send original documents?
We only require original documents for the recognition of schools certificates from Afghanistan, Syria and Mongolia. We recommend you send the original documents through “Einschreiben,” a service offered by the Deutsche Post.

What credentials should I send?
Your complete diploma including the back side, supplemental certificates, transcripts, subject and grade overviews. If you have completed any years at a university, please send any diplomas, certificates, and transcripts including subject and grade overviews, as these documents may aid us in giving your current high school (or equivalent) degree a higher evaluation in some cases (ex: If you have studied at an officially accredited university in the U.S.).

If I don’t currently possess any copies of certificates or diplomas because they have been destroyed in a war or similar circumstances, can I still receive a recognition if I have an affidavit?We are only able to provide a recognition of schooling through evaluating official copies of your original certificates or diplomas. If you have lost your documents, we recommend that you take the “Nichtschülerprüfung” test, an exam that can lead to a state-recognized education qualification.

What if I need extra time to obtain additional documents from my home country?
We know that it can be difficult to obtain documents in some countries, and understand if the process takes a longer time. Please let us know that you are inquiring about the documents, and that your application may take longer to complete.

Can my supervisor file the application for me?
If a supervisor (ex: from a job agency, Caritas, etc.) files an application for you, you must provide a power of attorney with permission for them to act on your behalf. You must also determine beforehand who will be in charge of fulfilling the costs of the application.

What does it mean to be an accredited school?
An accredited college or university that is officially accredited and recognized in its country. 

What is an officially certified copy? 
An officially certified copy is a copy of the original document with an official stamp. This authentication is important for us, so that we can make sure that the copy corresponds to the original document.

What must be included in the officially certified copy? 

  • A certificate of approval stating that the copy corresponds to the original documents
  • An original stamp from the official validating the copy
  • An original signature of official validating the copy

The copies of the certificate translation and the copies of the original foreign-language certificates should each be certified separately and separately from each other.

It is sufficient if only one page of the authentication with signature is visible, as long as all pages are stapled together in such a way that a portion of the stamp is visible on all pages.
You cannot send us a copy of the authenticated copy!


Where can I get my documents authenticated?
An official certification can only be completed at the local municipal office  (“Stadtverwaltung,” “Kreisverwaltung,” or “Gemeindeverwaltung”) for a fee, or at a notary.

These persons or institutions are not allowed to complete official certifications: translators, lawyers, auditors, private associations, and the church.


What if my authentication is old?
There is no expiration on authentifications, so it would still be valid. 

Where can I obtain a translation of our documents? 
The translation must be done from an officially recognized translator http://www.justiz-dolmetscher.de.

Alternatively, you can inquire at a nearby court.

Translation is not necessary if the original document was issued in English.

Questions Pertaining to Costs

How much does the recognition process cost?
The fee is dependent on the type or certificate or diploma and is usually between 35 and 80 euros. 

What happens if I cannot pay the fee?
Occasionally, job centers or agencies will take over the costs. Please inquire about this before you send in your application. 

Will I receive a new certificate or diploma?

No, we only provide an additional certificate that recognizes your certificate or diploma obtained in a foreign country. This certificate of recognition must always be presented together with the original graduation certificate and its translation when making further inquiries. 

How does the process work, if I have already obtained a recognition for my general education certificate from another German state? 

If there were no expressed limits from the state which issued the recognition, the recognition is valid throughout Germany. If there have been limits placed on which states it is valid in, please include the certificate of recognition in your application, so we are aware of it. 

What should I do if I lost the certificate of recognition?

You can apply for a second certificate for a cost of 20 euros. 

What happens if I move during the application process?

Please alert us of your new address, so that we can successfully deliver your certificate. 

What happens if I move to another German state during the application process? 

The application will continue to be processed by the ADD. 

How does the process work if I haven’t finished my final year of school, so I don’t have a diploma or certificate of completion, but I have already used my mid-year report to apply to a job or professional school?

You can obtain a forecast that at the end of the school year, provided graduation is successful, a given educational degree will be granted, with a grade point average corresponding to the current one.