COUNTRY GUIDE
Using your qualifications
in Germany
Choose the purpose below. Each receiving authority can ask for different evidence, even for the same degree. These short previews come from the country-specific sourced guides.
Qualification documents for university admission in Germany
Start with the university’s procedure; a VPD may be a preliminary step, not the application itself.
Read who decides and what to check Non-regulated workQualification evidence for non-regulated work in Germany
For non-regulated work, confirm the employer’s evidence request and keep migration proof separate.
Read who decides and what to check Immigration documentsAcademic qualification proof for named German work routes
Check both institution and degree evidence before choosing a paid ZAB statement.
Read who decides and what to check Regulated professionFind the recognition authority for regulated work in Germany
Check the intended activity, protected title and location with the competent professional authority.
Read who decides and what to checkWhy the recipient matters
A university's academic comparison, an employer's hiring requirement, an immigration document request and a regulator's permission to practise are separate decisions. Start with the purpose above, then confirm the named authority's current instructions.
Use the free before-you-pay worksheet →Profession-specific processes
- NursingGermany; general professional nursing roles, with responsible recognition and licence authorities depending on the federal state where work is intended
- Practitioner psychologyGermany: protected Psychotherapeut/in practice requiring state Approbation, explicitly contrasted with generally non-regulated employment as Psychologe/Psychologin; the competent authority depends on the federal state
- Accountancy and auditGermany — protected German Wirtschaftsprüfer (statutory auditor) and Steuerberater (tax consultant) professional titles, distinguished from ordinary accounting employment; statutory WPK and tax-chamber qualification pathways are separate