Foreign professional qualification Recognition as an engineer
If you want to use the professional title "engineer" in Germany, the equivalence of your foreign professional qualification with the German degree must be determined by the competent authority.
The certificate of equivalence is helpful for the practice of the profession, but not a mandatory requirement. You can apply on the job market as an engineer with foreign qualifications even without a formal certificate of equivalence. Without a certificate of equivalence, however, you are not allowed to use or use the German professional title "Ingenieurin" or "Ingenieurin".
Process flow
For recognition, the competent authority checks on the basis of your certificates whether and to what extent your foreign qualification corresponds to a German qualification for the profession of engineer. This review is based on defined formal criteria, such as the content and duration of the training. Your relevant professional experience will be taken into account as well as other relevant qualifications.
For academic qualifications, you can apply for an assessment by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
Further information can be found on the "Recognition in Germany" portal. This internet portal provides quick and easy answers to questions about recognition, for example:
- Do I have to have my professional qualification recognised?
- Is the recognition worth it for me?
- May I submit the application? Do I have a formal right to it?
- Who should I contact?
- What does the procedure look like?
- What documents are required? What form do the documents have to have?
- How long does the procedure take?
- How much does the procedure cost?
- Which laws are relevant to my case?
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the Lower Saxony Chamber of Engineers.
Which documents are required?
As a rule, you will need the following documents:
- Tabular list of the training courses you have completed and the gainful employment you have carried out
- Indication of your current place of residence
- Proof of identity
- Evidence of formal qualifications acquired abroad
- evidence of relevant professional experience or other evidence of formal qualifications, where necessary to establish equivalence
- Explanation of whether and to which body you have already submitted an application for a determination of equivalence
- If applicable, a decision on the determination of equivalence
As a rule, you must submit all documents in the original or as a certified copy and in German. If the documents are written in another language, you may also need a translation by a publicly appointed translator.
Additional documentation may be required. Please contact the competent authority.
What are the fees?
Fees may apply, please contact the competent authority.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
There are no deadlines to be observed.
Legal basis
Applications / forms
What else should I know?
Supporting institutions
The service centres of the "Integration through Qualification" network (IQ Network) will be happy to advise and support you before, during and after the recognition procedure.
Technically approved by
Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport and Recognition Finder Germany
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
