Foreign professional qualification Recognition as an educator

• Lower Saxony Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (NBQFG)
• Ordinance on the Equivalence of Qualifications in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (BB-GVO)
• Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of September 7, 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications

1. Completed application form (not required for online applications)
2. Hand-signed tabular presentation of your educational and professional background (curriculum vitae) in German,
3. Copy of the school-leaving certificate in German
4. Copies of training certificates in the original language and as a German translation:
   1. Final documents (e.g. diploma), including attachments if applicable, in the original language and as a German translation
   2. Proof of training content (subject table, explanations and curricular requirements, if applicable, etc.) in the original language and as a German translation
   3. Certificate from the competent authority that you are directly authorized to practice the profession in the country of training in the original language and as a German translation.
5. Copies of evidence of relevant professional experience in Germany or abroad in the form of job references/work books in the original language and as a German translation. The evidence should provide information about the activities and the scope of activities.
6. Proof of identity (identity card, passport or residence permit)

Translations in German are also required for documents in languages other than German. The translations must be prepared or at least certified by a translator publicly appointed/sworn in Germany.

English-language certificates do not need to be translated.

The Regional State Office for Schools and Education reserves the right to request officially certified copies of the above-mentioned documents.

• Application for determination of the equivalence of a foreign professional qualification
• If you have any questions, please contact the Regional State Office for Schools and Education Lüneburg.
• You can find the publicly appointed/sworn translators in Germany here.

The following requirements must be met for the professional qualification obtained abroad to be recognized:

• the professional qualification obtained entitles the holder to exercise professional activities comparable to those of an educator in the country in which it was obtained, and

• there are no significant differences between the professional qualification obtained in the country of origin and the corresponding vocational training in Lower Saxony.

For recognition purposes, the Regional State Office for Schools and Education Lüneburg will check on the basis of your certificates whether and to what extent your foreign qualification corresponds to a German qualification for the profession of educator. This check is based on defined formal criteria, such as the content, subject focus and duration of the training. Your relevant professional experience is also taken into account, as are other relevant qualifications. The decision on the application is made in writing.

If there are significant differences, a compensation measure (adaptation period or aptitude test) is required before the professional qualification acquired abroad can be recognized. The scope of the compensation measure is determined by the Regional State Office for Schools and Education Lüneburg in a notification.

Further information can be found on the portalrecognition-in-germany.de

This internet portal provides quick and easy answers to questions about recognition, for example

• Do I have to have my professional qualification recognized?

• Is recognition worthwhile for me?

• Can I submit the application? Do I have a formal right to it?

• Which authority do I need to contact?

• What does the procedure look like?

• What documents are required? What form must the documents take?

• How long does the procedure take?

• What does the procedure cost?

• Which laws are relevant to my case?

The processing time is generally up to 3 months, provided that the application documents are complete. An extension may be necessary in individual cases.

The deadline for submitting the application begins when the responsible office confirms that the required documents are complete.

Applicants do not have to observe any deadlines.

In the event of a rejection of the recognition applied for, administrative legal action may be taken.

The rejection will be accompanied by specific information on legal remedies, indicating the deadline for taking legal action and the competent administrative court.

Recognition procedures for the reference qualification as a "state-recognized childhood educator" can be applied for at the relevant universities:

• Emden-Leer University of Applied Sciences
• HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen
• Information can be found in the anabin database for the evaluation of foreign educational certificates on the website of the Central Office for Foreign Education
• Further information can be found on the Lower Saxony education portal.
• For academic qualifications, you can apply for an assessment by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)

Responsibility lies with the Regional State Office for Schools and Education Lüneburg.