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The location is used to determine the responsible office for the selected administrative service. In most cases you can enter your place of residence to find the competent authority. However, there are also cases in which a different location must be specified. Here are some examples:

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Foreign professional qualification Recognition as a childhood educator

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Important note: For a university degree in the field of working with children from 0-6 years or 0-10 years, no application for state recognition as an educator can be submitted, as the training to become an educator is a broad-based technical school education that also enables students to work with adolescents and partly young adults and thus does not only focus on the age group 0-14 years, but extends to the age group 0-27 years. It is therefore not to be equated with a university degree.

Childhood educators work in many areas of work with children from 0 to 12/14 years and their families. State recognition is required for work in child and youth welfare, especially in day-care centres. If you have completed a course of study abroad in the field of early education or in elementary or primary education (kindergarten, primary school), you can apply for state recognition in Germany with this degree. This recognition entitles you to use the professional title "State-approved childhood educator (B.A.)" or "State-approved childhood educator (B.A.)". This also makes it possible, for example, to work in day-care centres and, in addition, state recognition opens up access to management positions in these fields of activity.

Who should I contact?

University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer

University of Applied Sciences HAWK Hildesheim

Point of contact: BQFG-Stelle@hs-emden-leer.de

Responsible authorities

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HAWK Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen
Address: Hohnsen 4, 31134 Hildesheim
Timetable
Telephone: 05121 8810
www: https://www.hawk.de/de
www: https://www.hawk.de/de/studium/bewerbung/kontakt-immatrikulationsamt
Address: Constantiaplatz 4, 26723 Emden
Telephone: 04921 8070
Email: Get in touch
www: https://www.hs-emden-leer.de/
Address: Friedrichswall 1, 30159 Hannover
Postal address: Post Office Box 1 01, 30001 Hannover
Telephone: 0511 120-5521
Email: Get in touch

Competent authority

The responsibility lies with the universities in Lower Saxony that offer the Bachelor's degree programmes in Childhood Education and grant state recognition of childhood educators.

Requirements

Before submitting your application , please use the individual counselling request in accordance with § 22 SozHeilKindVO. In this way, it can be clarified at an early stage whether an application for recognition makes sense at all.

Which documents are required?

You will need the following documents:

  • Tabular list of the training and study programmes you have completed and the number of gainful employment you have carried out
  • Indication of your contact details (address, current place of residence / e-mail)
  • Proof of identity
  • Certified university degree or bachelor's degree certificate including overviews of subjects and grades or other evidence of competence and training / transcript of records / Diploma Supplement on studying abroad
  • Certificate of authorization to practice the profession
  • Evidence of practical professional activities: Internship contracts and / or employment contracts, including the assessments with details of the practice facilities, showing the activities / tasks completed, the respective period and, if applicable, the evaluations of the activity.
  • Explanation of whether and to which body you have already submitted an application for a determination of equivalence and, if applicable, a decision on the determination of equivalence

All documents must be submitted 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.

At the time of application, knowledge of the German language at least at language level B2 is recommended.

For state recognition in Lower Saxony, at least 900 hours of practical work in pedagogical work with children aged 0-10 years must be proven.

 

What are the fees?

Fees may apply. Please contact the appropriate authority.

Process flow

For recognition, the competent authority checks on the basis of your certificates whether and to what extent your foreign qualification is a German qualification for the profession of childhood educator (B.A.) /of the Childhood Educator (B.A.). This review is based on defined formal and content-related criteria, such as the duration and content of the university studies. Your relevant professional experience will be taken into account as well as other relevant qualifications.

For recognition, the competent authority checks on the basis of your certificates whether and to what extent your foreign qualification is a German qualification for the profession of childhood educator (B.A.) /of the Childhood Educator (B.A.). This review is based on defined formal and content-related criteria, such as the duration and content of the university studies. Your relevant professional experience will be taken into account as well as other relevant qualifications.

Important note: For academic qualifications, you can apply for a basic assessment of your university degree by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). The assessment by the ZAB does not replace the procedure for state recognition to be applied for here (content review by a competent university).

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?
 

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

There are no deadlines to be observed. The deadline for submitting the application begins with the confirmation of the competent authority that the required documents are complete.

Processing duration

A maximum of three months.

What else should I know?

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.

Legal basis

Appeal

The decision can be appealed against

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)

Further Links

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Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
Access information on the single point of contact for the state of Lower Saxonyvisit Website Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsVisit advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families