Apply for recognition as a specialist pharmacist with a professional qualification from third countries

Chamber of Pharmacists of Lower Saxony, Continuing Education Department

• Point of contact: There are many counselling services. These can be found on the Recognition in Germany portal. Seek personal advice from an IQ counselling centre on this procedure and your qualifications. The advisors will also help you with your documents before submitting your application. The consultation is free of charge. You can also call the hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The hotline answers any questions you may have about working and living in Germany.

• You must already have a valid state licence to practise as a pharmacist in Germany.
• You must prove the equivalence of your professional qualification as a specialist pharmacist.

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: Yes

Personal appearance required: No

• Curriculum vitae with details of completed further education and professional experience
• Proof of identity (ID card or passport)
• Proof of German license to practice medicine
• Certificates of further education and professional experience
• additional evidence to check equivalence
• Written declaration as to whether you have already submitted an application for recognition to another Chamber of Pharmacists
• If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. Translations must be carried out by translators who are publicly appointed or authorised.

Before you apply, you must already have a licence to practise as a pharmacist in Germany.

You can apply for recognition of your continuing education title as a specialist pharmacist at the responsible State Chamber of Pharmacists:

• First, submit your application and the required documents to the Chamber of Pharmacists of the state in which you want to work.
• If necessary, you will be asked to submit missing documents.
• The competent authority will check whether your training is equivalent. The training is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign training and the German continuing education.
• You will receive a notification.
• If significant differences are identified, you will not be certified as having the equivalence of your qualification as a specialist pharmacist:
• You will receive a justification.
• If necessary, conditions will be imposed. This can be attending seminars, conducting expert discussions with an authorised specialist pharmacist or even providing evidence of certain practical activities.
• If you pass the exam successfully, you will receive recognition. You may then use the title "specialist pharmacist" for your specialisation.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (e.g. lodge an appeal). The decision will then be reviewed. Details on this can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. It is best to talk to the competent authority first before taking legal action against the decision.

There are no deadlines.

Applications must be submitted to the continuing education department of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Pharmacists.

• Information on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the Recognition in Germany portal
• Chamber of Pharmacists of Lower Saxony - Continuing Education
• Publicly appointed translators in Germany

• Lower Saxony Continuing Education Regulations
• Chamber Act for Health Professions

• Contradiction
• Further information on how to file an objection can be found in the notification of your application
• Appeal before the Administrative Court