Federal Voluntary Service Implementation
The regular duration of a Federal Voluntary Service is twelve months. However, it can also be agreed or extended for a period of between six or 18 months. Within the framework of a special pedagogical concept, the duration can also be up to 24 months.
The Federal Voluntary Service is accompanied pedagogically. For this purpose, 25 seminar days are mandatory for a twelve-month period of service for volunteers under 27 years of age. Volunteers aged 27 and over attend seminar days to an appropriate extent. Attendance of the seminars is considered as a period of service. The concept of the Federal Voluntary Service provides for the acquisition of so-called professional qualifications. Where appropriate, the service may be counted as a traineeship. At the end of the period of service, the competent authority will issue you with a certificate and a certificate. This contains information on the type, duration and professional characteristics of the service.
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the place of use.
Responsible authorities
Bundesfreiwilligendienst - Einsatzstellensuche
Requirements
- Completion of full-time compulsory education
- for foreigners
- Residence permit that allows a corresponding activity in Germany
- if necessary, an occupational medical examination
Which documents are required?
Documents may be required. Please contact the competent authority.
What are the fees?
There are no fees.
Process flow
The daily working time corresponds to full-time employment. If you have reached the age of 27, you can also perform your service part-time (with more than 20 hours per week).
The first six weeks of service are considered a probationary period. The service can be terminated during this period with a notice period of two weeks. After the probationary period, the notice period is four weeks, in each case at the 15th or at the end of the month. In addition, the employment relationship may also be terminated prematurely for good cause ‐ e.g. due to the start of vocational training or studies. During the period of service, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) or the Youth Employment Protection Act (JArbSchG) as well as the provisions of the Federal Holiday Act (BUrlG) apply. For example, if you have a service period of twelve months, you are entitled to 24 days of leave.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
There are no general deadlines for applications. However, some placements and institutions may have fixed deadlines for applications and entry into service.
