If you want to study, work or apply for a German visa, you may need to check whether your educational qualification is recognised in Germany. The first practical step is usually to check your university and degree in the official anabin database.
This guide is for questions like: is my university recognised in Germany, what does H+ or H+/- mean in anabin, when do I need a ZAB Statement of Comparability, and what should I do if my degree is missing?
Check if your degree is valid in Germany: quick answer
- Check the institution: search your university/college in anabin and look for H+, H- or H+/-.
- Check the degree: an H+ university is not always enough; your specific degree or degree type may also need to match.
- H+: the institution is generally recognised in Germany, but still check the degree entry.
- H-: the institution is not recognised as equivalent in Germany.
- H+/-: recognition depends on the institution branch, programme or degree, so you need a closer check.
- If unclear: look at the ZAB Statement of Comparability process, especially when your university is H+ but your degree is missing.
Official references: anabin university recognition instructions, Make it in Germany foreign academic qualification guidance, and ZAB Statement of Comparability.
If you apply for a job, study programme, Opportunity Card, EU Blue Card or skilled-worker visa in Germany, your academic credentials can play an important role.
In many cases, you need to show that your foreign university and degree are recognised or comparable. This post explains the anabin check first; the separate ZAB guide explains what to do when an official Statement of Comparability is needed.
General Information
The recognition process allows job-seekers in Germany to compare their current qualifications with the closest German degree. There is no room for ambiguity in this official process that is mandated by the German federal law. And an additional study may be necessary if your degree doesn’t measure up.
Professional recognition generally takes place via bodies that govern specific sectors such as medicine or psychotherapy. In the academic world, an organization called the Central Office for Foreign Education (better known as ZAB – Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen) performs the same role.
ZAB also issues the Statement of Comparability, an official document that describes how your foreign academic qualification compares with a German qualification. This is especially relevant if your university is listed as H+ but your specific degree is not listed or your case is unclear.
Where can you check whether your degree is valid?
In most cases, admissions personnel can check university qualifications using a tool called Anabin. Anabin, run by ZAB, is a worldwide database of qualifications. It is an essential tool for students to check whether their university qualifications meet German standards. From the standpoint of students.
How to check whether your university is recognised
Checking if your university or college institution is recognised in Germany
The very first step is to check that your institution is recognised in Germany. Here there are three categories:
- H+ (your institution is recognised in Germany)
- H- (your institution is not recognised in Germany and neither are any of the qualifications awarded by your institution)
- H+/- (only certain qualifications from your institution are recognised in Germany. Follow the instructions in the section below titled What to do if your institution is classified as H+/-.
Follow the below step by step process to search your University on the Anabin Database.
1 – Click on Suchen which means search
2 – Select your country by clicking on the below mentioned place.
3 – Enter your college name in the highlighted portion mentioned below
4- Example mentioned below for the college search.
Note: If you cannot find your institution on Anabin, this does not automatically mean your institution is not recognised in Germany. It may simply be because no has previously requested for a qualification from your institution to be compared before. If you are in this situation then you have to apply for Statement of Comparability.
How to check whether your degree is accepted in Germany
Follow the below step by step process to search your University on the Anabin Database.
1. To check the academic degree go to the Anabin Database & Select on „Suchen nach Abschlüssen” (search by academic degree) or „Suchen nach Abschlusstypen” (search by degree type).
2. Select the country in which you got your degree from. Click on „Länderauswahl bestätigen” (confirm country selection).
3. You can also narrow down the search result by selecting the degree as well.
by selecting „Abschlusstypen” (type of degree) or “Studienrichtungen” (field of study). You can also use
the search fields. One term or part of a term can be entered per search field. Any number of search fields can be added. Click on „Suchen starten” (start search) at the end. Alternatively, you can search for your academic degree in the extended list.
4. After finding your academic degree, check the complete search results in the detail window by clicking the purple icon with the white + sign.
Your academic degree is comparable to a German university degree if it is listed as „entspricht“ or
„gleichwertig“ (German for “equivalent” or “corresponding”) to a German university degree.
Please note that degrees that are listed as „entspricht Fachschule” (corresponds to Fachschule) are not comparable to any German university degree.
Example for Engineering Degree
Now we know how to check whether your educational qualification is valid in Germany or not?
What to do if your institution is classified as H+
The institutions of this type are significantly recognised as higher education institutions in the respective country of origin (accredited, attested, etc.) and are based on this as universities in Germany.
Research institutes are also included, especially for countries of the former socialist world, as they offer doctorates and habitations.
Since these qualifications are equivalent to those in higher education institutions, the research institutes are also included in this category.
What to do if your institution is classified as H-
Institutions of this type of institution are not to be regarded as higher education institutions for the time being or in the long term.
What to do if your institution is classified as H+/-
For these institutions, uniform status determination is not possible at the level of the institution type. So in this case you will have to check for the degree offered by this institution and see if it valid degree or not.
You will have to follow the steps mentioned above to see your educational qualification valid in Germany or not.
As mentioned before as well if you are unable to find your degree here then you will have to look and apply for the Statement of Comparability from ZAB.
This was all the information which you need to check if your degree in valid in Germany or not and I have tried to include all the things you need to use the Anabin database to see if your educational qualification is valid in Germany or not.
Do let me know if you have any question is comments or you have any questions about Germany by sending me a message using Contact Me
Few things which you can follow –
How to apply for Statement of Comparability?
12 Reasons Why Moving to Germany From India Might Not Be For You
Moving to Germany
Living in Germany
