Do I qualify for vocational training?

Citizens of the EU, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland

You are welcome to start vocational training in Germany at any time. You do not require a visa for entering Germany or for starting a vocational training programme. If you would like to live in Germany, you only have to register as a resident at a local Residents' Registration Office. Further information on this subject can be found here.

Citizens from other countries

You are welcome to start vocational training in Germany. In order to do so, you will need a visa for vocational training. You can apply for a visa at the German mission abroad in your country. To be granted a visa, you have to meet the following requirements:

• You have found a vocational training place at a company in Germany.
• If it is a dual or in-company vocational training, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) must approve your vocational training place, because your working conditions in the company are not to be different from German apprentices’ conditions. This will generally be verified during the visa procedure.
• You must be able to cover your living costs for the entire duration of your stay. In general, this means that you must provide evidence of having at least €959 per month (as of 2025) at your disposal. If you plan on taking part in a school-based vocational training programme, you can provide evidence of being able to cover your living costs by opening a blocked bank account or submitting a declaration of commitment. If you plan on taking part in a company-based vocational training programme, you will receive a training salary, which is also considered as evidence. If your training allowance is at least 990 euros gross per month (amount valid for the year 2025), your livelihood is considered secure. Should your training salary be insufficient, you are allowed to compensate the difference by showing that you are in possession of either a blocked bank account or a declaration of commitment.

For further information on visa requirements and the documents you need for visa applications (such as proof of German language skills), please contact the German embassy in your current country of residence. The addresses of the German missions abroad can be found in our overview of advisory and contact points.

If you wish to pursue a second job in Germany in addition to your vocational training, you are allowed to work in a profession that is independent of your vocational training for 20 hours per week. For example, you may work at a restaurant while training as a mechatronics engineer.

The kind of school-leaving certificate you need for taking up vocational training in Germany depends on the occupation and programme you are interested in:

• Dual vocational training: you do not need a school-leaving certificate in order to start training at a company in Germany. Each company decides at its own discretion which qualifications their candidates need. However, if a company has several candidates to choose from, a school-leaving certificate, good grades and adequate German language skills may be the key to getting the place. At BERUFENET you can assess your chances of getting a place as a trainee in your preferred occupation: look for the occupation you want to train for. Then click on “Ausbildung” to find out more about the admission requirements for your chosen vocational training programme.
• School-based vocational training: in order to be admitted to a course at a Berufsfachschule or Berufskolleg (full-time vocational school) you will need to have completed basic education and provide a school-leaving certificate from a school equivalent to either a Gymnasium or Realschule. For some vocational training programmes, you also need to prove that you already have some work experience in that area (e.g. through an internship). Moreover, some vocational training programmes may have minimum age requirements. More detailed information on admission requirements for various vocational training programmes is available at BERUFENET.
• Dual vocational degrees: in order to be admitted to a dual vocational degree combining academic studies and vocational training in a company, you need a university entrance qualification. In addition, you have to sign a vocational training contract with a company.

Recognition of school-leaving certificates

In order to find out whether you meet the requirements for a specific vocational training course, you should have your school-leaving certificate recognised. The recognition process establishes which German qualification your school-leaving certificate corresponds to, e.g. whether it is equivalent to a certificate from a Realschule (intermediate school certificate) or a German university entrance qualification. This will also make it easier for German companies to assess your qualifications. Click here to find out who is responsible for recognising your school certificates in Germany. If you only want to translate your certificates (proof of your school education or work experience) and present it in a clear and understandable form, you may want to consult Europass (website only available in German).

If you would like to apply for vocational training in Germany, your German language skills are very important. If the working language at your vocational school and your training company is German, you can expect your examination to be in German as well.

Check out our overview of advisory and contact points to locate a German language course in your country of origin. More information on language courses in Germany can be found here.