The documents — and what applies when they are missing

Degree, subject and hours transcript and proof of practice in sworn translation. If papers are missing through no fault of yours, § 14 BQFG establishes your qualification through work samples and an interview.

✓ Verified: 22/08/2026

WHAT TO DO

Write a tabular list of all training and employment — § 5 (1) no. 1 BQFG requires it expressly IN GERMAN, not in the language of your certificates

Obtain the degree certificate together with the subject and hours transcript: what is compared is content, not the name of the qualification
Collect proof of practice — employment references with role, duration and scope, while your former employers are still reachable
Enclose the declaration that you have not previously applied for a determination of equivalence (§ 5 (1) no. 5 BQFG) — almost everyone forgets this
Have the translation made by a publicly appointed or sworn translator only; § 5 (2) BQFG accepts no other
If documents are missing through no fault of yours, apply for a qualification analysis under § 14 BQFG instead of giving up

DOCUMENTS 6

Tabular list of training and employment in German
Proof of identity (passport copy)
Qualification certificates obtained abroad
Evidence of relevant professional experience
Declaration that no application has been made before
Translation by a publicly appointed or sworn translator

COSTS

€

Anerkennungszuschuss for the procedure or ZAB statement 100–600 €

income limit 32 000 € gross a year, 50 000 € for married couples
€

Anerkennungszuschuss for qualification measures up to 3 000 €

per person, in addition to funding for the procedure itself

The qualification alone decides nothing. What is compared is the content: which subjects, how many hours, how much practice. That is why the subject and hours transcript is the most important paper in the pile — not the certificate with the seal.

§ 5 BQFG lists five mandatory items, and two of them appear on no certificate: the tabular list of your training and employment in German, and the declaration that you have not applied before. Those two are missing most often — with the result that the application is incomplete and the clock has not started.

And if the pile is incomplete, the road does not end. § 14 BQFG knows the case where evidence is missing through no fault of your own — after flight, war, or because a university no longer exists. Then the qualification is established another way: work sample, professional interview, examination, expert opinion. The route is longer, but it is provided for in the law and is not an act of grace.

› Details and tips

👩🏼‍💼

Lea recommends:

The transcript of hours per subject is the document most often missing and hardest to obtain later. Get it from your university before you have anything translated — without it nobody can compare your studies to the German ones.

👨🏻‍💻

Max recommends:

A friend had everything translated first and then learned the authority wanted four of his eleven documents. Request the authority checklist first, then go to the translator — it saves a three-figure sum.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My certificates were lost in the war — is that the end of it? ▾

No. § 14 BQFG is written for exactly this case: where an applicant cannot produce the evidence for reasons they are not responsible for, the authority establishes their skills through other suitable procedures. The law names them explicitly: work samples, professional interviews, practical and theoretical examinations, and expert opinions.

What exactly must I prove for § 14 BQFG? ▾

Not the qualification but the reasons that prevent you from producing it — and credibly so. The authority may require and accept a declaration in lieu of an oath. So what you evidence is why the paper is missing, not what you can do.

What do most people leave out of the application? ▾

The declaration under § 5 (1) no. 5 BQFG that you have not applied for a determination of equivalence before. It is a mandatory part of the file, appears on no certificate, and is therefore missing constantly — and without complete documents the three-month period under § 6 (3) BQFG does not even start to run.

Do I need an apostille? ▾

Not automatically. A sworn translation is regularly required; an apostille or legalisation only where the competent authority expressly asks for it for your country of origin. Ask before ordering — it costs time and money that often nobody needs.

Who pays for translation and fees? ▾

The Anerkennungszuschuss covers 100 to 600 € for the procedure or the statement of comparability, plus up to 3 000 € per person for qualification measures. The condition is an annual income below 32 000 € gross, or below 50 000 € for married couples and civil partnerships.

The documents — and what applies when they are missing

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

OFFICIAL SOURCES