Recognition of foreign certificates

Question

I’m an unaccompanied 16 year old asylum seeker who has applied for asylum in Germany, I currently reside in passau In a Berufsschule. I’m finishing my first year in the Berufsschule in a week and I have to do another year with Praktikum.

My asylum case is still pending.

Before In Iraq I attended a British international school from grade 8-10 and before in a Turkish international school from grades 1-7.

My question is, how can I recognize my Schulabschluss and certificates from Iraq in Germany, does them being British international certificates matter? How long would it take for recognition ?Can I leave the Berufsschule and directly go into ausbuldung or Abitur?My case is incredibly complex .

Answer 1

Dear Salar Hussein,

Welcome to the Wefugees Community and thank you for reaching out to us.

I think it is a bit difficult to answer your very imporant questions in a general way. I am not an expert on the schooling system in Germany, but I know the "Berufsschule", for instance, as school within the dual apprenticeship system - when people are doing an "Ausbildung". Are you finishing a kind of preperation programme?

I would highly recommend to contact a youth migration counselling office (JMD) in Passau as they are specialiced on these topics and they can support you with the recognition process of your certificates as well. I saw that Diakonie as well as Caritas offer the JMD service in Passau. Please follow the links for their contact details.

In any case, please also don't hesitate to get back to us with any further questions.

All the best,

Meike

Answer 2

Hi @Salar Hussein

Just to add to my colleague's answer: You apply to have your school certificates recognised with the recognition office of the Bavarian school authority (Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle  - Landesamt für Schule). It does not cost anything. Here is the application form:

https://***.las.bayern.de/zeugnisanerkennung/allgemeinbildende_schulabschluesse/downloads/Antragsformular_ZASt_englisch.pdf

You have to indicate on the form for what purpose you need to have them recognised.

I cannot say how long it will take but generally it is a lengthy process.

You can go directly into an Ausbildung without finishing the Berufsschule. It depends what kind of Ausbildung you wish to do. There are some where a school certificate is not required but many which require one. Depending on the complexity of the Ausbildung, they will ask for a Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss or Abitur.

I am not sure what you mean by going directly into the Abitur. Do you mean going to a Gymnasium and doing the Abitur or going to a night school (called Abendgymnasium) to get your Abitur? To go to night school you have to be at least 18 and either have a recognised school certificate at Realschule level or pass an exam.

I recommend you contact the service ‘Jugendmigrationsdienst’ as my colleague suggested. This is a special service for young migrants and they have expertise in things like having foreign school certificates recognised.

Best,

Éanna

Comments

Thank you so much for the very important additional information, dear @mbeon-Éanna!