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Late repatriates; application for recognition of a university degree or authorization to hold a degree

Ethnic German repatriates can apply for recognition of their foreign university degree and authorization to hold a degree.

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Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst
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Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm
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Procedure details

Late repatriates who hold a valid certificate in accordance with the Law on the Affairs of Expellees and Refugees (Federal Expellees Act, BVFG) can apply for recognition of their foreign university degree and authorization to use a foreign academic degree or title in the form of the corresponding German academic degree or title.

As part of the recognition procedure, it is checked whether the higher education examinations taken or qualifications acquired in the resettlement areas are equivalent to the corresponding German examinations or qualifications.

As part of the approval procedure, it is checked whether the foreign academic degrees or titles acquired in the resettlement areas are equivalent to the corresponding German academic degrees.

Responsibilities

  • If the foreign degree leads to a non-regulated profession and is comparable to a German degree at university level , the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts is responsible.
  • If the foreign degree leads to a non-regulated profession and is comparable to a German degree from a university of applied sciences , the Nuremberg Institute of Technology is responsible.

You need a valid certificate as an ethnic German resettler in accordance with the Federal Expellee Act.

You must have passed or acquired your university examinations or certificates of qualification before leaving the resettlement area.

  • The application to the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts must be accompanied by the following evidence and information:
    • Certificate according to § 15 of the Federal Expellee Act or expellee identity card in officially certified photocopy
    • Current official registration confirmation of main residence in the Free State of Bavaria
    • Curriculum vitae in tabular form in German with particular reference to educational and professional background (stating the beginning and end (month/year) of school and university education as well as any interruptions in studies)
    • School-leaving certificate entitling the applicant to study, as an uncertified photocopy of the original (not of the German translation)
    • University degree diploma or certificate in officially certified photocopy of the original (not of the German translation)
    • Study book or comparable evidence of the course of study, e.g. grade and matriculation sheet, study supplement, list of subjects, index, certificate and certificate of university examinations taken or similar in an uncertified photocopy of the original (not of the German translation)
    • Information on the topic, scope and completion time of any final degree thesis ("Diplomarbeit")
    • Official proof of identity if the (current) name according to the application differs from the name stated in the proof to be submitted (e.g. due to marriage in the meantime)
    • If you already have translations into German of the required foreign-language educational certificates (e.g. from your country of origin) and enclose (uncertified) photocopies of these, you can speed up the procedure. It is not necessary to prepare translations specifically for this application!
    • If you have already submitted a corresponding application to another authority in Bavaria or another German federal state, please enclose copies of the existing documents (approval or rejection of your previous application)
    • If you have already received a certificate evaluation from the Central Office for Foreign Education, please enclose a copy of this.

    Further documents or information may be required in individual cases. These may be requested from you separately.

    For organizational reasons, the documents you submit cannot be returned to you. Therefore, please do not submit any originals!

If the foreign degree is to be compared with a German degree at university level , the application must be submitted to the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts using the form provided.

If the foreign degree is to be compared with a German degree from a university of applied sciences, the application must be submitted to the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm.

Recognition of the foreign university degree examination and approval to award the degree is free of charge.

You must have passed or acquired your university examinations or qualifications before leaving the resettlement area.

If the foreign degree leads to a regulated profession, the recognition procedure cannot be applied for at the Nuremberg Institute of Technology Georg Simon Ohm or the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts. In this case, the respective specialized authorities are responsible. With the "Recognition Finder" (see under "Further links") you can find the office responsible for your request with just a few clicks.

Status: 23.10.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst
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