Recognition of a Medical Degree in Germany

Obtaining a medical practice license, known as Approbation in Germany, opens the doors to professional opportunities in one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world.

An increasing number of doctors and nurses want to move and start working as medical professionals in Germany. High salaries, a respected profession, quality equipment, regulated working hours—these are just a few factors that set Germany apart from many other countries.

However, recognizing your diploma is a process that requires a lot of time and effort, and often, without a clear plan of action, doctors may give up on this idea before even starting due to fear of the unknown.

That’s why we’ve prepared material on how to validate a medical degree and obtain Approbation for doctors and nurses who graduated from medical universities outside the European Union (Drittstaat) and want to start working as doctors in Germany.

This is the first question that arises, and the answer is quite simple—start by learning the German language.

A necessary condition for obtaining Approbation is knowledge of the German language. To work as a doctor or nurse, you need to have at least a B2 level of German, though a C1 level is preferable. Check out our article for more information on the level of medical German needed to work as a doctor or nurse.

However, it is not required to have a B2 certificate when submitting documents; you can apply with an A2 level of German and continue learning the language.

Next, you need to decide which federal state in Germany you would like to move to and work in.

The choice of federal state is very important because the validity of your temporary work permit (Berufserlaubnis) will be limited to this state, and moving to another state during the diploma recognition process can be quite difficult.

Choosing the state is also crucial for understanding what documents you will need, as requirements may differ across federal states.

So soon? Yes!

The thing is, to accredit your medical education in Germany, you must have documented proof of employment. This is usually an Einstellungszusage (written job offer) or a work contract from an employer in Germany.

While learning the language, you can begin preparing your documents to obtain a temporary work permit in Germany as a doctor or nurse.

As mentioned earlier, it’s important to know exactly which documents are required. To find out, you need to locate the office responsible for diploma recognition in your federal state.

However, the basic set of documents includes:

Once you have gathered the necessary documents, they need to be apostilled by the issuing authority.

Certified documents must be translated into German. Translations must be made by a sworn German translator. Translations done by other translators are not accepted in Germany.

To begin work under a Berufserlaubnis, almost all federal states in Germany require you to pass a language exam testing your medical vocabulary.

The exam typically consists of three parts:

This exam assesses your knowledge of medical terminology, your ability to communicate with patients, and your capacity to switch from general language to medical terminology.

By the way, we recently discussed the most common mistakes in the FSP! Check this out to avoid them!

The Berufserlaubnis is a temporary work permit with certain limitations. To lift these limitations and work on equal terms with German colleagues, you need to obtain Approbation.

You can do this in two ways: by diploma recognition (Gutachten) or by passing the medical exam Kenntnisprüfung.

This involves comparing the German curriculum with the one you followed. No significant gaps should be found, otherwise, you will need to take the Kenntnisprüfung.

This exam is structured similarly to the Fachsprachprüfung and consists of three parts: patient history taking and examination, medical documentation, and discussing the clinical case with colleagues. The difference is that here, your medical knowledge is assessed in all fields, regardless of your area of specialization.

That’s it! Obtaining Approbation is the final step in integrating a foreign doctor into the German healthcare system. After this, you can continue working as a doctor or nurse in Germany! Approbation has no expiration date, is recognized throughout Germany, and can only be revoked due to a serious medical mistake.