Apply for participation in a vocational language course

Under certain conditions, you can apply for authorization to attend a vocational language course.

Is your German not yet good enough for your job or training? Then you can take part in a vocational language course. In vocational language courses, you will learn German related to your profession and the world of work.

You can apply to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) for authorization to take part in a vocational language course. To do so, you must

• already be working or
• be doing an apprenticeship or starting one soon or
• be in the recognition process for your profession or training.

Are you registered in Germany as a job seeker, training seeker or unemployed? In this case, please contact your local job center or employment agency. There you will receive authorization to participate in a vocational language course.

• Application for authorization to participate in a vocational language course

If you are doing an apprenticeship:

• Copy of your training contract or training confirmation from the vocational school
• Copy of your current residence permit or identity document
• Copy of your last language certificate

If you are working:

• Copy of your employment contract
• Copy of your current residence permit or identity document
• Copy of your most recent language certificate
• Copy of your income tax statement or, if not available, copies of your payslips for the last 3 months

If you are in the recognition process or have a professional license:

• Copy of your application for recognition of the foreign professional qualification
• Copy of the German translation of the proof of your foreign professional qualification
• Copy of your current residence permit or identity document
• Copy of your most recent language certificate
• Copy of your income tax statement or, if not available, copies of your payslips for the last 3 months

If you are applying for eligibility before the start of your training from abroad

• Copy of your training contract
• Copy of your identity document
• Copy of your last language certificate
• Confirmation of entry in the register of training relationships
  • or for nursing professions: Confirmation from the training institution
• Proof of prior approval from the Federal Employment Agency

• They have a migration background.
  • This is the case for immigrants from third countries, EU citizens and Germans with a migration background.
• You have already completed an integration course or have proof of language level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The requirements may vary depending on the course objective. For example
  • A1 for vocational language course with goal A2 or
  • A2 for a job-related language course.
• You need better language skills for work.
• You are
  • are already working,
  • are doing an apprenticeship or will soon be starting an apprenticeship or
  • are in the recognition process for your profession or training
• You do not receive any benefits from a job center or employment agency, for example unemployment benefit or citizen's allowance.

• Appeal
  You will find information on how to lodge an objection in the notification of your application.

You can apply to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) by e-mail or post for authorization to attend a vocational language course:

• Call up the application form on the BAMF website. There are several versions. Choose the version that suits your situation. It lists all the necessary information.
  • Example: "Application for authorization to participate for trainees"
• Complete the application form electronically (Word file).
• Sign the application form with a simple electronic signature, for example with an image of your scanned signature.
• Scan in the required documents and send the application by e-mail to the main BAMF office responsible for your region.
• Alternatively, you can print out the completed application. Send it with your signature and the required documents by post to the main BAMF office responsible for your region.
• Responsible for
  • Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt: Berlin main office
  • Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein: Hamburg main office
  • North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse: Main location Cologne
  • Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland: Main location Stuttgart
  • Bavaria: Main location Nuremberg
• The BAMF will check your application and contact you if anything is unclear or if any information is missing.
• If the BAMF approves your application, you will receive your authorization to participate in a vocational language course.
• With your authorization to participate, you can choose a language school and register for a vocational language course there.

There is no deadline.

Participation in the professional language course is free of charge if you earn less than EUR 20,000 per year. If you earn more, you pay EUR 2.56 per teaching unit. This amounts to a total of EUR 1,024 for a course with 400 teaching units. Your employer can also pay these costs.: Fee from 0,00 EUR to 2,56 EUR

There are no indications / special features.