Foreign school-leaving qualification; application for recognition

The Certificate Recognition Office at the State Office for Schools evaluates general school-leaving certificates from abroad or from another federal state if a vocational school or university in Bavaria cannot decide independently on the admission of a person.

Have you applied for an apprenticeship or an undergraduate course of study (e.g. Bachelor's degree) in Bavaria and the vocational school (e.g. vocational school or vocational college) or university requires recognition of your general school-leaving certificate for admission? Then you can submit an application for certificate recognition. You can find detailed information about the certificate recognition process on our homepage at https://www.las.bayern.de/zeugnisanerkennung/allgemeinbildende_schulabschluesse/

Are you currently attending school in Bavaria and would like to obtain a university entrance certificate abroad that will later be recognized in Germany? Do you have questions about the assessment of non-Bavarian school-leaving certificates for admission to a school in Bavaria? Then please contact us for advice using the contact details provided.

We are also happy to advise Bavarian schools and universities directly on questions regarding the assessment of non-Bavarian school-leaving qualifications.

Not the right one for you? Information on related topics and other relevant bodies can be found below under "Related links" and "Related topics".

You can submit an application to the Certificate Recognition Office if you

• have obtained your school-leaving certificate abroad or in another country of the Federal Republic of Germany and
• a Bavarian institution, e.g. a vocational school or a university, requests recognition from you and has referred you to our office for assessment.

1. application

You apply directly for the desired training or study place with your certificates. The school or university itself decides on your admission. Recognition of certificates is often not necessary.

2. confirmation

If the school or university in question requires certificate recognition in your case for admission to training or study, you will receive written confirmation of this from the school or university. Please understand that we can only open a recognition procedure with such confirmation.

3. application

Please submit all the necessary documents (see below) by post.

4. processing

Processing usually takes several weeks. During this period, please refrain from asking questions about the processing status. If you would like confirmation of receipt, please use the Deutsche Post's consignment tracking service (registered mail).
The procedure is free of charge.
The highest possible school-leaving qualification is always checked.

• written confirmation from the educational institution in Bavaria, e.g. (vocational) school or university, of the need for certificate recognition, issued in your name
• Fully completed application form (please include contact address in Germany)
• simple copy of identity card or passport, photo page only - serial numbers and photo can be blacked out (if you have more than one nationality, please provide one copy of each passport)
• If applicable, proof of the change of name (e.g. marriage certificate) as a single copy
• Written power of attorney for third parties, if applicable
• Curriculum vitae in tabular form with monthly details of all school levels attended from the 1st grade of primary school and any qualifications obtained - please also include periods of study (subject, duration of study, university)
• officially certified copies of the foreign-language originals of educational certificates
  • Final certificate(s) with overview of subjects and grades. If no degree was obtained, please submit at least the last two annual reports
  • Proof that you have passed the university entrance examination, if required in the respective country
  • if you have already started or completed your studies abroad: Overview of subjects and grades for all academic achievements and, if applicable, university diploma
• Translations of all educational certificates in officially certified photocopies No translation is required for English and French language certificates.
• Addition

  In some cases it is necessary to submit the original foreign-language certificates, in which case you will receive a separate message.

• Please note our information sheets on the submission of certifications and translations