School

Germany has over 32,000 schools located throughout the country, all of which guarantee the same minimum standard. In Germany, responsibility for school education lies with the 16 Länder. Since the onset of the war, all the Länder have been preparing to provide an unbureaucratic welcome to refugee pupils at their many schools and to guarantee school places for their education.

As a rule, compulsory education in Germany begins for all children in the year that they turn six and usually involves nine full-time school years (in Berlin, Brandenburg and Bremen ten full-time school years, in North-Rhine Westphalia nine years at a grammar school and ten full-time school years at other general schools).

The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (KMK) is responsible for coordinating overall school policy. For information and contact points which address school issues in the Land in which you currently reside, go to the KMK website Ukraine. 

General information about school education (in German)

Training and work

In-company training (also known as ‘dual training’) is the most common form of vocational training in Germany. Training is provided both in a company and at a part-time vocational school. There are more than 320 training occupations. The BerufeNavi internet portal provides support to young people on their path towards training. BerufeNavi offers a high-quality compilation of verified links to online information about career orientation and finding a training place. An introduction to the site and a user’s guide in English, Ukrainian and Russian is here.

The KAUSA Coordinating Agency for Training and Migration and its regional offices offer support to young people with a (forced) migration background as they transition to training. KAUSA also supports small and medium-sized enterprises that want to become a company providing training. The internet portal provides links to further offers of support for Ukrainians who have fled their country.

The Career Orientation for Refugees (BOF) Programme helps people who are no longer of school age but in need of support to find a training place or introductory training. During their BOF courses, participants acquire the specialist terminology and knowledge for the training occupation they aspire to enter and gather practical experience in training workshops and companies.

The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has dedicated a web page to information for Ukrainian refugees (in German).

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs provides information about work and social benefits.

The local employment office can help you find suitable job opportunities.

Foreign professional qualifications and their recognition in Germany

Ukrainians who have fled their country can take up employment immediately in one of several hundred occupations if they have been granted a residence permit in accordance with section 24 Residence Act or a provisional residence document which also grants the right to work (statement “Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt”). This applies to the so-called non-regulated professions, for example office manager, or for academic professions such as biologist, chemist or mathematician.

However, recognition is mandatory for employment in a regulated profession. Regulated professions are protected by law, for example in the care and healthcare sectors and in education. They include healthcare professions such as medical doctor and nurse as well as teachers and educators. The regulated professions also include legally protected professional titles (e.g. engineer), certificates and proof of expertise in a few self-employment contexts and advanced qualifications such as the German Meister or Fachwirt. 

Information about whether a recognition procedure is necessary, what documents are needed and about other opportunities is available in several languages on the official Recognition in Germany portal of the German Federal Government.

Counselling and support is provided free of charge, for example at the advisory offices of the funding programme “Integration through Qualification”. Go to Counselling search on the “Recognition in Germany” website to find an advisory office near you. The “Working and Living in Germany” hotline provides answers to questions about entry into the country, residence, job search and German language classes. It also provides an initial consultation about the recognition of professional qualifications. The hotline can be reached Monday – Friday from 8.00 to 18.00 (CET) on: +49 30 1815 – 1111.

A Statement of Comparability can be helpful for holders of a foreign university degree when applying for a job in a non-regulated profession. The Statement of Comparability is an official document certifying the quality of your higher education qualification. It describes your degree and the possibilities of using it for professional and academic purposes. Applications for a Statement of Comparability can be submitted to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) at the Secretariat of the Standing Conference of Länder Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK). Information about the application process for a Statement of Comparability is available in German, English and Ukrainian.

You can apply for recognition in Germany if you have gained school leaving or professional qualifications abroad. See here for FAQs about the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Germany and other topics. Key information has been compiled in this flyer in German, English and Ukrainian.

Higher education and support for researchers

The National Academic Contact Point Ukraine of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides consolidated information and offers of support for students and researchers. The Contact Point website compiles information for students and researchers about residence, admission to university, studies, research and life in Germany. Information is available in German and English. Information in Ukrainian is currently being added. The website is meant to provide Ukrainian students with orientation in Germany’s higher education system. It is also a platform for Germany’s higher education and research community to compile and structure announcements about the many support offers available. Based on the DAAD's advisory services, the National Academic Contact Point Ukraine also offers targeted answers to individual enquiries. See here for the contact form.

Ukrainian refugees who have been granted a residence permit as per section 24 Residence Act (AufenthaltsG) or an equivalent provisional residence document are eligible from 1 June 2022 to apply for financial assistance in accordance with the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), provided they meet all other requirements for BAföG eligibility.

European cooperation

At European level, the BMBF works closely with the European Commission and the Member States to provide support for people who have fled Ukraine. The School Education Gateway (access to learning materials in Ukrainian language, online courses for teaching staff), the eTwinning portal (joint platform for schools in Europe and beyond) and ERA4Ukraine (information portal for researchers) are European platforms which provide consolidated information about support offers. Horizon Europe, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, also provides European funding for Ukrainian research institutions participating in joint projects or financial assistance to Ukrainian researchers who have been forced to flee so that they can continue their work at a European host institution. Information and support services for students and participants in the Erasmus+ programme is here.

Further information

The vhs-Lernportal offers online German language courses at different levels, ranging from A1 to B2. These courses are suitable for self-learning. Learners are guided by online tutors who correct exercises, give feedback, and provide individual advice and motivation. No previous knowledge is required to make use of the learning portal. It has been adapted for use on a smartphone and can also be accessed via app should there be a temporary interruption of Internet service. The German Adult Education Association (DVV) has provided a Ukrainian translation of the portal’s landing and registration pages and other content of the website.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior answers questions about arrival from Ukraine on this special website. It provides basic information about help in finding accommodation or medical care in Germany.

Ukrainian and third country nationals who have fled Ukraine can also refer to the website of the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration for questions and answers. Information is updated as it becomes available.

The BMBF provides research support to various institutions and for projects in peace and conflict research, Eastern European research, and refugee and forced migration research which addresses the history of Ukraine and/or the background and consequences of the Russian war of aggression. See here for further information.