Your recognition procedure as Social education worker, social worker (m/f)
in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein
- The profession of Social education worker, social worker (m/f) is regulated in Schleswig-Holstein.
- Recognition of your professional qualification is necessary for you to be able to work in the profession in Germany.
- Recognition has many advantages.
The competent authority
Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur
Competent authority for assessment of equal ranking
Fachhochschule Kiel - Fachbereich Soziale Arbeit und Gesundheit
Ms Prof. Dr. Ariane Schorn
Ms Gesa Wulff
Competent authority for the assessment of equivalence in content and for state recognition
Quick-Info
Three procedures are necessary in Schleswig-Holstein
- Assessment of equal status
- Assessment of professional (material) equivalence
Once equivalence has been successfully determined, you must apply for the third procedure. This procedure is referred to as:
- Issuing of state recognition
- Equal status of your qualification with a German higher education qualification
- Professional equivalence of your professional qualification
- Professional experience (year of recognition)
- Knowledge of German
Please note: In order to work as a social education worker or social worker, you usually need to provide evidence of your personal aptitude and medical fitness. Your employer will check your personal aptitude and medical fitness at the time of hiring at the latest.
- You require knowledge of German at level C1 of the Common European Reference Framework for languages.
- When applying for professional equivalence (step 2), you must submit a language certificate.
Duration for the assessment of the professional equivalence:
- One month at the latest following receipt of your application by the competent authority: The competent authority will notify you of receipt of the documents. They will inform you if documents are missing. The procedure begins when the documents are complete.
- After 3 months at the latest you will receive notice containing the result. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure.
- Assessment of Equal Status: €102
- Assessment of professional equivalence: €10 per semester (in case of compensation measures)
- Issuance of state recognition: €15
- There may be additional costs, e.g. for certifications or compensation measures
- Information about financial support
Documents for my application
In most cases in Schleswig-Holstein, three applications are required for the recognition procedure for state-recognised social worker or state-recognised social education worker.
Documents for application 1 (Assessment of equal status):
- A signed application form for which no form is provided submitted to the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in Schleswig-Holstein and a completed personal information form or
- Application form for a Statement of Comparability by the the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)
- Proof of identity (e.g. passport or personal identification)
- Marriage certificate (if your name has changed through marriage)
- Qualification certificate from the higher education institution (with summary of subjects and documentation of your specialist placement)
Documents for application 2 (Assessment of professional equivalence):
- A signed application for which there is no standard form
- Proof of identity (e.g. passport or personal identification)
- Marriage certificate (if your name has changed through marriage)
- Curriculum vitae
- Certificate of equal status of your qualification (result of application 1: Certificate from the ministry or Statement of Comparability for Foreign higher Education Qualifications from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)).
- Evidence of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, certificate of entitlement)
- Evidence of the content and duration of your training (e.g. diploma supplement, transcript of records)
- Evidence of your other qualifications (e.g. continuing vocational training, seminars)
- Evidence of your knowledge of German: language certificate
- Maybe you must prove your intention to start work in Schleswig-Holstein: Evidence of this includes job applications and invitations to interviews
- Information about an application for recognition already submitted. In this case state to which authority you applied.
- If the profession is regulated in your country of training: Certification that you are permitted to work in your occupation in your country of training.
Documents for application 3 (Issuing of state recognition)
- Application form of the competent authority
- Evidence of assessment of equal status and assessment of professional equivalence
- Passport photo
The competent authority will inform you as to which documents you must produce as originals or submit as copies. Some copies must be officially certified. We recommend that you do not send originals by post.
You must submit your documents in German. Sworn or authorised translators must prepare the translations.
My steps to recognition
- You can submit the applications with the documents to the competent authority.
- You can also send the applications by post to the competent authority. Do not send originals.
- You may be able to send the applications via email. Ask your competent authority before you do. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents.
- You are able to apply online. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents. Use the federal state internet portal for the online application. You will then leave our information page.
To the internet portal of Schleswig-Holstein
1. Assessment of equal status
The competent authority assesses the status of your qualification in this procedure. This means it checks the ranking of the relevance of the qualification. In this step, the competent authority does not check the content of your training. You can apply for this either from the competent Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in Schleswig-Holstein or you can apply for a Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
You receive a certificate from the competent authority regarding the equal status or you receive the statement of comparability. You need the certificate for the next step.
2. Assessment of professional (material) equivalence
The certificate of equal status enables you to submit the “Application for assessment of professional equivalence”. You apply to Kiel University of Applied Sciences which is the competent authority.
After one month at the latest, the competent authority will confirm that the application has arrived. Once it has received all the documents from you, it processes your application.
The competent authority carries out an equivalence assessment: It compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification as social education worker and social worker. As part of this, the competent authority takes into account your professional experience, other certificates and other qualifications. The competent authority then checks other requirements for the recognition. This includes, e.g. your knowledge of German.
The procedure takes a maximum of 3 months. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure. At the end, the competent authority sends you a notice containing the result.
3. Issuing of state recognition
The competent authority (Kiel University of Applied Sciences) checks whether there is an equivalent professional qualification. It also checks whether you have sufficient practical professional experience. In most cases you are required to complete the practical year (recognition year) in Germany and sit a final examination. The competent authority will inform you about this.
Outcome: Recognition
Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are formally equivalent (equal status) and professionally equivalent. You fulfil all other requirements and have the necessary practical experience (recognition year). Your professional qualification is recognised.
You receive a certificate. You are permitted to use the professional title “state-recognised social education worker” or “state-recognised social worker”. Professionally you have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.
Outcome: No recognition because the professional qualification is not equivalent.
There are substantial differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification. You are not able to compensate for these differences with your professional experience and other knowledge of the profession. Your professional qualification is therefore not equivalent to the German professional qualification.
In most cases you are able to complete a compensation measure. This allows you to compensate for the substantial differences.
Outcome: No recognition because you do not meet all the requirements.
Your professional qualification is equivalent. However, you do not meet all other requirements for the recognition. You may still need to provide evidence that you e.g. have knowledge of German. In most cases you are also required to complete the recognition year. The competent authority will inform you of which evidence is missing.
You are able to take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. Details on this procedure can be found in the legal redress advice (German: “Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung”) at the end of your notice. We recommend that you speak to a counselling centre first before challenging the decision or taking legal action.
Compensation measures
If your professional qualification is not equivalent you can complete a compensation measure. A compensation measure allows you to compensate for substantial differences. Substantial differences are listed in your notice.
There are a range of compensation measures:
- Adaptation period: The course consists of two parts and takes a maximum of three years overall:
- Compensation of content-based substantial differences: You attend courses at Kiel University of Applied Sciences as a visiting student. Your performance is assessed.
- Gaining state recognition: You complete the recognition year or parts of the recognition year.
- Aptitude test: The aptitude test consists of three parts. Your performance is assessed for all parts:
- Written examination (at least two hours)
- Presentation
- Professional discussion (15 - 30 minutes)
You can choose between an adaptation period or an aptitude test.
If you successfully complete the compensation measure, you receive a certificate. You submit this certificate to the competent authority. The competent authority checks the certificate and all other requirements (e.g. personal aptitude or knowledge of German). If you meet all the requirements and have also completed the recognition year, your professional qualification is recognised.. Professionally, you then have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.
Counselling
If you do not meet all requirements, you can find out from the competent authority about the options available to you. Were you not able e.g to provide evidence of your personal aptitude or your medical fitness? The competent authority can help you with this.
My other options
Work as an educational specialist
Do you already live in Germany and are you permitted to work in Germany? If so, you are sometimes able to work without recognition in the field of social education. This is often with private providers or in private institutions. The employers make the decision regarding your appointment.
You can sometimes work without recognition as a so-called educational specialist. Your employer must apply for this. The competent authority then decides whether you meet the requirements.
However, without recognition of your professional qualification you do not receive state recognition. This means: you are not permitted to use the job title “state-recognised social worker” or “state-recognised social education worker”.
You can find out more about entry, residence and work via the hotline Working and Living in Germany.
Partial access to the profession
In rare cases and under certain conditions you are able to work for an indefinite period and without recognition in the occupation. For this you can apply for so-called partial access to a profession. However, this is only possible if recognition by the competent authority is ruled out.
However, partial access does not permit you to perform all activities in the occupation. You must use the job title from your country of training.
You need to meet the following requirements for partial access:
- With your professional qualification, you can work in your country of training in this occupation.
- Your professional qualification is only partially equivalent to the German professional qualification. The differences compared to the German professional qualification relate to specific activities which are necessary for the occupation in Germany.
- Your professional qualification must be equivalent to one specific activity in the German professional qualification.
- Knowledge of German
You must apply for partial access to a profession from the competent authority. Seek advice on this beforehand from the competent authority.
Do you only wish to offer services in Germany occasionally and for short period? In this case you do not generally require recognition. You must meet these requirements:
- You must be resident of another country of the EU, the EEA or in Switzerland.
- You must provide evidence of your professional qualification.
- You must inform or register your activity in writing with the competent authority.
As an Ethnic German Resettler, you can select between two procedures for vocational recognition:
- You apply for the procedure described here.
- You apply for the procedure under Section 10 of the Federal Expellees Act (German: “§10 Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG”).
You can decide this. Your competent authority will advise you.
Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications
A Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications can make it easier for you to access the German labour market. The Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) assesses your certificate. The statement of comparability certifies the equal status of your qualification with the state-recognised social worker or state-recognised social education worker qualification in Schleswig-Holstein (Step 1). However, please note, the Statement of Comparability does not replace recognition of your professional qualification. You can only receive recognition of your professional qualification from the competent authority. Further information about Statement of Comparability is available here.
Do you have any questions? Do you need help with the application? Seek advise! You will find your counselling centre one step in advance. In the navigation, click "Counselling offers".
Further information
Previously Germany had the two subjects of “social work” and “social education”. Today, in Germany, the two subjects are generally consolidated into the subject of “social work”. In most federal states recognition is possible for both occupations:
- for social education workers
- for social workers
Recognition Year
In Schleswig-Holstein you only gain state recognition after you have completed a recognition year. In the recognition year, you work as a social education worker or social worker. A trained person supports you in the work. In the recognition year, you also attend courses or seminars. In the courses and seminars you learn, for example, about key legislation and administrative regulations. Your participation in the courses and seminars is assessed. The recognition year also includes a final examination (30 minutes).
Following the recognition year, you obtain a qualification certificate and state recognition. Only then are you permitted to use the professional title “state-recognised social education worker” or “state-recognised social worker”.
The recognition year takes 12 months if you work on a full-time basis (extended accordingly in the case of part-time work). Your professional experience may count in part towards the recognition year. This means that your recognition year may be shorter. You are paid for your work in the recognition year and are covered by social insurance.
State recognition is important for work in the public sector. In Germany, a person working in their occupation has different or additional duties and rights as a result of state recognition.
In German:
- Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz Schleswig-Holstein (BQFG-SH)
- Erlass zum Erwerb der Staatlichen Anerkennung als Sozialpädagogin/Sozialpädagoge, Sozialarbeiterin/Sozialarbeiter und als Kindheitspädagogin/Kindheitspädagoge (FH Kiel)
- Richtlinie zum Nachweis und zur Herstellung der fachlichen (materiellen) Gleichwertigkeit ausländischer Bildungsabschlüsse (FH Kiel)
- Landesverordnung über die Errichtung eines Prüfungsausschusses am Fachbereich Soziale Arbeit und Gesundheit an der Fachhochschule Kiel als untere Landesbehörde
- Gesetz zur Förderung von Kindern in Kindertageseinrichtungen und in Kindertagespflege Schleswig-Holstein (Kindertagesförderungsgesetz - KiTaG)
last update on: 14.09.2023
The competent authority
Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur
Competent authority for assessment of equal ranking
Fachhochschule Kiel - Fachbereich Soziale Arbeit und Gesundheit
Ms Prof. Dr. Ariane Schorn
Ms Gesa Wulff
Competent authority for the assessment of equivalence in content and for state recognition
Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur
- Brunswiker Str. 16-22
24105 Kiel - View on Google Maps
- +49 431 988 0
- Website
- Infopage of the competent authority
Competent authority for assessment of equal ranking
Fachhochschule Kiel - Fachbereich Soziale Arbeit und Gesundheit
- Sokratesplatz 2
24149 Kiel - View on Google Maps
- +49 431 210 3005, 3009
- Website
- Infopage of the competent authority
Ms Prof. Dr. Ariane Schorn
Ms Gesa Wulff
Competent authority for the assessment of equivalence in content and for state recognition
Any questions or feedback?
Do you have a question about the recognition procedure? Or have you noticed any information that could be improved? We're happy to help.