Find out if your degree is recognized in Germany - the ultimate guide to Anabin

Are you currently preparing your visa application documents for an EU blue card or a German work visa? Then you have come to the right place!

In this step-by-step guide, we will show you how to use the Anabin database to get a proof of recognition for your foreign university degree.

You need this proof if you have obtained a university degree in a non-EU country and if this degree is an important qualification for the job you will be taking up in Germany. The Anabin excerpt can also be used for your application for admission to a German university.

What is the Anabin database?

The Anabin database lists information on all institutions and degrees that have been evaluated by the Central Office for Foreign Education (so-called ZAB) in Germany to date. With the Anabin database you can find out if there is any information available on your academic qualifications and if they are recognized in Germany.

If your university or degree is not listed in Anabin, this does not mean that your qualifications are not recognized in Germany. It only means that no one has applied for an evaluation yet and therefore no ZAB assessment is available. To find out what to do in this case, scroll down to the FAQs at the end of the article.

Anabin is a bit tricky to handle and there are two steps you have to complete to get all the information you need.

Let's get started!

How to access the Anabin database

This link will take you directly to the Anabin website.

First of all, it's important not to be put off by the confusing interface and the fact that the entire site comes in German language. Yeah, so confusing right? Even as a native speaker it is sometimes hard to find your way around on Anabin. That’s why we’ve designed this detailed guide to help you out.

First, take a look at the left side of the page: There are two options to start your search on the Anabin database: You can either search for the university you studied at (“Institutionen”) or search for the degree that you completed (“Hochschulabschlüsse”).

Step 1: How to search for your university on Anabin

We’ll start with looking up your university on Anabin. To access the database and start your search, click on “Institutionen” and then change the tab from “Info” to “Suchen”.

This will finally give you the option to start a search in the database. Now click on “Länderauswahl öffnen”, select the country you have studied at and confirm by clicking “Länderauswahl bestätigen”.

In the lower part of the screen you will now see the search results. To narrow down the results, you can add additional filters, such as the city, the type of university, or individual search terms. If you are using search terms, the easiest way to find your university is to enter only one word of the university name (e.g. the name, city or other unique identifier).

Once you have found your university, click on the small purple plus icon on the left side next to the university name. This will open a pop-up with more detailed information. What we are particularly interested in is the "Status" section.

What does the Anabin university status mean?

There are three different status categories for universities on Anabin:

• H+ status: The best outcome for you is if your university has an H+ status, which means that your university is recognized in Germany.

• H- Status: Unfortunately, if your university has an H- status, it means that your degree is not recognized in Germany. Take a look at our FAQs to find out what you can do in this case.

• H+/- Status: Many universities on Anabin have an H+/- status. If your university has this rating it means that there is no clear recognition status for your university and each degree is evaluated and decided on on a case-by-case basis.

If your university has an H+ or H+/- status, you still have to look up your particular degree and find out if it is recognized. We’ll explain how this works in the following paragraphs.

Before we move on, you will most certainly need a print-out of the university status. Simply click on the printer icon at the top right of the pop-up window and off you go! You can now print the file or save it to your computer.

Step 2: How to look up your university degree on Anabin

Now let's move on to your university degree. Don't miss out on this step! If you require the Anabin excerpts for your application for an EU blue card or a German work visa, you will definitely need to complete both steps to get all the information and printouts you need.

To open the search interface for university degrees, take another look on the left side of the screen and click on “Hochschulabschlüsse” (which can be translated as “university degrees”).

Then again change from the Info tab to the search tab. Here, you have two search options: You can search by the name of the degree (”Suche nach Abschlüssen”) or by the type of the degree (“Suche nach Abschlusstypen”).

In the search interface you now have the option to set filters. Again, it's best to start with filtering by country. This is often saved from your previous search anyway. In addition, you can set filters for the type of degree and the field of study. If you are not sure which filters to set or if your search is not successful, try entering the exact title of your degree as a search term. You might get more results that way. If you don't find your degree on the first try, play around a bit with the search terms and filters (e.g. by omitting words) or just go through the list of universities listed for your country.

Important note: When looking up your university degree, make sure that the degree title on Anabin exactly matches the title of the degree you obtained! If this is not the case, the Anabin excerpt will most probably not be accepted as proof of recognition.

Once you have found your degree, click on the small purple plus icon next to the title of your degree which will open a pop-up window with detailed information.

Scroll down to the section “Bewertung” and look out for a column called “Äquivalenzklasse” (equivalence class), which is what we are looking for.

What does the Anabin degree classification mean?

There are three types of classifications currently used in the Anabin database:

• Gleichwertig: Your degree is considered equivalent to a comparable German academic degree and there are no formal differences.

• Entspricht: Your degree is considered as equivalent to a German degree and there are no significant differences from it.

• Bedingt vergleichbar: Your degree is only conditionally comparable, meaning that there are formal differences to the corresponding academic degree in Germany. In this case you have to apply for a Statement of Comparability.

Exactly what classification you need depends on what you want to use the Anabin excerpt for. In most cases, a classification of "Gleichwertig” or "entspricht" combined with H+ status or H+/- status from the university is sufficient. So make sure you know exactly what type of classification you need for your paperwork. For example, if you need to prove your recognition for an EU blue card application, you will most likely need a classification of "Gleichwertig" or "Entspricht".

Once you have found the classification, click on the print icon on the upper right and save the document or print it directly.

What to do with the Anabin print-outs

If both your university and your degree are recognized in Germany, you can use the two print-outs in combination as proof of recognition for your visa application for an EU blue card or German work visa. To do so, simply attach the two print-outs to your visa application and take them with you to your visa appointment.

Anabin - Frequently asked questions

What if my university is listed as H+ on Anabin, but my specific university degree is not listed on Anabin?

In this case you have to have your degree assessed individually and apply for a Statement of Comparability at the ZAB. You'll find more information on this below.

What to do if my university is not listed on Anabin?

Not all foreign academic degrees or universities are listed in the Anabin database. In this case, you most probably need to apply for a Statement of Comparability. You'll find more information on this below.

What to do if my university has an H- status on Anabin?

This unfortunately means that your university is not recognized in Germany and neither is the degree you obtained from it. If you are working in IT and have more than three years of work experience, you could try to apply for an IT specialist visa instead.

I have found a degree with a slightly different title than the one on my diploma. Can I use it?

The title of your university degree must exactly match the title on the Anabin printout. If the titles do not match, then the degree is considered as conditionally comparable, meaning it is not classified as a recognized degree. In this case, you will have to apply for a Statement of Comparability for your degree.

My degree is classified as “entspricht Fachschule”. What does that mean?

Degrees listed as „entspricht Fachschule” are unfortunately not recognized as comparable to a German university degree.

How to apply for a Statement of Comparability?

The Statement of Comparability is an official document issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (so-called ZAB) in Germany. It’s basically an individual evaluation of your academic qualification and specifies the German qualification to which your foreign academic degree is comparable. You can find a detailed list of the documents you need to apply and apply for the Statement of Comparability on the ZAB website.

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Important note: Our HalloGermany articles are written with utmost care to explain careers and paperwork in Germany. However, please note that the content presented here does neither constitute nor replace any form of legal advice. We highly recommend consulting a lawyer for any legal concerns you may have.