Non-EU doctors: steps to get medical degrees recognised in Germany

Steps for getting foreign medical degrees recognised in Germany for non-EU doctors (Nicht-EU Ärzte)
A comprehensive guide for those who wish to practise medicine in Germany

If you are a doctor with a medical degree from outside the European Union (for example from Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq and similar countries) and you would like to work as a physician in Germany, you must complete a clearly defined recognition procedure in order to obtain the German medical licence (Approbation). The following sections summarise the key steps.

1. First step: identify the competent authority in your federal state

Medical licensing is handled at the level of the individual federal states (Bundesländer), not centrally.
You must therefore first determine in which state you will apply, for example:

• Schleswig-Holstein: Landesamt für soziale Dienste

This authority will later receive your documents and decide on your recognition.

2. Collecting the required documents

Although there are minor differences between the federal states, most of them require essentially the same documents, including:

The authority may request additional documents depending on your individual case.

3. Applying for “Approbation” or “Berufserlaubnis”

In Germany there are two principal forms of professional authorisation for doctors:

Many international doctors start with a Berufserlaubnis, work in a hospital to gain experience and prepare for exams, and then apply for full Approbation later.

4. Equivalence assessment (Gleichwertigkeit)

Your medical training is compared with a standard German medical degree.

• If the authority concludes that your education is essentially equivalent to German medical training, you may be granted Approbation once all other requirements are met.

• If substantial differences (wesentliche Unterschiede) are identified in key subjects, you will usually be required to pass an additional exam:

Kenntnisprüfung (knowledge examination in medicine)

• Typical focus: internal medicine and surgery

• Format: oral and practical exam before a medical board

• Often scheduled after several months of preparation or supervised clinical work

5. Medical language examination (Fachsprachprüfung)

No licence will be issued without proof of sufficient competence in medical German.

The Fachsprachprüfung typically includes:

• Taking a medical history (Anamnese) from a patient

• Writing a structured medical report (Arztbrief)

• A professional discussion with a colleague or examination board about findings, diagnoses and treatment

Some federal states require the Fachsprachprüfung before they assess equivalence; others allow you to sit it afterwards. It is important to check the rules in your chosen state.

6. Obtaining the Approbation

Once you have:

• submitted all required documents,

• proven equivalence or successfully passed the Kenntnisprüfung, and

• passed the general language exam (B2) and the medical language exam (C1 Medizin),

you can receive the Approbation – the official, unlimited licence that allows you to practise medicine as a doctor anywhere in Germany without regional restrictions.

Important notes

• The entire procedure may take between 6 and 24 months, depending on the federal state, the completeness of your documents and current processing times.

• As a doctor, you do not need to start a new vocational training programme (Ausbildung); what matters is recognition of your degree, language skills and passing the required exams.

• With a Berufserlaubnis you can already start working in a hospital, which helps you:

  • improve your medical German in daily practice,

  • understand the German healthcare system and documentation,

  • and secure an income while waiting and preparing.

You may also wish to look for:

• A German CV template tailored for doctors

• Practical tips on passing the Fachsprachprüfung Medizin

• Information about federal states with shorter waiting times and good job markets

• Projects and organisations that support refugee and migrant doctors in the recognition process

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The editorial team of the website endeavours to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, errors, incomplete details or changes in regulations may occur over time. The information in this article should therefore be regarded as an initial guide only. For binding and up-to-date information, always consult the competent authorities and official bodies.