All guides · Part of: Ausbildung questions
"Is a bachelor's degree compulsory to go to Germany?" Qaiser answers it in one line: no. Whether you have Matric, Intermediate, a bachelor's or a master's, there are legal routes, and which one fits depends on your age and qualifications. For people without a degree, the main one is Ausbildung.
To do this process you do not need to go to any consultant or agent. You can do the whole process yourself.
Ausbildung is paid training, not a course you buy
Ausbildung is vocational training that usually lasts two to three years. You work in a company and attend vocational school (Berufsschule) in blocks or on set days each week. At the end you hold a German qualification in that trade or profession.
In a company-based Ausbildung the company pays you a monthly training allowance. The amount depends on the profession, the year of training and the employer, so look at the actual offer rather than a number from a video.
Open after Matric or Intermediate, in any subject
You can apply after 10th or 12th grade. It does not matter whether your Intermediate was pre-medical, pre-engineering or arts. Fields range from health and nursing to IT, electrical and mechanical trades, logistics and hospitality.
German is the real entry requirement
You learn the trade in German and sit your exams in German. For the visa, the Residence Act asks for "sufficient" German, which it defines as B1. The exceptions: the training company or school has already checked your German, or a preparation course is planned (§ 16a(3) AufenthG). Missions apply this differently. The Pakistan mission asks for B1; the India missions generally ask for A2, and B1 for medical professions. Employers often want B2. Qaiser puts it bluntly: the certificate matters less than whether you can actually speak.
The German certificate doesn't matter. You must be able to speak German well.
If you are starting from zero, his free A1 to B1 courses are the place to begin. How he learned German in about a year explains the approach.
The visa needs a contract and enough money
For an Ausbildung visa you need a training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag) with a German company and proof that you can cover your living costs. Your training allowance counts towards that; if it is too low, you top it up, for example with a blocked account. Whether the allowance is enough is decided by the German mission against its current figure, so check its checklist.
How to find a place
- Search the Federal Employment Agency's board at arbeitsagentur.de/jobsuche and choose Ausbildung.
- Read Make it in Germany, the government portal, for the official process.
- Apply directly to companies, in German, with a German-style CV.
A genuine company never charges you for a training place. Anyone who asks for money to "arrange" an Ausbildung is a warning sign; here is how to spot one.
If you hold a DAE or a paramedical diploma, there is a second route: the Opportunity Card with a diploma.
Watch Qaiser explain it
This guide is written from these videos (Urdu/Hindi). Quotes are our translation.
- Ausbildung in Germany after Matric or Inter (Instagram)
- Can you move to Germany without a bachelor's degree? (Instagram)
Questions people ask
Can I go to Germany after Matric or FSc?
Yes, for Ausbildung (vocational training). It is open after 10th or 12th grade in any subject, but you must speak German well enough to train and study in it.
Is Ausbildung paid?
Company-based Ausbildung pays a monthly training allowance; the amount depends on the profession, the year of training and the employer. School-based training in some health and social professions works differently.
What German level do I need for Ausbildung?
The law asks for B1 unless the company or school has checked your German; the Pakistan mission asks for B1, the India missions generally A2. Employers often want B2. Qaiser's advice: what matters is speaking German well, not the certificate alone.
Do I have to pay an agent for an Ausbildung place?
No. Genuine training companies never charge you for a place. Treat anyone who asks for money for a placement as a red flag.
Official sources
- Make it in Germany: vocational training
- § 16a Residence Act (vocational training)
- Federal Employment Agency job and training board
Read next
- Opportunity Card with a DAE or paramedical diploma
- Is German hard to learn? How Qaiser learned it in a year
- Is a Master's free in Germany? The real cost
Questions about a video? Ask Qaiser in the comments on Instagram or YouTube.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change. Check the official source linked above; for your own case, the German mission decides.