anabin, the database of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZaB), provides information on the assessment of foreign education certificates. You can check in anabin whether you have the necessary higher education entry qualification for Germany. If your education certificate has been assessed in anabin, you do not require any additional recognition by the Senate Department.

German video with Arabic, English, French subtitles

• Click on the menu item "Schulabschlüsse mit Hochschulzugang" (higher education entry qualifications).
• Select the country in which you obtained the certificate.
• Click on your certificate. The assessment "Direkter Zugang" (direct access) means that with the listed certificate you can apply directly for a Bachelor’s study programme (providing all other listed requirements are fulfilled). "Feststellungsprüfung/Studienkolleg" means that you have to attend a Studienkolleg (university preparatory course) first.

• Under the menu item "Institutionen", select the university where you did your degree. If the status of the university is assessed with "H+" or "H+/-", this institution is recognised by HTW Berlin.
• Under the menu item "Hochschulabschlüsse" (university degrees), search for your academic degree. Click on the degree and then on "Bewertung" (assessment). If your degree has been assessed with "entspricht einem Bachelor 3j oder 4j" (comparable to a 3- or 4-year Bachelor’s degree) or a “Diplom” or “Staatsexamen”, your degree is recognised.
• If your foreign higher education institution and your academic degree are both recognised, you fulfil the formal requirements. You can apply for a Master’s study programme at HTW Berlin. After you have applied, the Selection Committee for your chosen study programme will then assess whether your first academic degree is relevant in terms of content.

Detailed information on the recognition of foreign vocational qualifications can be found on the following Internet platforms:

• anerkennung-in-deutschland.de
• netzwerk-iq.de

If you have an indirect higher education entry qualification, you need to complete a one-year Studienkolleg (university preparatory course). At the end of the Studienkolleg, you will need to take a final assessment test. If you pass this test, you can apply to a German university.