In the course of the Bologna Process to establish a European Higher Education Area the study system has been converted to the consecutive structure of study with Bachelor’s and Master’s qualifications. The study structure reform has largely been completed. In the 2022/2023 winter semester, 92 per cent of all study offers at German institutions of higher education were Bachelor’s and Master’s study courses.

Alongside the Bachelor degree, the Diplom as well as Church and state qualifications obtained after an integrated single-cycle course of study exist as first vocational degrees qualifying for an occupation.

Diplom

A small number of study courses end with a Diplom examination. Courses of studies that culminate in a Diplom concentrate on a single subject. The Diplom examination is associated with a Diplom degree (e.g. Diplom-Psychologe). The Fachhochschule Diplom certificate bears the additional notation (“FH” for Fachhochschule), e.g. Diplom-Ingenieur/-in (FH).

Bachelor's degrees generally confer the same rights as Diplom degrees at Fachhochschulen, Master's degrees confer the same rights as Diplom degrees at universities and equivalent institutions of higher education.

Staatsprüfung

A state examination or Staatsprüfung has to be taken in some courses of studies. This is the case in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmaceutics, food chemistry, law and to some extent for the courses of study for the teaching profession and courses of study that qualify students to work in specialised health professions (e.g. midwifery). The standards of performance on state examinations correspond to those on academic examinations. Hence, the difference between state and academic examinations is essentially of a formal nature. The state examination is conducted by the state examination bodies; professors from the universities are appointed as examiners. After the First State Examination, prospective lawyers and teachers, in particular, undergo a second phase of training called Vorbereitungsdienst or preparatory service, which is concluded by another state examination. Only this Second State Examination entitles them to practise their profession. Information on teacher training courses conveying the educational prerequisites for teaching positions are available in the section on initial teacher education in the school sector.

As a rule a state examination entitles graduates to start doctoral studies in the same way as an academic degree.

Theological degrees

In December 2007, the Standing Conference adopted the guidelines developed in conjunction with the Protestant Church in Germany and the German Bishops’ Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz) on the structure of study courses in Roman Catholic or Protestant Theology/Religion (Eckpunkte für die Studienstruktur in Studiengängen mit Katholischer oder Evangelischer Theologie/Religion). For theological courses of study which qualify students for the ministry, priesthood or the profession of a pastoral assistant (theologisches Vollstudium – full theological course of study) the guidelines provide, until further notice, for courses which conclude – after a standard study period of five years in total – with an academic and a Church examination. There are no plans at present to introduce a consecutive study structure pursuant to the Bologna Process within the theologisches Vollstudium. The courses of study are, nonetheless, modularised and provided with a credit point system.

In addition to consecutive Master's study courses, there are other weiterführende Studiengänge (special graduate study courses) which may be taken after the completion of a first degree. These special graduate courses of two to four semesters’ duration lead to the awarding of a certificate stipulating the level achieved or to a further higher education degree (Diplom, Magister, Master).

Other postgraduate study courses

In addition to the courses leading to a first degree, besides consecutive Master's study courses and Master’s study courses providing further education, there are other postgraduate study programmes in some Länder (further study, supplementary and follow-up courses) that either build on the first degree, providing further vocational skills, increased specialisation and reinforcement, or are taken in parallel with a different course of study. Key characteristics of postgraduate study courses are, inter alia:

• a completed higher education course of study leading to a first degree as the admission requirement and, where applicable, additional admission requirements depending on the objective of the postgraduate study course
• specific orientation to the level of qualification achieved in the first degree qualifying for entry to a profession and corresponding admission requirements
• the structuring of the study course through an examination regulation
• the award of an independent qualification, which requires the knowledge and abilities acquired in the first-degree course, but goes far beyond them.

Information on Master’s study courses providing continuing education can be found in the section on second cycle programmes, as they are part of the Bachelor and Master structure.

An overview of the range of special graduate courses on offer provided by the German Rectors’ Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz – HRK) is available on the Internet.

Vocational upskilling

Tertiary education also includes advanced vocational training within the framework of vocational upskilling in accordance with the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz – BBiG) and the Crafts and Trades Regulation Code (Handwerksordnung – HwO). Vocational upskilling enables skilled workers to expand their professional competence and advance in their careers. The 2020 amendment of the BBiG and the corresponding changes to the HwO introduced a three-level system of advanced vocational training. This provides for the following qualifications:

• as the first level of further training, the Certified Professional Specialist,
• as the second level of further training, the Bachelor Professional, and
• as the third level of further training, the Master Professional.

These state-recognised advanced training qualifications correspond to ISCED levels 5 to 7 of the tertiary education sector and to the competence levels at levels 5 to 7 of the German Qualifications Framework (Deutscher Qualifikationsrahmen – DQR).

The chambers and other competent bodies, including those in the public sector, as well as the chambers of trade, are responsible for conducting examinations in advanced vocational training in Germany in accordance with §§ 53 ff. BBiG, §§ 42 ff. HwO. The special provisions of §§ 45 ff. HwO apply to master tradesmen. The legal bases are regulated uniformly throughout the country in the BBiG and in the HwO. The competent bodies and the chambers of trade conduct the examinations and issue further training examination regulations in so far as no uniform national further training regulations have been issued.

The scope of learning for the skills, knowledge and abilities tested, including self-study, is as follows:

• at the first further training level: at least 400 hours,

• at the second advanced training level: at least 1,200 hours,

• at the third advanced training level: at least 1,600 hours.

The following is to be provided as a requirement for admission as a rule:

• at the first advanced training level: a qualification in a recognised training occupation, a certificate of full comparability of the individual's professional ability to act with the professional ability to act required to pursue a training occupation,

• at the second further training level: as for the requirements at the first further training level or a qualification at the first vocational further training level,

• at the third further training level: in a qualification at the second vocational further training level.

A complete list of all existing advanced training courses can be found in the directory of recognised training occupations, which is maintained by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung – BIBB). This directory also contains the relevant advanced training regulations and provides information on the respective duration of advanced training and the respective legal bases.