Career·Europe· 9 min read

Using anabin to Check If Your University and Degree Are Recognised in Germany

How to use the KMK anabin database to check whether your university (H+/H-/H+/-) and degree are recognised in Germany for study, jobs, the EU Blue Card and the Opportunity Card.

Last updated 3 July 2026

What anabin is and why it matters

anabin is the official information system of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education (KMK) — the body that coordinates education across Germany's federal states (Länder). It is hosted at anabin.kmk.org and lets you check how a foreign higher-education institution and qualification are classified against the German system.

For an international student or graduate, anabin is usually the first place to look. German universities, foreign missions issuing student and work visas, and employers all consult it to see whether your university and degree are treated as recognised in Germany. Checking it yourself, before you apply, tells you early whether you can proceed directly or whether you will need an extra evaluation step.

anabin is a classification database, not an application. It does not issue a certificate about you personally and it does not grant a licence to work — it simply tells you the status the German authorities have already assigned to your institution and degree type.

Run by the KMK (the joint education body of the German Länder)
Two things to check: your institution's status and your degree's classification
Used by universities, visa offices and employers — so it is worth checking first

How to search anabin step by step

anabin is a German-language site, but the search itself is straightforward. There are two separate searches you should run — one for your institution and one for your qualification — because a positive result on both is what German authorities look for.

To check your university, open the section for institutions ("Institutionen"), choose the country where your university is located, and type the name (or part of it) into the free-text field. To check your qualification, use the section for higher-education qualifications ("Hochschulabschlüsse"), again filtering by country and then by degree name.

Write down exactly what you find for each, because you will often need to show it. Many students keep a saved copy or printout of the relevant anabin entry to attach to a visa or job application — the exact document required is set by the office asking for it, so follow their instructions.

Search 1 — Institutionen: find your university by country + name
Search 2 — Hochschulabschlüsse: find your degree by country + name
Keep a copy of both entries for your visa or job file

Reading the status: H+, H- and H+/-

Your institution is given one of three status codes in anabin. H+ means the institution is recognised as a higher-education institution in Germany. H- means it is not recognised as such. H+/- means there is no single clear status — recognition is decided case by case, often because the institution offers programmes of differing standing.

Alongside the institution status, your specific qualification carries an equivalence assessment. The terms to look for are "entspricht" (corresponds) or "gleichwertig" (equivalent), which indicate the degree is treated as comparable to the relevant German qualification. If both your institution shows H+ and your degree shows a positive equivalence, that is the clean, straightforward outcome.

Do not read a status as a personal verdict on your ability — it is an administrative classification of the institution and degree type. If your case is not clear-cut, there is a defined next step (below), not a dead end.

H+ = institution recognised · H- = not recognised · H+/- = case-by-case
Degree equivalence to look for: entspricht (corresponds) or gleichwertig (equivalent)
Best outcome: H+ institution AND a positive degree equivalence

Where anabin is used: study, jobs, Blue Card and Opportunity Card

For university admission, German universities use anabin to confirm your prior qualification lets you enrol — an H+ institution and a positive degree equivalence make this smooth. For employment and for residence permits tied to work, the same check underpins whether your degree counts as a recognised higher-education qualification.

The EU Blue Card is an employment-based residence permit for graduates with a qualifying job offer, and the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is a points-based route to come and look for work — both are distinct from a student visa and from a post-study job-seeker permit, and both rely on your degree being treated as recognised. Whether anabin alone is enough, or whether you need the separate ZAB evaluation described below, depends on your exact case and the office handling it.

Because these are immigration matters, treat everything here as general information, not immigration advice. Requirements and routes change — always verify current rules on the official sources before you act.

Study: universities confirm your prior qualification via anabin
Work / EU Blue Card / Opportunity Card: rely on a recognised degree — these are employment/entry routes, not study permits
Rules change — verify on the official government sources before acting

When anabin isn't conclusive: the ZAB Statement of Comparability

Not every case is clear in anabin. Your institution may show H+/- (case-by-case), or your specific degree may not be listed, or an office may simply ask for a formal document about your qualification. In these situations the standard next step is to apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for a Statement of Comparability (Zeugnisbewertung).

The Statement of Comparability is an official certificate that compares your foreign higher-education degree to the German system. It is a comparative assessment for non-regulated work — it is not the same as professional recognition to practise a regulated profession (such as medicine or teaching), and it does not convert your grades into German grades.

We do not state ZAB's fees or processing time here because they change; check the official ZAB pages for the current figures and required documents, and confirm with the office asking for it (employer, university or visa authority) whether they need a Statement of Comparability at all.

Escalate to ZAB when the institution is H+/- or the degree isn't listed
The ZAB Statement of Comparability is a comparison, not a work licence or grade conversion
Fees and turnaround change — check the official ZAB source

Frequently asked questions

Is anabin free to use?

Yes — anabin is the KMK's public database and searching it costs nothing. A separate paid step only arises if your case is not clear and you apply to the ZAB for a Statement of Comparability. Check the official ZAB pages for current fees.

What does H+/- mean for my degree?

H+/- means your institution has no single recognition status, so cases are decided individually — often because it offers programmes of differing standing. In practice this usually means you should obtain a ZAB Statement of Comparability so an authority or employer has a clear document to rely on. Verify the exact requirement with the office asking for it.

Do I always need a ZAB Statement of Comparability if I have an anabin entry?

Not necessarily. If your institution is H+ and your degree shows a positive equivalence (entspricht/gleichwertig), an anabin printout is often enough. A Statement of Comparability is the standard fallback when anabin is inconclusive or when a specific office requests a formal document. Follow the instruction of the authority or employer handling your case.

Does an H+ result guarantee me admission or a job in Germany?

No. anabin only classifies how your institution and degree are treated in the German system. Admission decisions rest with the university and hiring decisions with the employer, each with their own criteria. anabin removes one hurdle; it is not a guarantee of any outcome.

The anabin site is in German — can I still use it?

Yes. You mainly need to recognise a few terms: Institutionen (institutions), Hochschulabschlüsse (degrees), the status codes H+/H-/H+/-, and the equivalence words entspricht (corresponds) and gleichwertig (equivalent). A browser's built-in translation can help you navigate, but read the status codes and equivalence terms in the original German.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: anabin — KMK database of foreign education (anabin.kmk.org); ZAB — Statement of Comparability (kmk.org); Make it in Germany — Evaluation of foreign academic qualifications.

Last verified: 3 July 2026.