Source
r/germany•
preprose

Looking for advice about education in Germany

Hello! I find myself in a predicament and honestly don't really know where to seek counsel or information, so I hope that some of you might be able to give me some useful advice about my uh quite messy situation.

I'm an EU citizen living in Germany for some years now. I'm in my mid twenties and at a point of my life where I'm regretting my teenage years decisions, and I'm trying to do something about it. So here's what I'm looking into:

  1. I'm 'technically' a high school dropout, but I'm always in doubt how that actually translates on paper, specially in Germany. I have completed 4 years out of 5 of HS in Italy, which is technically the 12th year of school overall (and I finished obligatory school which was up to the 2nd year of HS). Is there a way for me to somehow complete HS in Germany after all this years just to be able to say I've done it? Should I bother or would seeking higher education without closing that gap be the better option for my age? It's something that has been bothering me.
  2. I am quite proficient in more then a few languages because of life circumstances, but none of them are certified in an 'official' way. Is there a way to do so? Would it be even worth it? Tying it back with the previous question, is it even possible to use my language proficiencies in some sort of university degree? That or even learning new languages\cultures as higher education is something I would be interesed in, if a uni course like that exists.

I would really appreciate any kind of advice you are willing to throw at me, and thank you!

Posted Aug 2, 2018, 3:11 AM UTC · edited

49
EnkrodExile-Solinger•

I'm an EU citizen

Good, that makes things easier.

Now here is my recommendation: Look for a "Ausbildung" (Job Training) in your preferred field of work, talk with your Arbeitsamt about possibilities of either

a) going to college with only the job training or

b) getting your highschool diploma (Abitur or technisches Abitur) while doing your job training

The former will get you studying in your preferred field of work, the latter will get you access to any college education your grades are good enough for.

Either way, even if you decide not to go to college, you will have recieved job training and that is enough to find a good job, this way things only move forward for you, not backwards.

Edit: Some interesting Links:

5
hideyomama•

For an Ausbildung OP still gonna need a school leaving certificate of any kind. It's unlikely he will get a job without that.

1
EnkrodExile-Solinger•

He finished obligatory school, so he has at least something compareable to Hauptschulabschluss. He also finished the 12th year of school so even without a big Test ending his life in school, he schould have the italian equivalent compareable to a Realschulabschluss.

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preproseOP•

Thank you. This gives me some hope! Should I be going about to bring these certificates I have somewhere (?) to have them authenticated here in Germany just in case or should I do that only when I'm sure I will need them? Sorry for these really basic questions.

1
preproseOP•

Heh that helps just a tiny bit, I still feel like I'm always in a bureaucratic mess regardless.

The thing is this study issues of mine aren't related to my current job as a freelance Illustrator (for which I have done a 3 year specialized course in Italy as well). I'm just worried of leaving this gap in my education/on my resume, specially the fact of not having Abitur, that it might bite me in the near future if I ever decide to get some higher education here in Germany or even job applications in an another country (where they might value HS a lot more) just for the sake of it.

I will check those links out! Thank you for your help!

Edit: Some more information that I remembered: When I just came to Germany a few years back, I was in contact with my local Arbeitsamt where they proposed me to do the Integration course for language (which I did and passed and have B1 in German) and then follow up with an Ausbildung. The issue was that there were none in the field I was interested back then/working in right now, so that stopped my endevour of going any further along on that route.

1
Hironymus•

You might be able to complete your basic education in a Volkshochschule. But it's going to cost you money and they are of varying quality.

If you can find a way in any sort of higher degree you should go for this directly since the only degree that ever matters later in your life is the highest one. But I am not sure how good your chances on skipping any part of the way are

1
exploding_cat_wizard•

For universities at least, not that good. You might be able to talk them into letting you do a year of studienkolleg, which is what foreign students from countries whose high school diplomas aren't accepted have to do.

The volkshochschule might be the best way.

2
Onkel24•

You´re not describing whether you work and in what job.

If you´ve regularly worked in a specific field, Germany allows the "Externenprüfung", where experienced workers can join the exams for regulated apprenticed jobs. iF you succeed in the exams, you have a fully fledged completed german job degree.

As far as I know, all you need is considerable work experience in a specific field. "Considerable" means 150% time of the nominal apprenticeship length spent in a specific job. For example, if you´ve been working as an office sales clerk for 4,5 years, you may apply.

Check it out online with your regional IHK for example. There are even courses to prepare such external people for the exam, but they cost money.

If you qualify, this is one of the quickest ways towards a degree.

If you´re in Hessen, there is also a government program towards degrees for "late comers" - https://www.proabschluss.de/startseite/

Maybe other states provide similar initiatives.

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preproseOP•

I'm not describing my job because this isn't related to it at all. Currently I am a freelance illustrator and in that field Im not having an issue.

I'm just bothered by the fact that I never finished high school from a...social stand point if it makes sense? And it is and will cause me trouble if I ever want to persue higher education just for the sake of it here or in some other country.

Hope that provides a bit more context and thank you for the advice. I will check that website out.

Edit: I thought about a bit, but is there something like a "job degree" for an illustrator/artist? Once I have the necessary years poured into it, would this job degree count as the highest education I got, jumping over the HS mess, or is it just an official stamp to say that yes I am an illustrator and that's about it?

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