German for Licence to practise medicine (Approbation)
Doctors need general German and a medical language exam (Fachsprachprüfung).
German level: B2, C1
Exams that count: Goethe-Zertifikat, telc Deutsch, ÖSD, DTZ
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Rules for this route
Doctors: general German
Last checked 2026-09-30
The general German certificate every state asks for before the medical language exam.
Goethe B2 format
Conditions
- A general B2 certificate, usually not older than three years
Watch-outs
- Which certificates count varies by federal state. People who trained or went to school in German are often exempt.
Official sources
Doctors: medical language exam (Approbation)
Last checked 2026-09-30
The German requirement for the licence to practise medicine (Approbation).
Goethe C1 format
Conditions
- The medical language exam (Fachsprachprüfung) at C1, usually at the state medical chamber (Landesärztekammer)
Watch-outs
- Rules vary by federal state.
- In Hamburg a B2 certificate is enough for a temporary licence (Berufserlaubnis) for the first year.
Official sources
FAQ
Doctors: general German
The general German certificate every state asks for before the medical language exam. Last checked 2026-09-30
Doctors: medical language exam (Approbation)
The German requirement for the licence to practise medicine (Approbation). Last checked 2026-09-30