Will my foreign degree be recognised for German university admission?

Whether your foreign degree or school-leaving certificate is recognised for German university entry depends on your country and your qualification:

Anabin database:
Germany maintains a database called Anabin (anabin.kmk.org) that lists the recognition status of foreign educational qualifications. Check it before applying.

Three possible outcomes in Anabin:
- H+ (Equivalent to German Hochschulreife): Your school-leaving certificate directly qualifies you for German university
- H- (Not equivalent): Your qualification does not directly qualify — you will likely need to attend a Studienkolleg
- H +/- (Partially equivalent): May need an entrance assessment (Feststellungsprüfung)

Studienkolleg (Foundation year):
If your school qualification is not directly recognised (common for students from India, China, many African countries with 12th grade/secondary completion), you attend a 1-year preparatory course. This is not a disadvantage — it is a structured bridge programme taught in German.

Master's and postgraduate:
If you have a bachelor's degree from a recognised international university (most Western and Asian universities are fine), you can apply directly to German master's programmes.

Anabin and university assessment:
Individual universities may also run their own assessment. Contact the international student office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) at your target university.

DAAD:
The German Academic Exchange Service (daad.de) is the central resource — they provide country-specific guidance and have advisers in many countries.