Education – Ausbildung, Studium, Weiterbildung

How does the school system in Hamburg work?

In Hamburg, children over the age of 6 go to a Grundschule (primary school). After 4 years, pupils change to a secondary school (weiterführende Schule): a Gymnasium or a Stadtteilschule. In a Stadtteilschule, students take the “Abitur” (A levels: entrance qualification for higher education) after 9 years. At a Gymnasium, students take this exam after 8 years. In both secondary schools (weiterführende Schulen), pupils can obtain the “ersten allgemeinbildenden Schulabschluss” (general education school leaving certificate) after the 9th grade, and the “mittleren Schulabschluss” (intermediate school leaving certificate, qualification for an apprenticeship) after the 10th grade.

Note for Ukrainian refugees: Even if your child continues to take advantage of online programmes at their home school, they are obliged to go to school in Hamburg.

What kind of school class will my child be in?

At the schools, children who cannot speak German yet generally attend international classes („Internationale Vorbereitungsklassen“ or „Basisklassen“) first. Here they receive specialised teaching and take German lessons.

The transition from an international preparatory class (internationale Vorbereitungsklasse, IVK) to a regular German school class depends on the child’s performance level, but takes place after 12 months in the IVK at the latest. The decisive factors are the child’s German language skills and learning level in the individual subjects. You can find out the learning level through learning development discussions and performance records. If a child transfers to a regular German class, this should be a class at the same school, unless the school has no more capacity. You can find detailed information on transferring to a mainstream class here (German): https://www.hamburg.de/contentblob/8892486/6c7a8e36691f67188e649f38 
e045566e/data/broschuere-uebergang-1).pdf.

You can find more information in German and English here: https://welcome.hamburg.de/schule/7041194/sprachkenntnisse/, https://www.hamburg.com/welcome/living/school/11864938/language-skills/

How and at which school will my child get placed?

In order for your child to be put into the right class, please seek advice first:

• Schulinformationszentrum (school information centre): zuschulung@bsb.hamburg.de, +49 40 42863 2892 (Monday and Tuesday 9 am – 11 am,  Thursday 2 pm – 4 pm), https://www.hamburg.de/bsb/internationale-vorbereitungsklassen/

You can find a manual on the school system in Hamburg here (German and English): https://www.hamburg.com/contentblob/11701412/cc3437464ee3026c60 
bd33d18dfa2bd7/data/understanding-school-in-hamburg.pdf

If your child has difficulties following the lessons at school, they can take additional private tutoring in one or more subjects.

This means that, in addition to lessons at school, they will receive tutoring from professional or private tutors, either alone or in small groups, so that they receive better support.

If your child needs help with learning, first enquire about free tutoring services at your child’s school. Many schools offer free tutoring by older students, for example.

In order to go to a Stadtteilschule or a Gymnasium, you must have your school certificates recognised. In order to attend a higher education institution, you need to have your school leaving certificate recognised.

• Schulinformationszentrum (SIZ) (school information centre): Hamburger Straße 125a, schulinformationszentrum@bsb.hamburg.de, +49 40 428 99 22 11 (Tuesday 2 pm – 4 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10 am – 12 pm (noon)), www.hamburg.de/bsb/siz

Certain careers in Germany require higher education – becoming a teacher or lawyer, for example. The prerequisite for higher education is usually the highest school leaving certificate possible in a country (in Germany, for example, the Abitur). You can usually apply to higher education programmes in January and July.

Another prerequisite for studying is a language level of C1 in German.

You can find information on studying in Germany here: https://www.study-in-germany.de/fluechtlinge/

An overview of the application process:

1. Application to a university
   Studying in Hamburg
   There are more than 20 universities in Hamburg (www.metropolregion.hamburg.de/hochschulen/272070/hochschulen-hamburg/). The three largest are the Universität Hamburg (University of Hamburg) (UHH, www.uni-hamburg.de), the Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg (Hamburg University of Applied Sciences) (HAW, www.haw-hamburg.de) and the Technische Universität Hamburg (Hamburg University of Technology) (TUHH, www.tuhh.de)

• For an initial overview of the application process, see “Uni assist” (www.uni-assist.de/bewerben/, +49 30 201 646 001, Monday to Friday 9 am – 3 pm, contact form: https://www.uni-assist.de/kontakt/) and “Study in Germany” (German and English: www.study-in-germany.de/fluechtlinge/).
• Further information on the study programmes is available here: “Hochschulkompass” (www.hochschulkompass.de)

Bildungsberatung CJD
Advice for people interested in studying (on topics like recognition, planning your time at university, financial support and preparing for your studies through additional education and language courses)
Further information in German: www.cjd-hamburg.de/angebote/bildungsberatung-garantiefonds-hochschule/
Further information in English, Arabic, Farsi and Russian: https://bildungsberatung-gfh.de/wde/ueber-uns/informationen.php

Advice in German, English and Russian. You are welcome to bring an interpreter. Please make an appointment:

• anna.wiehe@cjd.de, +49 40 211 118 118 (Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm)
• viviane.lagodzki@cjd.de, +49 40 211 118 117 (Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm)

Advisory centres for refugees at the universities

• #UHHhilft – Studienorientierung für Geflüchtete: The University of Hamburg offers an orientation programme specifically for refugees: uhhhilft@uni-hamburg.de, +49 40 42838 4547 (Monday to Thursday 10 am – 12 pm (noon)), Zoom: Meeting-ID: 981 6496 4227, password: 615237 (Monday to Thursday 1 pm – 4 pm), www.uni-hamburg.de/uhhhilft.html
  

• HAW: Arbeitsstelle Migration
  Please make an appointment: kompetenz-kompakt@haw-hamburg.de, +49 40 428 75 9857, https://www.haw-hamburg.de/international/gefluechtete/

Special information and offers for Ukrainian refugees:

1. Programmes offered by the University of Hamburg (UHH)

The UHH orientation programme (#UHHhilft) is also open to Ukrainian refugees. There are English FAQs in which questions by Ukrainian refugees about the UHH assistance programme are answered: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhhhilft-ukraine/faq.html

As a Ukrainian citizen, you can also apply for a free library card from the Hamburg State and University Library. The only requirement is that you present Ukrainian identity documents: Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg, Carl von Ossietzky, Von-Melle-Park 3 (Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), e-mail: auskunft@sub-hamburg.de.

2. Programmes offered by the Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (University of Applied Sciences, HAW)

The Arbeitsstelle Migration der HAW (HAW Migration Office) also offers various support programmes for students and academics who have fled from Ukraine.

The services for Ukrainian students include weekly online information events in English. The events are on study orientation, study financing and study applications, a preparatory course that enables students to start their studies (even before they have the required language certificate) as well as various counselling and psychological support programmes. Ukrainian students are also accepted onto the English masters programmes “Biomedical Engineering”, “Process Engineering”, “Renewable Energy Systems” and “Pharmaceutical Biotechnology”. Interested parties can send an email to lectures-ukraine(@)haw-hamburg.de. Further information can be found here: https://www.haw-hamburg.de/detail/news/news/show/offer-to-host-teachers-and-students-at-our-faculty-in-hamburg/

An apprenticeship (Ausbildung) is an alternative to studying at a university which means you learn a profession or trade. An Abitur is not required. In two to three years, you will learn a trade such as baker, nurse or salesperson through a combination of school and work. The required language level depends on the people responsible for your training.

In order to find out if you are interested in a specific apprenticeship (Ausbildung), an internship (Praktikum) can be helpful.

Adolescents who are between 16 and 18 old and do not have sufficient language skills for an apprenticeship (Ausbildung), can take part in a preparatory course program (Ausbildungsvorbereitung):

If you have completed your studies, an apprenticeship (Ausbildung) or a comparable course, you can also get these recognised. Get advice on this from the following institutions:

• Diakonisches Werk Hamburg: Zentrale Anlaufstelle Anerkennung (ZAA), advice in German, English, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, if needed interpreters for further languages are available. Please make an appointment:
  • zaa@diakonie-hamburg.de, +49 40 30620 396 (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9 am – 11:30 am, Monday to Wednesday 2 pm – 3:30 pm), www.anlaufstelle-anerkennung.de
  • You can also get written advice: zaa@diakonie-hamburg.de

• Advice regarding recognition specifically for Arabic and African women:
  • Bildungs- und Beratungskarawane e.V.: AMinA – Arabische Migrantinnen in Anerkennung (Arab Migrant Women in Recognition), make an appointment in advance: info@bbkarawane.de, +49 40 46632726 (Monday to Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.), bbkarawane.de/projekte-angebote/anerkennungsberatung/
  • African-German Information Center (AGIC): Frauen aus Afrika erfolgreich im Anerkennungsverfahren (Successful recognition for African women): kenneth.gbandi@agic-hamburg.de, +49 40 88307280 (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10 am – 4 pm), www.agic-hamburg.de/frauen-aus-afrika-erfolgreich-im-anerkennungsverfahren/

If you have already started or completed your studies in your home country, further education can give you additional qualifications for your job search.

Sometimes your job qualification is different than the German qualification although it has a similar name. When you get your qualification recognised it might be evaluated as ‘partly equal’ (“teilweise gleichwertig”). Then, you can participate in a course for adaptation of your qualification (Anpassungsqualifizierung). Afterwards, your qualification is recognised as equal to a German qualification.

Here you can find courses for adaptation of your qualification (Anpassungsqualifizierung) for craftsmanship, the trade and services sector, for physiotherapists, educators and teachers:

• https://hamburg.netzwerk-iq.de/angebote-fachkraefte/

Financing your studies

You can find general information on financing your studies here: www.studierendenwerk-hamburg.de/studienfinanzierung

Information for refugees: www.studierendenwerk-hamburg.de/internationales/studierende-aus-dem-ausland#c9345

Advice on financing your studies for refugees:

Studierendenwerk Hamburg, Beratungszentrum Soziales & Internationales – BeSI, Grindelallee 9, 3. OG, consultation currently via phone and email: besi@studierendenwerk-hamburg.de, +49 40 41902 155 (Monday 12 pm (noon) – 3 pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 am – 12 pm (noon), Wednesday 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm)