Apply for a measure that prepares you for training

The careers advice service at the employment agency or job center will decide whether a pre-vocational training measure is suitable for you:

• First make an appointment with the careers advice service at the employment agency or job center.
  • If you do not yet have a personal contact person at the employment agency, make an appointment by calling the free telephone number 0800 4 555500.
  • If you are already being looked after by the Jobcenter, make an appointment with your personal contact person.
• During the consultation, you will discuss together whether you can take part in a pre-vocational training measure.
• If your careers advisor determines that you are eligible to take part in a pre-vocational training measure, you will be registered for this immediately.
• If you would like to take part in a pre-vocational training measure, you must submit certain documents to the employment agency. You will find out what these are at your consultation appointment. You upload the requested documents as files via the upload service on the Federal Employment Agency's website.
• You will be notified as soon as a place is available.

Participation is possible if:

• you are no longer required to attend school full-time
• you do not yet have the necessary training or vocational aptitude or
• you have not yet succeeded in taking up training or work and your chances of integration can be improved by participating in a pre-vocational training measure or
• you have lost your training position and would like to reorient yourself professionally or
• you do not have a school-leaving certificate and would like to obtain a secondary general school certificate or equivalent.

If you have already taken part in a pre-vocational training measure, you can be supported again if participation is necessary for successful integration.

As a young person with disabilities, you can also take part in a general pre-vocational training program if

• your individual support needs can be covered and
• participation in working life is achieved.

Special requirements for foreigners:

As a foreigner, you should have language level B1 and have school knowledge that suggests a successful transition to vocational training.

In addition to the requirements already listed, you can generally be supported if

• You are not excluded from access to the labor market. Funding is not possible if you are prohibited from working;
• you are permitted to work, but also if the foreigners authority can permit you to work (for example as a permitted person with a note in the residence permit that employment is only permitted with the permission of the foreigners authority). Permission is not yet required for participation in vocational preparation measures;
• As a person with a residence permit, you must also be able to prove that you have been legally resident in Germany for at least 15 months at the time of the funding decision. A shortened period of 3 months applies for those who were granted permission to enter Germany before August 1, 2019;
• you are tolerated with legal residence in Germany and your deportation has been suspended for at least 9 months at the time of the funding decision in order to participate in a pre-vocational training measure. For tolerated persons who entered Germany before August 1, 2019, a shorter period of 3 months applies.

• School certificate
• If you do not have a school-leaving certificate: Proof of completion of compulsory full-time schooling
• For foreign nationals: Proof of current residence permit

If necessary, further documents to be provided by you may result from the consultation with your careers advisor at the Employment Agency or the integration specialists at the Jobcenter.

There is no deadline. However, it is worth knowing that the vocational preparation measures start in September of each year.

• §§ Sections 51 to 54 of the Third Book of the German Social Code (SGB III)
• § Section 56 of the Third Book of the German Social Code (SGB III)
• §§ Sections 63 to 64 of the Third Book of the German Social Code (SGB III)

• Objection
• Action before the social court

Forms available: No
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: Yes
Online services available: Yes

If the federal state in which you live offers a school-based pre-vocational training program leading to a secondary general school certificate, participation in this program has priority.

07.08.2023