The professional language exam is a mandatory requirement for the granting of the Approbation or the temporary professional license. This article explains how the path to the exam appointment works in practice, what to keep in mind, what the exam costs, and what applies if it is not passed.

Target group

International professionals in regulated healthcare professions who did not complete their training in German are required to take the professional language exam – regardless of whether their qualification has been recognized as equivalent or whether a compensatory measure must be completed. In many federal states, applicants are automatically referred to the exam after submitting their recognition application; in some states, however, separate registration with the competent chamber is required. What exactly applies should be clarified directly with the relevant authority.

Prerequisites for admission

General German language skills at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) are required for admission to the professional language exam. This must be demonstrated by a recognized certificate and is generally already in place at the time of application. The professional language exam itself then assesses job-related language skills at C1 level.

Responsible bodies by profession

The professional language exam is administered by the competent professional chamber on behalf of the recognition authority of the relevant federal state. For medicine, the state medical associations are responsible; for dentistry, the state dental associations; and for pharmacy, the state pharmaceutical associations. In many federal states, contact with the chamber is handled through the recognition authority. In some states, direct contact with the chamber is also possible – this should be clarified on a case-by-case basis with the relevant authority.
Since responsibility for the examination process lies with the individual federal states, registration procedures, appointment scheduling, recognized language certificates, and fee amounts can vary. Binding information is available directly from the competent recognition authority or the relevant chamber.

From the recognition application to the exam appointment

Once the competent authority has processed the recognition application and determined that a professional language exam is required, it initiates the next steps. There are two different procedures, depending on the federal state.
In most federal states – including Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia – the authority registers the applicant directly with the competent chamber. The chamber then makes contact by email, requesting payment of the exam fee and giving the opportunity to indicate a preferred time period for the exam – usually by replying to the email or completing an attached response form.
In some federal states – including Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate – applicants receive a confirmation of receipt from the authority after their application has been processed, noting that a professional language exam must be taken. With this confirmation, the applicant then registers independently with the competent chamber – in Berlin, for example, via an online registration form where a preferred time period can also be entered.
In both cases: a specific exam date cannot be guaranteed – the preferred time period indicated is taken into account as far as available capacity allows. Once the exam fee has been received, an appointment is assigned and confirmed in writing.
The authority first processes the recognition application internally before forwarding the registration for the professional language exam. Depending on the authority and its workload, this step can take several weeks to months. From the point of referral to the actual exam appointment, a further two to six months typically pass in practice. This time can be used productively for language preparation. Those who are able to indicate a preferred time period should realistically assess when their language skills will be ready for the exam – since a confirmed appointment in many federal states cannot simply be rescheduled but can only be canceled.

Canceling an appointment

A confirmed exam appointment can generally be canceled free of charge up to two weeks in advance. The already paid fee is fully refunded in this case. For cancellations at shorter notice, a valid reason is required: if accepted, a processing fee is often retained; if rejected, the fee is forfeited and the appointment must be rebooked and paid for again. The exact conditions may vary by federal state.

Exam fees

The exam fee ranges from 390 to 650 euros depending on the federal state – in Bavaria it is currently 550 euros, in Baden-Württemberg 420 euros (as of 2025). The fee must usually be paid by bank transfer before an appointment is assigned. Cash payment is not possible. Those already living in Germany may be able to apply for financial support under certain conditions – through the Federal Employment Agency or the Jobcenter, for example via a Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) for a preparation course for the professional language exam. Whether the exam fee itself is also covered depends on the individual case and should be clarified in advance with the relevant authority.

Exam result

The result of the professional language exam is communicated in different ways depending on the federal state – some chambers announce it directly at the end of the exam, while others notify candidates a few days later, usually by email. The competent recognition authority is informed of the result by the chamber – candidates do not need to forward the result themselves. In many federal states, the result is valid for three years. The exact rules may vary and should be checked with the relevant authority. In some federal states, the validity period is extended by the duration of any actual professional practice carried out under a temporary professional license. When switching federal states, it should be clarified in advance with the competent authority in the destination state whether the professional language exam result will be recognized – rules differ by federal state. Baden-Württemberg, for example, additionally recognizes FaMed, telc Deutsch B2/C1 Medizin, and the ÖAK language exam (as of 2026).

Retaking the exam after a failed attempt

The professional language exam is assessed as a whole, either passed or not passed. Those who do not pass may retake the exam – the number of attempts is generally not limited. A waiting period must be observed between attempts, which varies by federal state and is typically between three and six months. Some chambers even recommend a minimum gap of six months to allow sufficient time for targeted follow-up preparation. In cases of repeated failure, the authority may in individual cases set a longer waiting period. Each new attempt requires payment of the exam fee again.