If your university or exact degree is not clearly listed in Anabin, you may need a ZAB Statement of Comparability Germany for a work visa, EU Blue Card, Chancenkarte, employer check or another official process. This guide explains what the document is, when it helps, how to apply, and what changed in the current online ZAB process.
If you still do not know how to check whether your degree is valid in Germany, first read my Anabin guide: Is your educational qualification valid in Germany?
Statement of Comparability Germany in 2026: quick answer
A Statement of Comparability is an official ZAB certificate that compares a foreign university degree with a German higher-education qualification. It can be used as proof with German government offices, embassies and employers, but it does not replace recognition for regulated professions and it does not automatically give university admission or permission to work in a regulated job.
- Current fee: ZAB lists the Statement of Comparability fee as 208 EUR; a replacement costs 104 EUR.
- Current application route: apply online through the ZAB portal with BundID and use the ZAB Pre-Check for your document list.
- Processing time: ZAB says the 3-month processing time starts once all required documents and the full fee have been received. EU Blue Card and fast-track skilled-worker cases can be shorter.
- Important: always confirm the latest requirements on the official ZAB pages before paying or submitting documents.
Official references: ZAB Statement of Comparability overview, ZAB application process, and ZAB fees.
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What is Statement of Comparability?
Let us first understand what is Statement of Comparability.
In short, the Statement of Comparability is a ZAB assessment of how your foreign university degree compares with a qualification in the German education system.
The purpose is to make your international qualification easier for German authorities, employers and other institutions to understand. It is especially useful when Anabin does not clearly show both your university and your exact degree in a way the authority accepts.
When is a Statement of Comparability useful or necessary?
The Statement of Comparability is for use in non-regulated professions, for example biologists, physicists and linguists, for specialist workers with academic training. The Statement of Comparability does not substitute for the recognition process for regulated professions.
For skilled-worker visas, EU Blue Card cases, Chancenkarte applications or employer checks, authorities may ask you to prove how your foreign degree compares to a German degree. Sometimes an Anabin printout is enough; sometimes a Statement of Comparability is requested.
In short: if your university is H+ but your exact degree is missing, or if your university is H+/- or unclear, you should check the official requirements for your visa or employer case and consider applying for a Statement of Comparability. I explain H+, H- and H+/- in this post: Is your educational qualification valid in Germany?
Do you need Statement of Comparability?
If your university is listed as H+ in Anabin and your exact degree is also listed as comparable, many applicants use Anabin printouts instead of a Statement of Comparability. However, the final decision depends on the authority, employer, embassy or university handling your case.
If anything is unclear, missing, mismatched or not accepted by the authority, a ZAB Statement of Comparability can become necessary.
How to apply for Statement of Comparability Germany?
Once you have determined that you need the document, the current ZAB process starts online. Use the ZAB Pre-Check first, create or use your BundID login, submit the application in the ZAB portal, upload the required documents, and pay the fee after submission.
Find what all documents you need for your country
You will need copies of various documents to complete the assessment. The exact list depends on your country, degree type and documents, so use the official ZAB Pre-Check instead of relying only on an old PDF checklist.
Check the current document requirements through the official ZAB application page.
You will have to select your country based on that it will open the document which has the checklist
Checklist for Applying Statement of Comparability Germany
General Documents which you will need are mentioned below :
- Application form with your signature
- Official diploma (degree certificate, final or provisional) in English as a certified photocopy
- A university-attested copy of the mark sheets / consolidated statement of marks /official transcripts in English in an unopened envelope sealed by the university or an electronic version submitted to our email address zabservice@kmk.org directly by your university (registrar /evaluation section/board of examination).
- Secondary school graduation certificate for grades 10 and 12 (certificate of secondary education, certificate of higher secondary education) in English as a regular photocopy
- Identity document (valid passport) as a regular photocopy
Step-by-step: applying for a ZAB Statement of Comparability online
- Use the official ZAB Pre-Check to confirm whether ZAB can generally evaluate your degree and which documents you need.
- Prepare scans or digital copies of the required documents in the language and format requested by ZAB.
- Sign in with BundID and submit the online application through the ZAB portal.
- Pay the fee after submitting the application. ZAB currently lists PayPal, credit card and SEPA bank transfer as payment options.
- Watch your ZAB account for messages. If ZAB needs more information, they will contact you in My Account.
- Download the completed digital Statement of Comparability once ZAB notifies you that it is ready.
For EU Blue Card or fast-track skilled-worker cases, ZAB says processing can be shorter than the regular timeline. Still, do not wait until the last moment if your embassy, Auslaenderbehoerde or employer has asked for this document.
Pay for the Statement of Comparability Germany
Lastly, pay the fee for the Statement of Comparability after submitting your application.
In the current process, ZAB sends the notification of fees as a message in My Account after you submit the application, and you can pay online immediately.
ZAB currently lists the fee for a Statement of Comparability as 208 EUR. A replacement for a Statement of Comparability that has already been issued costs 104 EUR. Payment options currently include PayPal, credit card and SEPA bank transfer.
ZAB says processing begins once all required documents and the fee have been received in full. For further information, use the official ZAB fees page.
These are all the steps which you need to follow you are not able to find you University and Degree on Anabin. If you don’t know how to check that then read this post Is your educational qualification valid in Germany?
If you are looking for job in Germany check this post This is how you find a job in Germany
Do let me know if you have any question is comments or you have any questions about Germany by sending me a message using Contact Me
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