Subsequent acquisition of the Hauptschulabschluss [lower secondary school leaving certificate]

The Hauptschulabschluss (lower secondary school leaving certificate) is the first general school-leaving certificate in Germany. It is acquired with the successful completion of the 9th grade. It certifies the pupils’s eligibility to attend a vocational school. Thus, the school-leaving certificate is an important first step towards vocational training.
The qualified lower secondary school leaving certificate can be obtained through an additional performance assessment (examinations) at the end of the ninth school year and if a specified grade point average is achieved. It entitles the holder to attend the tenth grade.

At a vocational training school

The Vocational Preparation Year (BVJ) combines the acquisition of the lower secondary school leaving certificate with vocational preparation. The BVJ offers the opportunity to attend a vocational school without already having a school-leaving certificate. The entry requirement is that the full-time compulsory education of nine years has been completed.
Pupils with sufficient German language skills (at least A2) can take part in the vocational preparation year (BVJ). Pupils without knowledge of the German language can attend the Vocational Preparation Year with language support (BVJ-S) as the Integration Report of the Land of Saxony-Anhalt 2011-2016 shows. In the BVJ, students are introduced to two vocational areas (e.g. metal technology, wood technology or nutrition and home economics) in addition to general and technical content. A work placement of several weeks is part of the one-year programme. In addition, the special needs of the pupils are taken into account.
The BVJ-S focuses on promoting German language skills during the one-year period of school education. By contrast with the BVJ, the BVJ-S is aimed specifically at pupils with little or no knowledge of German. If there is a need for it and a sufficient number of pupils, a school can also set up literacy classes.
The BVJ-S can precede the BVJ. In addition, it is possible to end the BVJ-S early as soon as the pupil has sufficient German language skills to attend classes in another educational programme.

In brief:

At an evening secondary school

At an evening secondary school, lessons takes place in evening classes. The entrance requirement is that the pupil has reached the age of 18 at the time of entry into the evening secondary school.
Pupils without a school-leaving certificate first complete the "preliminary course", which lasts six months. This is general education and is intended to serve as preparation for further education. If the participants have passed the preliminary course, they are entitled to attend the first school year. At the end of the first school year, the lower secondary school leaving certificate can be obtained.

In brief:

Further information

You can find information on everyday school life at vocational schools in the brochure ‘Wege in die Berufliche Zukunft’ (Pathways to a Vocational Future) of the Ministry of Education of Saxony-Anhalt.

Ordinances, Decrees and Laws on the Evening Schools e.g. on admission requirements, admission procedures, subjects and teaching content can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education of Saxony-Anhalt.

Evening secondary schools:

• Magdeburg: “Oskar Linke” Community school
• Halle (Saale): “August Hermann Francke” Community and Secondary School

Return to “Catching up on school-leaving qualifications”