How to apply for an Ausbildung in Germany from abroad

When to apply

The German training year starts on 1 August or 1 September. Large companies often start selecting trainees a full year earlier, smaller companies sometimes only a few months before. From abroad you also need time for the visa, so apply as early as your German allows: ideally in the autumn or winter before the year you want to start.

Places that are still free in spring and summer do exist, especially in less popular professions. Late applications are not hopeless, but the visa timeline gets tight.

Where to find training places

• Federal Employment Agency job search: the official job portal lists a large number of training places. Choose “Ausbildung/Duales Studium” as the offer type.
• Chamber training exchanges: the regional Chambers of Industry and Commerce and Chambers of Crafts run their own training place exchanges.
• Make it in Germany: the government portal has job listings aimed at international applicants.
• Company websites: many companies only advertise on their own career page. Search for the German name of the profession together with “Ausbildung”.

Search with German terms, for example “Ausbildung Mechatroniker” rather than “mechatronics apprenticeship”. The profession database BERUFENET gives you the exact German name of each profession.

What a German application contains

In Germany an application usually consists of:

• Cover letter (Anschreiben), one page
• CV (Lebenslauf) in tabular form, one or two pages
• Your last school certificate, with a German translation
• German language certificate
• Certificates of internships or jobs, if you have them

Some companies now accept short online forms without a cover letter. If a company offers this, use it. It does not mean the company cares less about your motivation; you will explain it in the interview instead.

The German CV

A German CV is short, factual and organised in a table with dates on the left. It starts with your most recent experience. Typical sections are:

• Personal details: name, address, phone, email, date of birth and nationality. A professional photo is still common in Germany but not required.
• School education: schools, dates, final certificate and grade.
• Practical experience: internships, jobs, voluntary work, with dates and one line on your tasks.
• Language skills: German with your level and certificate, English, your native language.
• Other skills and interests: computer skills, driving licence, and interests that fit the profession, for example repairing motorbikes for a technical Ausbildung.

Gaps in your CV are not a problem if you can explain them. A year of German classes is a perfectly good reason, so write it down.

The cover letter

The cover letter is where you show that you have chosen this profession and this company. A clear structure works best:

1. Opening: which training place you are applying for and where you found it.
2. Why this profession: what you know about the work and what connects you to it. Be specific.
3. Why you: school subjects, practical experience, qualities that matter in this job.
4. Your situation: your German level, when you can start and that you are prepared for the visa.
5. Closing: that you look forward to an interview, followed by your name.

Write it yourself. Letters generated by translation tools or AI sound the same, and companies that receive many applications from abroad recognise them immediately. Short sentences in simple German are better than long sentences you would not be able to say in the interview.

Sending your application

• Combine everything into one PDF, no larger than a few megabytes.
• Use a clear file name, for example Bewerbung_Ausbildung_Mechatroniker_Firstname_Lastname.pdf.
• Write a short email in German with the training place in the subject line.
• Use a professional email address with your name.
• Send each application individually. Never put fifty companies in one email.

If you have heard nothing after two or three weeks, a short, polite follow-up email is fine.

The interview

For applicants from abroad, the first interview is almost always by video. Test your camera, microphone and internet connection beforehand, sit in a quiet, bright place and dress as you would for a meeting in person.

These are questions companies ask our candidates again and again:

• Why do you want to do an Ausbildung in Germany, and why this profession?
• What do you know about our company and about the work?
• How do you imagine your daily life in a small German town?
• How do you deal with shift work, early mornings or physical work?
• What will you do if you feel homesick?
• Where do you see yourself after the Ausbildung?

Answer in German, calmly and honestly. It is fine to ask the interviewer to repeat a question. It is not fine to recite memorised answers that do not fit the question. At the end, ask two or three questions of your own, for example about the training plan, the vocational school or help with housing.

Some companies invite candidates to a trial work day or ask for a short practical task. From abroad this is rarely possible in person, but be prepared for it later.

Before you sign the contract

When you receive a training contract, check at least these points:

• the exact profession and the duration of the Ausbildung
• the training pay for each year, and whether it reaches the visa threshold of 1,048 euros gross a month (2026)
• working hours, holidays and the probation period
• the start date, and what happens if your visa is delayed
• that the contract is between you and the company, and that the company registers it with the chamber

You should never have to pay anything to receive or sign a training contract.

Questions about applying

Sources: Federal Employment Agency, Make it in Germany. As of September 2026.