How do I write an au pair CV for Germany with no work experience?
Write a short CV in German listing each childcare task you have done, paid or unpaid, with the children's ages, how often and for how long. The visa also requires A1 German and that you are under 27.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
Start by listing every time you looked after children
An au pair CV is read by a family choosing someone to live with their children, so childcare carries more weight than anything else on it. Before you open a template, write down every time you looked after a child: siblings, cousins, neighbours, a kindergarten placement, tutoring, a summer programme. Paid or not does not matter.
| Note for each case | Example |
|---|---|
| Whose children, and how many | Two children of a neighbouring family |
| Their ages at the time | 3 and 6 |
| How often and how long | Twice a week, 4 hours each, for two years |
| What you did | Collected them from kindergarten, played, made dinner |
| Who can confirm it | The mother, by a short signed note with her phone number |
Why proof matters
Agencies that hold the RAL quality mark for au pair placement work to quality rules (RAL-GZ 112, February 2022 edition). For au pairs coming to Germany, those rules say the au pair provides proof of practical experience with children and fills in a detailed application form covering education, family background, experience, interests, preferences, motivation and goals. A note from the parent or teacher for each case on your list is that proof.
Language and honesty
The Federal Employment Agency's au pair leaflet (April 2023) says applicants should write the application letter and CV carefully and precisely in German, that a photo is voluntary, and that all information must be truthful. Write in simple German at your real level; the family will hear your German on the first video call.
The rules that decide whether you can go
Au pairs from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a visa, and the mission issues it only after the Federal Employment Agency has approved the placement. These are the conditions we found on the official pages on 12 October 2026:
| Condition | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 18 when you start; under 27 when you apply | BA leaflet; § 12 BeschV |
| German | At least A1, shown by an original certificate from Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2) or ECL | Sheet 57, German missions in Türkiye |
| Host family | German spoken as native language; if German is only the family language, you must not come from a home country of the host parents | § 12 BeschV |
| Relationship | You may not be related to the host family | BA leaflet |
| Duration | At least 6 and at most 12 months, and only once | BA leaflet |
| Hours | At most 6 hours a day and 30 a week; 1.5 days off a week and 4 free evenings | Sheet 57; BA leaflet |
| Money | 280 euros pocket money a month; 70 euros a month towards a German course plus travel to it | BA leaflet and BA au pair page |
| Insurance | The family insures you for illness, pregnancy, birth and accidents | Sheet 57; BA leaflet |
What the visa section in Türkiye asks for
Sheet 57 of the German missions in Türkiye lists the application form, passport, biometric photos, the contract signed by you and the family, the Federal Employment Agency questionnaire for host parents, the family’s registration certificate, the A1 certificate, a self-written motivation letter with your further career plans, a CV, a signed note that you read the agency’s leaflet, proof of your schooling or training in Türkiye, and au pair health insurance for the whole stay.
The sheet asks for sworn German translations of Turkish documents. Your CV and the documents about your schooling must show the same schools and years; the national visa CV page explains how visa CVs are compared with the file.
Two letters, two readers
- The dear family letter goes to the family or agency. It says who you are, shows your childcare experience and helps a family imagine you at their table.
- The motivation letter goes to the visa section. Sheet 57 asks for one you wrote yourself, with your career plans after the stay.
Childcare lines for someone who has never had a job
Each line below turns an ordinary situation into a CV entry a family can check. They are written in German, the language the BA leaflet asks for, with the period first as German CVs do. Replace every detail with your own.
| Situation | CV line in German | What the family learns |
|---|---|---|
| Babysitting for neighbours | 06/2023 – 08/2025 Babysitting bei einer Nachbarsfamilie, Izmir: zwei Kinder (3 und 6 Jahre), zweimal pro Woche je 4 Stunden; Abholen vom Kindergarten, Spielen, Abendessen | Regular, unsupervised care of a toddler |
| Younger siblings | seit 09/2019 Nachmittagsbetreuung meiner Geschwister (heute 8 und 11 Jahre) an Schultagen: Hausaufgabenhilfe, Begleitung zum Schwimmkurs | Years of daily routine with school-age children |
| Cousins in the holidays | Sommer 2022 bis 2025: jeweils 4 Wochen Betreuung von drei Cousins (2 bis 7 Jahre), tagsüber allein verantwortlich | Several children of different ages at once |
| Kindergarten placement at school | 02/2024 – 06/2024 Praktikum im Kindergarten [Name], Ankara, 120 Stunden: Spielgruppen, Basteln, Begleitung beim Mittagessen | Group care with trained staff |
| Tutoring | 10/2023 – 05/2025 Nachhilfe in Englisch für zwei Grundschulkinder (8 und 9 Jahre), einmal pro Woche | Patience and homework help |
| Volunteering | 07/2024 Ehrenamtliche Betreuerin in einem Sommerprogramm der Stadtverwaltung, 2 Wochen, Gruppe von 12 Kindern (7 bis 10 Jahre) | Responsibility in a group |
| First aid | 03/2025 Erste-Hilfe-Kurs, [Anbieter], mit Zertifikat | You know what to do in an emergency |
A complete sample CV for a first-time au pair
| Section | Entry |
|---|---|
| Persönliche Daten | Name, date of birth, nationality, city, email, phone |
| Erfahrung in der Kinderbetreuung | Three to five lines from the table above, newest first |
| Schulbildung | 09/2019 – 06/2023 Anadolu Lisesi, Ankara, Abschluss: Lise Diploması |
| Sprachen | Türkisch: Muttersprache; Deutsch: A1 (Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1, 04/2026); Englisch: B1 |
| Weitere Kenntnisse | Führerschein Klasse B seit 2024; Schwimmen; Erste-Hilfe-Kurs 03/2025 |
| Interessen | Basteln, Volleyball, Kochen |
Put childcare above school, because it is what the family is looking for. Keep the whole CV to one page. Whether to add a photo and which personal details to show is covered on the German CV photo and personal details page.
Lines that weaken an au pair CV
- "Ich liebe Kinder" with nothing after it. A line with ages and hours shows it instead of saying it.
- A German level higher than your certificate. Sheet 57 requires the original certificate, and the family will hear your German.
- Experience you cannot name a person for. RAL agencies ask for proof.
The dear family letter
The letter is the part of the application where you sound like yourself. Keep it to one page in German, and make every claim match a CV line. A workable order, with a sample sentence for each step:
- Who you are: Ich heiße Elif, bin 20 Jahre alt und wohne mit meinen Eltern und zwei jüngeren Geschwistern in Ankara.
- Your experience with children, two concrete cases: Seit vier Jahren hole ich meine Geschwister von der Schule ab und helfe ihnen bei den Hausaufgaben.
- Why Germany and why an au pair year: Ich lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch und möchte die Sprache im Alltag einer Familie sprechen.
- What you bring to daily life: Ich habe einen Führerschein, koche gern einfache Gerichte und gehe gern mit Kindern auf den Spielplatz.
- Your plans after the year: Danach möchte ich in der Türkei Grundschulpädagogik studieren.
The last step overlaps with the motivation letter for the visa section, which must state your career plans. Use the same plan in both letters, in different words for different readers.
Sources and the date we read them
- Section 12 of the Employment Ordinance (BeschV) on gesetze-im-internet.de, read 12 October 2026.
- Sheet 57 (Au-Pair) of the German missions in Türkiye, German and Turkish versions, read 12 October 2026.
- The Federal Employment Agency's au pair page and its leaflet 'Au pairs in German families' (April 2023), read 12 October 2026.
- Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair, RAL-GZ 112 quality rules (February 2022), read 12 October 2026.
Amounts such as pocket money come from the April 2023 leaflet. Check the linked BA page and sheet 57 before you sign a contract.
Who this page is not for
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: they need no permit for au pair work, according to the BA.
- Anyone aged 27 or over when applying, or who has already been an au pair in Germany.
- People who want to care for elderly or sick family members: the BA leaflet says that is not an au pair duty.
- People who want a career in childcare: vocational training is a separate route, covered on the Ausbildung page.
Next steps
With the list, the CV and the letter ready, look for a family. The BA recommends a placement agency, and the Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair lists agencies with the RAL mark. CitedCV can write the CV in German from the facts you enter and confirm; it writes only from the facts you give it, so the list from the first step is what it works from.
- Book an A1 exam with an accepted provider if you do not yet have the certificate.
- Ask each person on your list for a short signed note now.
- Read sheet 57 again before the appointment.
Questions people ask
What should a German au pair CV include?
Personal details, a childcare section with ages, hours and dates, schooling, languages with your certified German level, and practical skills such as a driving licence or first aid. Keep it to one page in German.
How do I write an au pair CV with no experience?
Count unpaid childcare: siblings, cousins, neighbours, tutoring, kindergarten placements and volunteering. Give each its own line with the children’s ages, how often and how long, and ask someone to confirm it.
Can you show an au pair CV example?
Yes. The sample on this page has sections for personal details, childcare experience, schooling, languages, further skills and interests, with lines written in German for a first-time au pair.
What German level do I need to be an au pair in Germany?
At least A1. Sheet 57 of the German missions in Türkiye asks for an original certificate from the Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2) or ECL.
What is the age limit for an au pair in Germany?
You must be at least 18 when you start and under 27 when you apply, according to the Federal Employment Agency and section 12 of the Employment Ordinance.
Should my au pair CV be in German or English?
German. The Federal Employment Agency’s leaflet says the application letter and CV should be written carefully and precisely in German.
Do I need a photo on an au pair CV?
It is voluntary, the Federal Employment Agency says, though RAL agencies’ application forms include photos. A friendly, recent photo helps a family picture you.
What do I write in a dear host family letter?
Who you are, two concrete childcare examples, why you want to come to Germany, what you bring to daily life and your plans after the year, on one page in German.
Sources
- Beschäftigungsverordnung § 12 (Au-pair-Beschäftigungen), gesetze-im-internet.dewww.gesetze-im-internet.de/beschv_2013/__12.html
- German missions in Türkiye, Merkblatt 57: Au-Pairtuerkei.diplo.de/tr-de/service/05-visaeinreise/2724506-2724506
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Au-pairwww.arbeitsagentur.de/unternehmen/arbeitskraefte/au-pair
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Au pairs in German families (April 2023)www.arbeitsagentur.de/datei/au-pair-in-germany-en_ba030535.pdf
- Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair, RAL-GZ 112 quality rules (February 2022)www.guetegemeinschaft-aupair.de/files/downloads/Au-Pair-RAL-GZ_112_2022.pdf
- Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair, Coming to Germany as an au pairwww.guetegemeinschaft-aupair.de/de/nach-deutschland.html