How to write a CV for an Ausbildung in Germany
An Ausbildung CV is a tabular Lebenslauf that leads with your school, final grade, favourite subjects, internships and German certificate, because a training company is choosing a learner, not buying experience.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
Start by laying your school papers on the table
Before you open a template, collect the four papers every line of this CV will point to. A training company cannot check what you write about yourself, but it can check a diploma, a transcript, an internship letter and a language certificate. If a line on your CV has no paper behind it, rewrite it until it does or leave it out.
- Your school-leaving certificate (for a Turkish applicant, the lise diploması) and a transcript of the last school years.
- Any internship or holiday-job letter that names the company, the dates and what you did.
- Your German certificate with the level, the date and the modules passed.
- Anything that shows interest in the trade: a school project, a course certificate, a club role.
Why the school record carries this CV
The Bundesagentur für Arbeit's application guide for training places (Bewerbungskompass Ausbildungsplatzsuche) says the Lebenslauf has become the most important part of the application because companies more and more often do without a cover letter. Its list of contents puts schools with their certificates, favourite subjects and school projects next to internships, side jobs, volunteering and stays abroad. Work history, the backbone of a job CV, is not expected.
How a training company reads the application
No certificate is required by law, so grades become the filter
The Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb) explains that access to vocational training is formally not tied to any particular school certificate, so in law dual training is open to everyone. In practice companies pick the applicants they find most suitable, and school results are what they compare first. That is why a clear grade line matters more here than on any other CV you will write.
Dual means a company and a vocational school
Training takes place in two places, the company and the Berufsschule, and it starts with a training contract signed with the company. You apply to the company. The school place follows from the contract.
What the reader looks for, in order
- The school-leaving certificate and the grade, stated the way the document states it.
- Grades or favourite subjects that fit the occupation: maths and physics for a technical trade, languages for retail or hotels.
- An internship or job in the same field, with weeks and hours.
- German level backed by a certificate, because the Berufsschule teaches in German.
- When you can start. The sample job ads in the BA guide start training on 1 August or 1 September.
The visa for looking for a training place
If you are outside the EU, two residence rules frame the search. § 17 AufenthG gives a permit to look for a training place in Germany. § 16a AufenthG covers the training itself once you have a place. The table puts the § 17 conditions next to the CV line that shows each one.
| Condition in § 17 (1) AufenthG | What the law says | Where it shows on your CV |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Not yet 35 years old | Date of birth in the personal details |
| Living costs | Secured for the stay | Not a CV item; shown with bank or sponsor papers |
| School certificate | From a German school abroad, or one that gives access to higher education in Germany or in the country that issued it | The school line names the diploma exactly, in Turkish and with a German gloss |
| German | Ausreichende German, which § 2 (11) AufenthG defines as level B1 | Language line with certificate name, level and date |
| Length | Up to nine months; work up to 20 hours a week and trial work up to two weeks in total | An availability line: "ab sofort verfügbar" |
Once a company offers a contract
For in-company training, § 16a (1) AufenthG ties the permit to approval by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, and the Auswärtiges Amt confirms that BA approval is needed in addition to the training place. § 16a (3) asks for proof of B1 German for qualified training unless the school has already tested your German or a preparatory German course is planned. The text of § 16a sets no age limit; the 35-year limit belongs to the search permit only.
If a leaflet says something different
Older summaries of these rules still circulate with other age limits and higher language levels. Compare any leaflet with the law text linked below and its date. Rules change, so check the linked official pages before you apply.
Applying from Türkiye
The German missions in Türkiye take national visa appointments only through the provider iDATA, which either books the appointment or sends you to the online Auslandsportal. On 12 October 2026 their page listed an iDATA service fee of €39.92 and/or a booking fee of €12, payable in Turkish lira.
Sample CV section for a Turkish lise graduate
The applicant below is invented: a graduate of an Anatolian high school in Bursa applying for a training place as Kfz-Mechatroniker (motor vehicle mechatronics technician). Copy the shape, not the facts. Every number must come from your own documents.
| Period | Lebenslauf entry (German, as sent) | Why it is written this way |
|---|---|---|
| 09/2021 – 06/2025 | Schulbildung: Anadolu Lisesi (allgemeinbildende Oberschule, 4 Jahre), Bursa, Türkei. Abschluss: Lise Diploması, Diplomnote 84,20 von 100. Lieblingsfächer: Mathematik, Physik. | Turkish name first so it matches the diploma; a short German gloss; the grade with its scale, not a converted grade. |
| 07/2024 – 08/2024 | Praktikum, Yılmaz Otomotiv (Kfz-Werkstatt), Bursa, 6 Wochen, 40 Std./Woche. Unter Anleitung: Öl- und Reifenwechsel, Ersatzteillager sortiert. | Weeks and hours let the Meister judge the depth. "Unter Anleitung" is honest and reads well for a learner. |
| 09/2024 – 05/2025 | Schulprojekt Robotik: Linienfolger-Fahrzeug mit Arduino gebaut, Team aus 3 Schülern. | A school project counts as practical experience in the BA list. |
| 10/2024 – 03/2025 | Deutschkurs, Goethe-Institut Istanbul. Goethe-Zertifikat B1, 03/2025, alle vier Module bestanden. | Level, date and modules in one line, matching the certificate you attach. |
| Sprachen: Türkisch (Muttersprache), Deutsch (B1, Zertifikat), Englisch (A2, Schulunterricht). | Only the German level needs a certificate; say where the others come from. | |
| Kenntnisse: Führerschein Klasse B; MS Office. | The BA checklist names a driving licence if you have one. |
How to show the lise diploma
- Write the school type in Turkish, then a plain German description in brackets. Do not call it Abitur; that is a German qualification you do not hold.
- Give the grade exactly as printed, with its scale ("von 100"). Convert only if the company asks; the method is on the page about converting Turkish grades.
- Attach a copy and a German translation. The BA guide says to send copies, never originals, and that certified copies are needed only in some cases, so read the ad.
- If you also took the YKS, you may add the year. uni-assist asks Turkish applicants to university for the lise diploma together with the YKS placement results, so some readers know the pairing.
An internship line a workshop can check
Name the company, the town, the weeks and the hours, then two or three tasks you did with your own hands. A Meister reading it should be able to call the workshop and hear the same story. Avoid "responsible for"; trainees are not responsible for a workshop, and the reader knows it.
Sources behind each rule, read on 12 October 2026
| Claim on this page | Source | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Age under 35, B1, up to nine months, 20 hours a week | § 17 AufenthG and § 2 (11) AufenthG, gesetze-im-internet.de | Conditions of the permit to search for a training place; "ausreichend" equals B1 |
| BA approval, B1 proof, no age limit in the text | § 16a AufenthG, gesetze-im-internet.de | Permit for in-company and school-based training |
| BA approval needed in addition to the place | Auswärtiges Amt, Längerfristige Aufenthalte (dated 30 October 2025) | Approval is obtained during the visa process |
| What goes in the Lebenslauf; copies not originals | Bewerbungskompass Ausbildungsplatzsuche, Bundesagentur für Arbeit | Contents list and checklist for training applications |
| No school certificate required by law | bpb, Das duale System | Access is formally not tied to a certificate |
| iDATA appointments and fees | German missions in Türkiye, national visas page | iDATA or Auslandsportal; €39.92 service and/or €12 booking fee |
Who needs a different page
- Nursing training (Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann) has its own entry rules in the nursing law; see the page on the nursing Ausbildung CV.
- If you already finished a vocational qualification in Türkiye, you may not need training at all; the skilled trades page covers recognition.
- University study in Germany follows admission rules for higher education, not the training market.
- If you are 35 or older, the search permit is closed to you, but a company can still offer a contract under § 16a.
After the CV
Most training ads still ask for a short cover letter; the Anschreiben page covers the German letter layout. The page on German application documents explains the order of the full file and which Turkish documents need a sworn translation.
If you want a first draft in German, CitedCV can write the Lebenslauf in German with German conventions from the facts you enter, and it asks when a date or grade is missing instead of filling the gap.
Questions people ask
How do I make a CV for Ausbildung in Germany?
Use a tabular Lebenslauf, newest first, and lead with school, final grade, favourite subjects, internships and your German certificate. The Bundesagentur für Arbeit lists exactly these items for training applications, ending with place, date and signature.
Is there an age limit for Ausbildung in Germany?
Only for the permit to search for a place: § 17 AufenthG requires that you are not yet 35. The text of § 16a AufenthG, the permit for the training itself, sets no age limit, though companies choose freely.
What German level do I need for an Ausbildung?
B1 is the legal level for the search permit and, as a rule, for qualified training under § 16a AufenthG. Some companies and schools ask for more, so read each ad.
Do I need a school certificate for an Ausbildung?
Not by law for dual training, according to the bpb, but companies compare certificates. The search permit under § 17 AufenthG does require a certificate that gives access to higher education in Germany or in the issuing country.
Should I convert my Turkish grades on an Ausbildung CV?
No, write the grade as printed with its scale, for example 84,20 von 100. Add a converted German grade only if the company asks for one.
Can I work while looking for an Ausbildung place in Germany?
Yes, within limits: the § 17 permit allows employment of up to 20 hours a week and trial work of up to two weeks in total.
Can I apply for an Ausbildung from Türkiye before I have a visa?
Yes. You apply to companies first; once one offers a contract, the visa for the training needs approval from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, which is obtained during the visa process.
Sources
- § 17 AufenthG: Suche eines Ausbildungs- oder Studienplatzeswww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__17.html
- § 2 AufenthG: Begriffsbestimmungen (language levels)www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__2.html
- § 16a AufenthG: Berufsausbildung; berufliche Weiterbildungwww.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__16a.html
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Bewerbungskompass Ausbildungsplatzsuche (PDF)www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/datei/bewerbungskompass-fuer-ausbildungsstellen_ba221052.pdf
- bpb: Die drei Sektoren der beruflichen Bildung, duales Systemwww.bpb.de/themen/arbeit/arbeitsmarktpolitik/332404/die-drei-sektoren-der-beruflichen-bildung-duales-system/
- Auswärtiges Amt: Längerfristige Aufenthalte, Studium, Sprachkurs und Ausbildungwww.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/service/visa-und-aufenthalt/schulbesuch-studium-sprachkurs-in-deutschland-2230586
- German missions in Türkiye: national visas for Turkish citizenstuerkei.diplo.de/tr-de/service/05-visaeinreise/2703120-2703120
- uni-assist: country notes for Türkiyewww.uni-assist.de/tools/laenderhinweise/laenderdetails/country/tr/