Should your CV for Germany be in English or German?
Match the language of the job ad: a German ad gets a German CV, an English ad an English one. LMU Munich gives this rule, and Bremen notes a German ad usually implies German at B2 or higher.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
The ad decides, not your preference
LMU Munich's career service puts it in one line: apply in English to English-language ads and in German to German-language ones. The University of Bremen's careers centre explains why that works: the language of the ad is a good indicator of the main language of the job, and a German ad usually lets you conclude that good German, mostly at least B2 on the Common European Framework, is needed to get and do the job.
Hochschule Darmstadt adds the other half. Employers in Germany usually expect applications in German, so your chances may be higher in German; but if your German is not yet good enough, it may not make sense to apply in German, and it recommends English instead. Read together, the three sources give a simple order: the ad first, your honest level second.
First: read four things in the ad
- The language the ad is written in.
- Any line about the application language, such as "Bewerbungen auf Deutsch oder Englisch" or "please apply in English".
- The German level it asks for, written as a CEFR level (B2, C1) or in words (gute, sehr gute, verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse).
- The working language of the team, if the ad names it ("Arbeitssprache Englisch", "our team works in English").
If the ad answers the question, you are done. If it does not, the decision table below covers the usual mixed cases.
Where sector and company size come in
No official source ranks sectors by language
We found no government or university page that says which sectors or company sizes accept English CVs, and we do not repeat the percentages that circulate without a traceable source. What you can check is evidence about the specific employer.
Use the employer's own pages as evidence
Look at the careers page and the job portal. If the company publishes ads in both languages, or runs an English careers site, an English CV fits an English ad there. If everything, including the portal, is German, write in German unless the ad itself is in English.
Why the German level in the ad is a real signal
The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) says language requirements in ads must have a clear connection to the work and be proportionate, and that asking for German as a mother tongue can be discriminatory. So when an ad names "sehr gute Deutschkenntnisse", take it as a description of the job's daily language, not decoration.
Decision table: which language for which situation
| Situation | CV language | What to add or check |
|---|---|---|
| Ad in German, your German is B2 or higher | German | A German letter too; give your level with the certificate name and year |
| Ad in German asking for B2 or C1, your German is B1 | German if you apply at all | State B1 honestly and the course you are on; the gap between B1 and the ad is the first thing the reader will weigh |
| Ad in German, your German is A2 or lower | Usually skip the job | Bremen reads a German ad as needing mostly B2+; look for ads in English instead |
| Ad in English, German not mentioned | English | Still list German with its level, even if it is A2 |
| Ad in English, German "a plus" or "von Vorteil" | English | Put the German line high in the skills block, with level and certificate |
| Ad says applications in German or English are welcome | The one you write well without help | CV and letter in the same language; an interview may start in the other one |
| Speculative application, no ad | The language of the company's careers page | If the site has both, choose the one of the team you are writing to |
| A recruiter writes to you in English about a German-language role | English for the recruiter | Ask whether the hiring manager needs a German version; send it only if asked |
| Online portal in German, ad in English | English | Fill the portal fields in the language they ask in; upload the English CV |
These rows apply the rule from LMU, Bremen and Darmstadt to mixed cases; they are our reading, not an official list.
How to state your German level
The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR, in German GER) has six levels from A1 to C2. Europass publishes the self-assessment grid with can-do statements for each level in listening, reading, speaking and writing, so you can check yourself before you write a letter on the CV.
Level plus evidence, in words
The BA's 2026 guide asks for skill levels in words, not stars or bars, and its examples read like "Englisch, verhandlungssicher". LMU's sample German CV puts a CEFR level (GER-Sprachniveau) next to each language and "Muttersprache" next to the first. Combine the two:
- Deutsch: B2 (GER), Zertifikat 05.2026
- Deutsch: B1 (GER), Kurs bis B2 läuft, Prüfung geplant 03.2027
- Deutsch: A2 (GER), Selbsteinschätzung
- Englisch: C1 (GER), IELTS 7.0, 2024
- Türkisch: Muttersprache
Words without a scale
Words such as Grundkenntnisse, erweiterte Kenntnisse, fließend and verhandlungssicher appear in both the BA and LMU samples, but neither maps them to CEFR levels. Put the CEFR letter beside the word so the reader does not have to guess.
Your Turkish line
The ADS guide says employers may not ask whether German is your mother tongue. What you write about your own languages is your choice; "Türkisch: Muttersprache" is simply information, and for jobs with Turkish-speaking customers or suppliers it is a skill.
When to send both versions
None of the sources we read recommends sending a German and an English CV by default. Two versions make sense in three cases:
- The ad or the recruiter asks for both.
- An English-language recruiter forwards you to a German-speaking department and asks for a German CV.
- A portal has separate upload slots, for example "CV (Deutsch)" and "CV (English)".
If you send two, they must say the same thing: same dates, same titles, same numbers. A reader who compares them and finds a different job title in each will trust neither.
An English CV for a German employer
LMU's English template for international applications drops the photo, date of birth, nationality and marital status. For an English CV sent to an employer in Germany, no source we read sets a separate rule; the choices about photo and personal details are the same as for the German version and have their own guide.
Sources behind this page, read on 12 October 2026
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| LMU Munich Career Service | Apply in English to English ads and in German to German ads; give language skills with the CEFR level |
| University of Bremen Career Center, internship checklist | The ad language indicates the main working language; a German ad mostly implies German at B2 or higher |
| Hochschule Darmstadt | Employers usually expect German; if your German is not sufficient yet, apply in English |
| Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes, Fair in den Job (2019) | Language requirements must relate to the work; questions about German skills and a work permit are allowed, about mother tongue are not |
| Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bewerbungskompass (May 2026) | Write skill levels in words, not stars or bars |
| Europass, CEFR self-assessment grid | Can-do statements per level, A1 to C2 |
What this page does not settle
- The layout of the Lebenslauf itself is in the German CV format guide.
- A German heading list for translating your Turkish or English CV is outside this page.
- Visa and recognition files have their own language rules for documents; follow the checklist of the authority, not a job ad.
- Universities set the language of a master's application in their own admission rules.
Writing the CV in the language you chose
Whichever language you pick, write the CV in it rather than running a translation over the other version. Job titles, degree names and the skills block need the terms a German or international employer uses, and the cover letter should match.
CitedCV writes CVs in English, German and Turkish and follows German conventions when you choose Germany, from facts you confirm, so the English and German versions come from the same set of facts. A university career service, the BiZ at your local Agentur für Arbeit, or a fluent colleague reading your draft are other ways to check the language.
Questions people ask
Can I write my CV in English for a job in Germany?
Yes, when the ad is in English or says English applications are welcome. LMU Munich advises answering English ads in English and German ads in German.
How do I write a German CV in English?
Keep the German structure, tabular with month and year dates, newest first, and write it in English for an English-language ad. List your German level with its CEFR letter.
Should I translate my CV into German?
Only if the ad is in German and you can work in German. Darmstadt says employers usually expect German, but advises English if your German is not yet sufficient.
What German level should I write on my CV?
The level you can prove or honestly self-assess, as a CEFR letter plus evidence, for example "Deutsch: B2 (GER), Zertifikat 05.2026". Mark a self-assessment as such.
Is B1 German enough to apply in German?
Sometimes, but check the ad first. Bremen notes a German ad usually implies at least B2, so a B1 applicant should state the level and the course in progress.
Should my cover letter be in the same language as my CV?
Yes, send both in one language, the language of the ad. Mixing an English CV with a German letter makes the reader wonder which language you work in.
Do I need both an English and a German CV for Germany?
No, not by default. Send both only when the ad, the recruiter or the portal asks for both, and keep every date and title identical across them.
Can an employer ask about my German skills?
Yes, questions about German skills in speaking and writing and about a work permit are allowed, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency says, but not whether German is your mother tongue.
Sources
- LMU Munich Career Service, Application tips for studentswww.lmu.de/en/workspace-for-students/career-services/application-tips-for-students/
- University of Bremen Career Center, Checkliste Praktikumsplatz suchen (2025)www.uni-bremen.de/fileadmin/user_upload/sites/career_center/pdfs/Praktikum/Checklisten_2025/Checkliste-Praktikumsplatz_suchen_Wegweiser_Inlandspraktikum.pdf
- Hochschule Darmstadt, Check of your CV and cover letter in English for applying for jobs in Germanyh-da.de/studium/beratung/beratung/karrierestart/jobs-und-praktika/check-of-cv-and-cover-letter-in-english-for-applying-for-jobs-in-germany
- Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes, Fair in den Job, Leitfaden für diskriminierungsfreie Einstellungsverfahren (October 2019)www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/Leitfaeden/leitfaden_fair_in_den_job.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bewerbungskompass für Arbeitsstellen (May 2026)www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/datei/bewerbungskompass_arbeit_ba273273.pdf
- Europass, Common European Framework of Reference self-assessment grideuropass.europa.eu/en/common-european-framework-reference-language-skills
- LMU Munich Career Service, sample German CVcms-cdn.lmu.de/media/lmu/downloads/career-service/musterlebenslauf_deutsch-3.pdf