Medical German (every state),C1
The FSP has three parts in Lower Saxony: a patient talk, a written report and a talk with a doctor, 20 minutes each. Fees and waits differ by state.
I am a doctor with a degree from abroad
THE ANSWER
For your Approbation you need medical German at C1, shown in the Fachsprachprüfung (FSP) of your state's medical chamber. There is no public calendar: you apply for your licence first, and the chamber assigns the date. Until 31 October 2026 you also take the Kenntnisprüfung, a medical knowledge exam, if the authority finds substantial differences in your training. From 1 November 2026 the Kenntnisprüfung becomes the normal route for degrees from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland.
Instead of the FSP, in some states,C1
FIA says its PKT counts for EU degrees in Hamburg and Hesse, and that the PKT Medicine counts for all degrees in Saarland. Your licensing authority decides; ask first.
Degree from outside the EU, or gaps found,Kenntnisprüfung
An oral-practical exam in internal medicine and surgery, with a patient presentation, on one day. You can retake it up to two times.
Several chambers and FIA ask for a B2 general German certificate when you register for the FSP or PKT. The FSP does not test medical knowledge; the Kenntnisprüfung does.
Your state's licensing authority decides
- Apply for Approbation or Berufserlaubnis in the state where you want to work. The authority refers you to the FSP.
- Ask the authority whether it accepts the PKT before you book it.
Get an alert when a PKT date appears
Free email alerts when scheduled checks find a new PKT date. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Get free alertsSourcesAs of 20 Oct 2026
- Informationsblatt Fachsprachprüfung (Stand 01.01.2026) (opens in a new tab) · NiZzA (Lower Saxony licensing authority)
- §37 ÄApprO (Kenntnisprüfung) (opens in a new tab) · gesetze-im-internet.de (Federal Ministry of Justice)
- PKT recognition by state (opens in a new tab) · FIA
- Recognition law in force 1 Nov 2026 (opens in a new tab) · Federal Ministry of Health
The five CEFR language exams at a glance
These five are CEFR-aligned and accepted as a class. Which one counts is set by the institution you apply to. Study tests and exams for doctors and nurses are in the goal answers above.
| Exam | Levels | Mainly used for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goethe-Institut | A1 to C2 | All routes; strong for university (C2) and visas | Most exam centers in India |
| telc | A1 to C2 | Ausbildung, nursing (B1·B2 Pflege), jobs | Slots tend to open more often |
| ÖSD | A1 to C2 | All routes; Austria's official exam | Accepted across routes |
| TestDaF | B2 to C1 (TDN 3-5) | University admission | No A1; not for a spouse visa |
| ECL | A2 to C1 | General immigration / jobs | No A1 or C2; rarely used for university |