education · Germany edition
It’s easy to be a Teacher.
Becoming a teacher (Lehrer/in) in Germany needs a university teaching degree (Lehramt) of about five years ending in the First State Exam or Master of Education, then a 12–24 month paid Referendariat ending in the Second State Exam. Most then become tenured civil servants (Beamte) at state level.
Last verified Version 1By Editorial Team
Key facts
Germany- Median salary (2025)
€65,000/yr
Range €57,000 – €77,000
- Time to qualify
6–7.5 years
About 5 years of study (10 semesters) plus a 12–24 month Referendariat, so roughly 6–7 years before you are a fully qualified teacher.
- Cost to qualify
€900 – €3,500
Public universities charge no tuition for the Lehramt degree — you pay only a semester fee (Semesterbeitrag) of roughly 150–350 € per semester, so about 1,500–3,500 € over a five-year degree, mostly covering student services and a public-transport ticket. The Referendariat is paid: Anwärterbezüge run roughly 1,650–1,800 € gross per month, so the second phase is income, not a cost. Living expenses during study are the main outlay and can be partly covered by BAföG.
- Job outlook (2023–2035)
0% growth
About 38,000 openings per year
All figures apply to Germany. Salaries, licensing, and timelines differ by country — where other editions exist, switch between them at the top of the page.
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How to become a Teacher — step by step
- 1
Finish school with the Abitur —
Earn a university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung), normally the Abitur. Decide which school type you want to teach and which two subjects, since you apply for a specific Lehramt track.
- 2
Study Lehramt at a university About 5 years (10 semesters)
Enrol in a teaching degree for your chosen school type and subjects. Public universities charge no tuition, only a semester fee. Expect education theory, subject content, didactics and school-placement internships (Praktika).
- 3
Pass the First State Exam or Master of Education Part of the degree
Complete the academic phase with the First State Exam (in Staatsexamen states) or a Master of Education (in Bachelor/Master states). This is the precondition for entering the Referendariat.
- 4
Apply for and complete the Referendariat 12–24 months
Do the Vorbereitungsdienst: supervised teaching at a school combined with a Studienseminar. You are paid Anwärterbezüge of roughly 1,650–1,800 € gross per month and gradually take on your own lessons.
- 5
Pass the Second State Exam End of Referendariat
The Referendariat ends with the Zweite Staatsprüfung (lesson demonstrations, written work and an oral exam). Passing makes you a fully qualified teacher.
- 6
Get hired and (usually) become a Beamter After the Second State Exam
Apply for a teaching post in your state. Most new teachers are appointed as tenured civil servants (Verbeamtung), subject to a health check and state age limits; others are hired as salaried employees under TV-L.
- 7
Specialise and keep developing Ongoing career
Take on additional subjects, qualifications or roles (form teacher, department lead, school management) and complete ongoing professional development required by your state.
Requirements to be a Teacher
- Abitur or equivalent university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung)educationRequired
Needed to enrol in a Lehramt degree; some teaching subjects (e.g. sport, art, music) require an additional aptitude test (Eignungsprüfung).
- University teaching degree (Lehramtsstudium) ending in the First State Exam or Master of EducationeducationRequired
About 10 semesters (5 years). States like Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony keep the traditional Staatsexamen model; NRW, Baden-Württemberg and others use the staged Bachelor/Master of Education system. You study for a specific school type (Grundschule, Sekundarstufe, Gymnasium, berufsbildende Schule) and usually two subjects.
- Referendariat / Vorbereitungsdienst (preparatory service)experienceRequired
12–24 months of supervised classroom teaching at a school plus a Studienseminar, ending with the Second State Exam (Zweite Staatsprüfung).
- Second State Exam (Zweites Staatsexamen)licenseRequired
The qualifying credential to teach independently and the precondition for being made a civil servant (Verbeamtung).
- Verbeamtung (civil-servant appointment)licenseOptional
Most teachers are tenured Beamte, which brings job security, a state pension and no social-insurance deductions. Not mandatory — some teach as salaried employees (Angestellte) under the TV-L collective agreement; appointment depends on the state, age limits and a health check.
- Subject specialism in a shortage fieldskillOptional
Maths, physics, chemistry, computer science, art and vocational subjects are KMK-designated Mangelfächer, opening faster hiring and Quereinstieg routes for graduates from other fields.
A day in the life of a Teacher
Most days start before the first bell, prepping rooms and materials and squeezing in a quick word with colleagues in the Lehrerzimmer. You teach several lessons across your two subjects, juggling different age groups, learning levels and the odd disruption, and supervising during breaks (Pausenaufsicht). Afternoons rarely mean going home: there is lesson planning, marking stacks of tests and homework, parent emails, conferences (Konferenzen) and documentation. Form teachers (Klassenlehrer) add pastoral care, absence tracking and dealing with conflicts. Much of the real workload — correction and preparation — happens at home in the evenings, which is why the generous-holidays image only tells half the story. The rewards are concrete: a class that finally understands a concept, a struggling student who turns a corner, and the autonomy to shape how you teach.
Is it worth it to be a Teacher?
For most people the German route is financially gentle and the security is hard to beat. Tuition-free study, a paid Referendariat, and — for the majority who become tenured Beamte — strong job security, a state pension and higher net pay than the gross suggests, because civil servants pay no social-insurance contributions. With the Kultusministerkonferenz projecting tens of thousands of teachers to be hired each year through 2035, especially in secondary, vocational and STEM subjects, qualified teachers are in genuine demand. The honest caveats: it is a long, exam-heavy path of about six to seven years, the Referendariat is notoriously stressful and underpaid, primary teachers in some states still earn less (A12), and the work itself — large classes, administration, behaviour, your own emotional labour — is harder than the holidays-and-security stereotype implies. If you want subject expertise and lifelong stability and can endure the training grind, it is worth it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming all states use the same system — Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony keep the Staatsexamen model while NRW and others use Bachelor/Master of Education, and pay, Verbeamtung rules and Referendariat length differ by Bundesland.
- Choosing subjects you enjoy without checking demand; teaching a shortage subject (maths, physics, IT, vocational fields) makes hiring and a Quereinstieg far easier than oversubscribed ones.
- Underestimating the Referendariat — it is paid only about 1,650–1,800 € gross a month and is widely described as the most stressful phase of the whole path.
- Treating Verbeamtung as automatic — it depends on the Second State Exam, a health check and state age limits, and missing the age cut-off can cost you civil-servant status and its pension and net-pay advantages.
- Picking a school type for its pay without realising some states still place primary teachers in A12, below the A13 of secondary and Gymnasium teachers.
- Banking on the holidays-and-security image and overlooking the real workload: lesson prep, correction, administration and classroom behaviour.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay tuition to train as a teacher in Germany?
No. Public universities charge no tuition for the Lehramt degree — you pay only a semester fee (Semesterbeitrag) of roughly 150–350 € per semester, which usually includes a public-transport ticket. The second phase, the Referendariat, is paid: trainees earn roughly 1,650–1,800 € gross per month.
How long does it take to become a teacher in Germany?
Plan on about six to seven years: roughly five years (10 semesters) for the Lehramt degree ending in the First State Exam or Master of Education, then a 12–24 month Referendariat ending in the Second State Exam, after which you can teach independently.
How much do teachers earn in Germany?
Pay is set by state civil-servant scales. A fully qualified teacher on A13 starts at roughly 5,050 € gross per month (about 60,000 € a year) and rises with experience to around 6,400 € (about 77,000 €). Primary teachers in states still on A12, and salaried (TV-L) teachers, earn somewhat less. Tenured Beamte keep more net pay because they have no social-insurance deductions.
What is the difference between A12 and A13 pay for teachers?
A12 and A13 are civil-servant pay grades. Primary-school teachers were traditionally placed in A12 and Gymnasium teachers in A13, a gap of several hundred euros a month. Most states have now raised primary teachers to A13 too; a few, such as Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland, still pay A12 at primary level.
Can I become a teacher in Germany without a teaching degree?
Sometimes, via the Quereinstieg or Seiteneinstieg. With a relevant university degree (often a Master) in a shortage subject such as maths, physics, computer science or a vocational field, several states let you enter teaching, usually combined with a shortened, supervised qualification. Rules and labels differ by state.
Do teachers in Germany have to become civil servants (Beamte)?
No, but most do. Verbeamtung brings strong job security, a state pension and higher net pay, and requires passing the Second State Exam, a health check and meeting state age limits. The alternative is being employed as a salaried teacher (Angestellte/r) under the TV-L collective agreement.
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these primary sources.
- 1Entgeltatlas – Lehrer/in (Grundschulen): mittleres Bruttoentgelt — Bundesagentur für Arbeit · accessed June 15, 2026
- 2Geld im Referendariat (Anwärterbezüge) — GEW Berlin (Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 3Lehrer Gehalt: A 13 vs. A 12 – Was Lehrkräfte in den Ländern verdienen — Deutsches Schulportal (Robert Bosch Stiftung) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 4Lehrkräfteeinstellungsbedarf und -angebot in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2023–2035 (Dok. 238) — Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 5Lehrkräftemangel in Deutschland – Literatur, Stellungnahmen und Empfehlungen — Deutscher Bildungsserver · accessed June 15, 2026
- 6Quereinstieg ins Lehramt – Voraussetzungen und Wege — Deutsches Schulportal (Robert Bosch Stiftung) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 7Vorbereitungsdienst / Referendariat in den einzelnen Bundesländern — Deutscher Bildungsserver · accessed June 15, 2026