Funding the knowledge exam: how employers apply for course costs and a wage subsidy

04.11.2026

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The short answer

Preparing internationally trained nurses for the knowledge exam (Kenntnisprüfung) can be funded by the Agentur für Arbeit. Funding can cover part or all of the course costs and a subsidy towards wages for the time your nurse spends in the course.

How much you receive depends on the funding route, the size of your organisation and the individual case. One thing matters above all: you have to apply before the course starts.

Why many care providers don’t use the funding

In a study commissioned by the Match Pflege initiative, 58% of surveyed outpatient and residential care providers called funding a decisive factor in recruitment, as reported by the trade publication Care vor9. In the same study, 82% said they had not yet applied for funding under § 81 SGB III.

The biggest challenge, named by 67%, was administrative effort. This post explains which routes exist and what to sort out before the course starts.

Which funding routes exist?

There are two routes for nurses you employ. The first is employee funding under § 82 SGB III, known from the Qualifizierungschancengesetz. Since 1 April 2024, it follows the rules of the Act to Strengthen Training and Further Training Funding, which the Agentur für Arbeit often calls the “Weiterbildungsgesetz”.

The second is funding under § 81 Abs. 2 SGB III for employees without a usable vocational qualification. According to the Federal Employment Agency’s official guidance, employees whose foreign qualification isn’t yet formally recognised in Germany generally belong to this group. That includes many internationally trained nurses while their recognition is still ongoing.

Which route applies to your nurse is decided by the Agentur für Arbeit, case by case.

How much funding is possible?

Under § 81 Abs. 2, course costs are covered in full if the other conditions are met. The wage subsidy can reach up to 100% of pay for the hours lost to the course.

Under § 82, the rates depend on the size of your organisation:

  • Fewer than 50 employees: up to 100% of course costs and up to 75% wage subsidy
  • 50 to 499 employees: up to 50% for each
  • 500 or more employees: up to 25% for each

Part-time staff count proportionally.

If your nurse is 45 or older or has a severe disability, your own share of the course costs should fall away in organisations with fewer than 500 employees. If a collective or works agreement on training applies, the rates can improve by 5 percentage points.

The § 82 route also has these conditions:

  • The course runs for more than 120 hours and goes beyond short-term workplace adjustments.
  • The vocational qualification was usually obtained at least two years ago.
  • There was no other § 82-funded training in the previous two years.
Funding check: which rates are possible?Guidance, not a commitment Employees in your organisation< 5050–499500+ The nurse’s qualificationForeign, not yet recognisedRecognised qualification (2+ years) The nurse is 45 or older, or has a severe disability Collective or works agreement on training

Part-time staff count proportionally (up to 10 hrs = 0.25 · up to 20 hrs = 0.5 · up to 30 hrs = 0.75). In a group, all group employees count (§ 82 Abs. 6 SGB III).

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What has to happen before the course starts

Employment funding is, as a rule, only paid if it was applied for before the course starts (§ 324 SGB III). The Agentur accepts a late application only in exceptional cases. Plan so that written approval is in place before the first day of the course wherever possible.

Also check that not only the provider but also the specific course is approved under AZAV, Germany’s accreditation rules for funded training. Both are required for funding.

Image description (alt text): A healthcare professional filling in a form while talking to a patient.

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Who applies for what

Usually, your nurse receives the training voucher (Bildungsgutschein) for the course. If you both agree, the Agentur can waive it. You, as the employer, apply for the wage subsidy.

If several nurses are preparing at the same time, you can file a joint application if they or the works or staff council agree.

For your meeting with the Agentur’s employer service (Arbeitgeber-Service), have these documents ready:

  • the employment contract, covering at least the length of the course
  • the decision letter from the recognition authority
  • the course offer with its approval details
  • your headcount

The Arbeitgeber-Service will tell you exactly which documents it needs.

Language and other funding

Recognition as a nurse requires German at B2 level or higher (Make it in Germany). Plan language support alongside exam preparation.

People in work on a limited income can also apply for the federal recognition grant (Anerkennungszuschuss). It covers up to €3,000 for training, among other things, but only if the Agentur für Arbeit, Jobcenter or a state programme isn’t already paying. Applications are open until 30 June 2027, and there’s no legal entitlement.

How CareSteps helps

The CareSteps education centre is an AZAV-approved provider and prepares internationally trained nurses for the knowledge exam. We’ll work out with you, before the course starts, whether funding is possible for your nurse. Employers handle the funding steps in coordination with CareSteps.