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Apply for retraining (Umschulung)

Agentur für Arbeit · A new vocational qualification via the Bildungsgutschein

Advice requiredVia Bildungsgutschein

A retraining leads to a full, recognised vocational qualification in a new occupation – with the same examination before the same chamber as in regular vocational training. It is funded via the Bildungsgutschein under § 81 SGB III; the Agentur then covers the full course fees.

The decisive difference from initial vocational training is the duration. Under § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III, a measure leading to a vocational qualification is only approved if it is shortened by at least one third of the training period compared with the corresponding vocational training. Three years of training thus usually become two years of retraining.

And the same iron rule of sequence applies as with the Bildungsgutschein: under § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III, the application must be submitted before the start. Anyone who enrols with a training provider before the voucher has been issued finances a two-year retraining themselves – a five-figure mistake that cannot be corrected afterwards.

Last updated27 August 2026
Legal basis§ 81 SGB III · § 180 Abs. 4 · § 324 Abs. 1
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information site: We are not the Agentur für Arbeit, not an authority and not a paid advisory service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent body is always authoritative. The funding is a discretionary benefit; the Agentur decides on the duration and suitability on a case-by-case basis. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
DurationUsually 2 yearsShortened by one third
Course feesFully coveredVia the Bildungsgutschein
SequenceVoucher before the startOtherwise no funding
QualificationChamber examinationSame as in initial training
Required documents

What you need

Justification for the change of occupation

Why the previous occupation is no longer viable – health reasons, disappearing areas of work, lack of demand on the regional labour market – and why the new one realistically leads to employment. This justification decides the approval, not any liking for the new occupation.

Medical documents for health reasons

If you can no longer carry out your previous occupation for health reasons, the relevant medical findings are the strongest argument. At the same time, check whether a benefit for participation in working life from the pension insurance scheme could apply – the funding there is often more extensive.

Proof of AZAV approval

The measure and provider must be approved, and the measure must satisfy the shortening rule under § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III. Reputable retraining providers state both openly.

CV and certificates

Final certificates, references, evidence of professional experience. The Agentur checks whether you are likely to complete the retraining successfully – especially for demanding occupations, this is a real point of assessment.

Evidence of travel and childcare costs

For a two-year measure, travel costs add up considerably, and childcare over two years is a separate item. Both are eligible for funding under § 83 SGB III, but only on application.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Arrange a consultation appointment — before anything else

    As with the Bildungsgutschein, the consultation before the start of participation is a statutory requirement (§ 81 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 SGB III). Arrange the appointment before you make enquiries at a provider or even register.

  2. 2

    Check the target occupation and labour market prospects

    The Agentur funds a retraining if it leads to integration into employment. Check the regional labour market for the target occupation and bring job advertisements with you. An occupation with demonstrable demand is far more convincing than a personal wish.

  3. 3

    Find an approved retraining

    Make sure the measure and provider hold AZAV approval and that the measure observes the shortening of at least one third. Ask about the pass rate and whether the provider organises registration for the chamber examination.

  4. 4

    Have the education voucher issued

    The Agentur decides at its discretion and issues the voucher with the training objective, duration and area covered. For a two-year retraining, the assessment is more thorough than for a short course – expect several conversations.

  5. 5

    Only then enrol with the provider

    Present the voucher; the provider settles accounts directly with the Agentur. Under no circumstances enrol beforehand or make any down payment – under § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III, a measure that has already started is no longer eligible for funding, and with a retraining this involves five-figure sums.

  6. 6

    Clarify your living costs for the two years

    The Bildungsgutschein covers the course fees, not automatically your living costs for the whole duration. Clarify in the consultation how long your Arbeitslosengeld will last, whether it is extended by the training, and what applies afterwards. Two years is longer than many people's remaining entitlement.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Course fees in full, living costs separateTwo years need to be calculated carefully
Course feesFully covered
Examination feesUsually covered
Travel costsOn application
ChildcareOn application
Shortening compared with vocational trainingAt least one third
Starting before the voucherNo funding

For an approved measure, the Agentur covers the course fees in full, usually including examination fees; travel costs and childcare are added on application under § 83 SGB III. Two points deserve particular attention with a retraining. First, the duration: § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III only permits a measure aimed at a vocational qualification if it is shortened by at least one third compared with the corresponding vocational training – three years thus become two. There are exceptions where personal circumstances require the full duration or where federal or state law excludes the shortening. Second, living costs: the Bildungsgutschein pays for the training, not the rent. Two years is longer than many people's remaining entitlement to Arbeitslosengeld – clarify in advance how long your benefit will last and what applies afterwards. And as throughout this entity, § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III applies: anyone who starts before the voucher is issued finances two years themselves.

Good to know

Important notes

First the voucher, then the enrolment. § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III applies here with particular force: a self-financed two-year retraining can easily cost a five-figure sum. Nothing is reimbursed retroactively.

At least one third shorter. § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III only permits measures leading to a vocational qualification if they are shortened by at least one third compared with the regular vocational training. A provider that offers the full training duration is generally not suitable for funding.

There are exceptions to the shortening. It does not apply if the measure is specifically designed for people whose personal circumstances or prior knowledge require the full duration, or if federal or state law excludes a shortening.

The qualification is fully equivalent. You take the examination before the same chamber as regular trainees. The certificate carries no note about the route taken to get there – for employers, the qualification is equivalent.

Living costs are the real hurdle. Two years often exceed the remaining entitlement to Arbeitslosengeld. Clarify in advance whether and for how long it will be paid and what applies afterwards – this often decides success more than the course itself.

Check the pension insurance scheme for health-related reasons. If the previous occupation is no longer possible for health reasons, a benefit for participation in working life from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung may be an option. The funding there is often more extensive – check both routes.

There is no legal entitlement. Retraining, too, is a discretionary benefit, and the priority of placement works against it. The more concretely you can demonstrate labour market demand in the target occupation, the better.

Ask about the pass rate. Approved providers differ considerably in how many participants actually pass the chamber examination. The voucher covers the costs – you choose the quality yourself.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Enrolling before the voucher. By far the most expensive mistake with a retraining: § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III excludes funding for a measure that has already started, and then no one but you bears two years of course fees.

Not calculating your living costs. The course fees are covered, the rent is not. Anyone who finds themselves without a benefit in the middle of the retraining drops out – and gets back neither the qualification nor the time invested.

Choosing a provider without a shortening. § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III requires at least one third less than the regular training period. A measure of full length is generally not eligible for approval.

Choosing the target occupation without checking the labour market. What is funded is integration into employment, not the occupational wish. Without demonstrable demand in the target occupation, refusal is likely.

Overlooking the pension insurance scheme. For a health-related change of occupation, it is often the competent and more generous body. Anyone who asks only the Agentur may be giving up the better funding.

Looking only at approval. All approved providers get paid, but not all of them will get you through the chamber examination. Ask about pass rates and support.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

How long does a funded retraining take?

Usually two years. § 180 Abs. 4 SGB III only permits a measure aimed at a vocational qualification if it is shortened by at least one third of the training period compared with the corresponding vocational training – so a three-year training becomes two years of retraining. Exceptions exist where personal circumstances require the full duration or where federal or state law excludes the shortening.

What does the retraining cost me?

For an approved measure, nothing in terms of course fees – the Agentur covers them in full, usually including examination fees. Travel costs and childcare costs can be added on application under § 83 SGB III. Not automatically covered are living costs for the full two years; this must be clarified separately.

What happens if I start before the Bildungsgutschein?

Then you pay for the entire retraining yourself. § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III provides that employment promotion benefits are only granted if they were applied for before the event giving rise to the benefit occurred. For a two-year retraining, this quickly means a five-figure amount that cannot be reimbursed afterwards – regardless of how well the measure suits you. § 324 Abs. 1 Satz 2 does allow the Agentur to avoid undue hardship by permitting a late application – but this is a narrowly construed discretionary decision for genuine exceptional cases, not something that can be relied on in planning.

Is the qualification equivalent to a vocational training?

Yes. You take the same final examination before the same chamber as regular trainees and receive the same qualification. The certificate does not note that you took the route via a retraining. For employers, the qualification is therefore equivalent.

What do I live on during the two years?

This is the most important question before starting and the most common reason for dropping out. Anyone receiving Arbeitslosengeld continues to receive it during the funded training; under certain conditions, participation even extends the entitlement. However, two years often exceeds the remaining entitlement. In the consultation, ask for a concrete calculation of how long payment will continue and what applies afterwards.

Do I have an entitlement to a retraining?

No, it is a discretionary benefit. The Agentur decides on a case-by-case basis and weighs in particular the priority of placement – that is, the question of whether direct placement into work would be possible. Your chances increase considerably if you can demonstrate concrete demand for the target occupation on the regional labour market.

What applies if I have to retrain for health reasons?

In that case, it is often not the Agentur für Arbeit but the Deutsche Rentenversicherung that is the right body: via a benefit for participation in working life. The funding there is in many cases more extensive, for example with transitional allowance during the measure. Check both routes – an application submitted to the wrong body will be forwarded anyway.

How do I choose the right provider?

What is required is AZAV approval of the measure and the provider, as well as compliance with the shortening rule. Beyond that, quality is decisive: ask about the pass rate in the chamber examination, the intensity of support, work placement phases, and whether the provider organises registration for the examination. The voucher covers the costs with every approved provider – the difference is made by the provider itself.

Related official procedures

Education voucher (Bildungsgutschein)
The path to funding
Free of charge
Careers advice
Clarify the target occupation
Free of charge
Unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld I)
Check living costs
60–67% of net pay

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