Björn Vrooman May 20, 2019:

Thank you (also for not getting as testy as the previous asker) That's impressive, IMO.

To be clear: I wasn't trying to say you don't understand the system or something.

As "Bildung ist Ländersäche," there are a number of differences between states and as you said, it's complicated. For example, I got my Abitur by doing this: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abitur_für_Nichtschüler#Baden-...

But there are so few students completing this test each year that I used to have to explain to Germans what an Externenprüfung actually is =)

Have a good start to the week

Alexandra Collins (asker) May 20, 2019:

She did her Quali, then her Mittlere Reife, went to the FOS and received her Fachabitur. Now she can study social work.

Björn Vrooman May 20, 2019:

PS - Edit Removed my last paragraph in the previous post because I think it's going to make everything more confusing.

If you want to know, Alexandra, how long and (heated) debates about these kinds of questions can get, take a look at (Herbmione will remember that one!) https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/certificates-di...

I don't know what Herbmione thinks, but to be blunt, a Hauptschulzeugnis is not a good starting point.

They'll see you finished grade 9 and that's it. We're talking middle school here (in some cases).

Also, I have no idea how she is now able to study social work, as you said. That means she must have done a lot more in the meantime.

Best

Herbmione Granger May 20, 2019:

It is confusing, so my best advice is to extract the significance for the student's education/work career and not attempt an equivalence.
Note that in Germany, it is illegal to claim some degree or qualification in German that corresponds to a German qualification. In the US, it's frowned upon and unprofessional. You will be at least socially disbarred.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usn...

Björn Vrooman May 20, 2019:

[Link:]
https://www.bildung-lsa.de/pruefungen___zentrale_leistungser...

The difference here is the name of the document, not the name of the Schulabschluss.

Also, I've tutored before and went to school in Germany, and I don't agree with the explanation you gave to Herbmione.

In any case, secondary school diploma is definitely right. As said in your other Q, you can omit qualifiziert if you deem it too risky.

But you certainly cannot call it a high school diploma, which (speaking from experience) is the equivalent of a Realschulabschluss or higher, depending on what classes you took.

Best

Björn Vrooman May 20, 2019:

@Alexandra "Ihr Kind kann aber auch anschließend die zehnte Klasse besuchen und hat so die Möglichkeit, den mittleren Bildungsabschluss zu erwerben."
http://www.wir-sind-bund.de/WSB/DE/Eltern/Bildungssystem/Sch...

"Der QA berechtigt zum Besuch von Berufsfachschulen und Wirtschaftsschulen (WS) in der zweijährigen Form (10. und 11. Jahrgangsstufe der WS)."
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualifizierender_Hauptschulabs...

I don't really understand you either. Maybe it's because of this:
"Ein Jahreszeugnis erhalten Schülerinnen und Schüler, die den qualifizierten Hauptschulabschluss erreicht haben und in den 10. Schuljahrgang übergehen. Ein Abschlusszeugnis über den Hauptschulabschluss erhalten Schülerinnen und Schüler, die den qualifizierten Hauptschulabschluss erreicht haben und am Ende des 9. Schuljahrganges oder zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt ohne Realschulabschluss die Schule verlassen, sowie Schülerinnen und Schüler, die nach Teilnahme an der besonderen Leistungsfeststellung den qualifizierten Hauptschulabschluss nicht erreicht, aber den Hauptschulabschluss erworben haben."

[...]

Herbmione Granger May 20, 2019:

Alexandra, based on what I've read and translated and been told by native German speakers, a Hauptschulabschluss is a complete secondary school diploma that allows the student to leave Schule and take on an apprenticeship or vocational training. It doesn't mean that they *have to* leave school. There's even an English wiki (that I didn't read before): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauptschulabschluss

Björn Vrooman May 15, 2019:

Agree with Kim Also, a Leaving Certificate is Irish.

A High School Leaving Certificate is Indian.

I don't know how that ended up in there.

seehand May 15, 2019:

Bundesland? Ich glaube, der "qualifizierte" Hauptschulabschluss ist in jedem Bundesland etwas anderes ...

Kim Metzger May 15, 2019:

I think you do have to translate Hauptschule https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/education-pedag...