The Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung is the official comparison of a qualification obtained abroad with the German reference training. It is required when a degree does not fall under automatic recognition, which applies above all to diplomas from non-EU countries.
German administrative term from the Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz, the German act on assessing professional qualifications
Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung, recognition procedure
equivalence assessment
The authorities check whether the duration and content of your training match the German degree programme. If substantial differences are found, they can be offset by professional experience or demonstrated through a knowledge test (Kenntnisprüfung).
One distinction matters here: degree programmes within the EU – in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary or Romania, for example – do not go through this procedure. Bosnia and Herzegovina, by contrast, is a non-EU country; there you either go through the equivalence procedure or transfer to an EU university later on.
Free and no obligation.