Ausbildung vs Dual Study Explained

October 28, 2026 T. Ausbildung Corner

Short answer: An Ausbildung leads to a vocational qualification. A dual study programme leads to a university degree and combines a university with a partner company. In the training-integrated format you also earn the vocational qualification; in the practice-integrated format you do not. You usually need a university entrance qualification and a company contract.

This guide compares Ausbildung with dual study (Duales Studium) and explains the two dual study formats, who can apply, how pay and contracts work, the application timeline and how to choose. For the comparison with regular university study, see our guide to Ausbildung vs university. Visa and residence rules are outside the scope of this site.

Table of Contents

The four paths in one table

Topic	Ausbildung	Dual study, training-integrated	Dual study, practice-integrated	Regular university
You finish with	A vocational qualification	A degree, and usually a vocational qualification too	A degree	A degree
Where you learn	Company and vocational school	University and company	University and company	Mostly the university
Contract	Training contract with the company	Training contract for the Ausbildung period, plus a study cooperation contract until the degree	Study cooperation contract with the company	Enrolment at the university
Money	Training pay from the company	Pay from the company, for the periods the contract names	Pay from the company, for the periods the contract names	BAföG or your own funds
Entry	Set by the employer and the occupation’s rules	University entrance qualification and a company contract	University entrance qualification and a company contract	University entrance qualification
Application	To the company, often a year ahead	To the company, often a year ahead, then enrolment	To the company, often a year ahead, then enrolment	Usually spring or summer for an October start
Content and time	Fixed in content and time	Partly individual in content, fixed in time	Partly individual in content, fixed in time	Individual in content and time

The comparison of content, time, contract and pay follows a Federal Employment Agency (BA) hosted overview by the Berlin dual study agency. Programmes differ, so always read the specific programme’s rules.

The two dual study formats, and why the contract matters

The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) says dual study takes place at least at two learning places, university and company. In initial training it distinguishes two formats:

Training-integrated (ausbildungsintegrierend). You complete a recognised Ausbildung inside the degree. It usually ends with two qualifications, a university degree and a vocational qualification. You sign a training contract for the Ausbildung period, for example under the Vocational Training Act (BBiG), plus a study cooperation contract until the degree.
Practice-integrated (praxisintegrierend). The degree includes longer practice phases at the company, but no separate Ausbildung. You sign a study cooperation contract and finish with the degree only.

The format decides what you hold at the end, so check it before you apply. BIBB’s database listed 565 training-integrated and 990 practice-integrated programmes on 28 February 2024, and the share is shifting toward the practice-integrated format. BIBB also notes that dual study exists in further education, for people who already have a vocational qualification and work experience. This guide focuses on the initial formats.

How big is dual study?

BIBB’s AusbildungPlus database recorded 1,824 dual study programmes with 113,526 dual students on 28 February 2024. Companies offered roughly 52,000 cooperation places in 2024, almost three times as many as in 2004. Even so, BIBB puts the share of dual students at only 4.7 percent of all students in Germany. Dual study is growing, but it is still a niche, so your subject and region may have few places.

Who can apply

A university entrance qualification. Universities require a Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, for example the Abitur or Fachhochschulreife, or another route the state recognises. People with a vocational qualification can sometimes enter without one. Our guide on what happens after Ausbildung explains that route.
A company contract. At HWR Berlin, for example, the company contract and proof of university entrance are both conditions for admission. In most programmes you apply to the company first.
Foreign certificates and language. If your certificate is from outside Germany, ask the university whether it counts as equivalent. Requirements differ by programme. As one example, a Berlin social work programme asks for proof of equivalence and a German certificate at level C1 for foreign qualifications. See our guide to the German level for Ausbildung for the general picture.

Pay and costs

Pay. BIBB says the training pay during the programme is one of the attractions for students. The BA overview lists the pay period and amount as contract content, including whether you are paid for the whole study or only for practice phases. HWR Berlin says its partner companies pay a monthly amount that follows sector tariffs.
Tuition. HWR Berlin says its study is state-financed, as at all Berlin universities. Private providers may work differently, so ask whether tuition fees or a semester contribution apply.
BAföG. HWR Berlin says the pay you get from the company counts against BAföG.

We do not print salary ranges. They differ by company, sector and programme, and many websites publish figures without a source.

Application timeline

The BA overview describes the most common path in Berlin, with exceptions. Check the programme’s own process:

About 1.5 years before the start: choose a programme and research employers.
About 1 year before: apply to the companies and go through their selection. Many companies fill places a year ahead.
Once you have a contract: sign it.
About 3 months before the start: send your documents to the university and enrol.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths	Trade-offs
Practice during the degree, as BIBB highlights	Less freedom in content and schedule than regular study, according to the BA overview
Pay while you study	A demanding workload with both study and work. A university FAQ calls it demanding
Good prospects of a job afterwards, as BIBB says	Your place depends on a company contract, so ask what happens if it ends
In the training-integrated format, two qualifications	Few places overall, because dual students are only 4.7 percent of all students

How to choose

These questions are our own aid, not an official test. The BA overview says dual study suits people who want to practise a profession with academic skills, value a clear structure, accept less freedom, are ready to work hard and want to earn money during their studies.

Do you have, or can you get, a recognised university entrance qualification? If not, an Ausbildung is the direct route, and study can follow later.
Do you want a degree, or is a vocational qualification enough for your goal?
Are you ready for a fixed schedule with university and work, with little free time?
Are you comfortable tying your study place to one company?
Is your subject offered as a dual programme where you live? Search the BIBB database before you decide.
Do you want the freedom to pick your own courses and pace? Then regular study may fit better.

Questions to ask before you sign

Is the programme training-integrated or practice-integrated, and which qualifications will I hold at the end?
Will I be paid for the whole study period or only during practice phases, and how much?
How long is the contract, and what are the working hours, holiday and probation?
Who pays for study materials, and am I released for university phases and exams?
What happens to my study place if the company contract ends or I do not pass an exam?
Does the company usually keep dual students on after the degree?

For the training-integrated format, our guide to the Ausbildung contract explains the training part of the contract.

How to find a dual programme, step by step

Search the BIBB AusbildungPlus database for programmes in your subject and region.
Note the format and the cooperating companies of each programme.
Check the entry requirements, including recognition of foreign certificates and language levels.
Read each company’s career page for the application deadline, which is often a year ahead.
Apply to several companies, and prepare your CV, cover letter and certificates early.
Compare contracts using the questions above before you sign.

Common mistakes

Assuming every dual study includes an Ausbildung. Only the training-integrated format does.
Applying to the university first. In most programmes the company comes first.
Applying too late. Many companies fill places about a year ahead.
Trusting salary or hiring figures from a random website. Ask the company and read the contract.
Not checking what happens if the contract ends.
Paying anyone for a dual study place. Real companies do not charge applicants. See our guide to what Ausbildung is for how the normal process works.

Frequently asked questions

Is a dual study the same as an Ausbildung?

No. Dual study leads to a university degree. Only the training-integrated format includes an Ausbildung, so it usually ends with two qualifications.

Do I need the Abitur for a dual study?

You need a university entrance qualification that the state recognises, such as the Abitur or Fachhochschulreife, and a company contract. Some people with a vocational qualification can enter without one. Ask the university.

Do dual students get paid?

Yes, usually. BIBB names the pay during the programme as an attraction. Your contract states the amount and whether it covers the whole study or only practice phases.

Which format gives me two qualifications?

The training-integrated format. It combines a degree with a recognised vocational qualification. The practice-integrated format ends with the degree only.

Can I study after an Ausbildung instead?

Yes. Many people finish an Ausbildung first and then study, with or without an Abitur, depending on the state and the university.

Sources

Last updated: 28 October 2026. Rules and figures can change, so confirm details with the official source before you decide.

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