NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

Glossary
Abendgymnasium
General secondary night school for employed adults providing university entrance qualification.
Allgemeine Hochschulreife
Qualification obtained as a rule by taking a final examination (Abiturprüfung) after 13 years of schooling, including upper
secondary education, normally at a Gymnasium. The holder has in general the right to study at all institutions of higher
education without restrictions with regard to subject areas.
Beruflisches Gymnasium
Upper level of Gymnasium with a career-oriented or technical bias (grades 11 to 13) which leads to a general university
entrance qualification. Career-oriented subject areas and focuses such as economics and engineering are added to the subjects
otherwise available at the general education Gymnasium.
Berufsfachschule
Full-time vocational school at the upper level of secondary education that prepares students for jobs or provides them with
vocational training at the same time as general education. Depending on the objective of training, the requirements for
admission (Hauptschule or Realschule certificate) and the period of training vary from one year to three years.
Berufsgrundbildungsjahr
Basic vocational training year as the first stage of vocational training either in a full-time school or in the cooperative form of
part-time school and on-the-job training.
Berufsschule
Part-time vocational school at the upper level of secondary education providing general and vocational education for pupils in
initial vocational training; special attention is paid to the requirements of training in the dual system (part-time school and onthe-job
training).
Fachgebundene Hochschulreife
Qualification entitling holder to study at a Fachhochschule. May usually be obtained after 12 years of schooling at a
Fachoberschule or — under certain conditions — at other vocational schools.
Fachgymnasium
See Berufliches Gymnasium.
Fachhochschule
Institution of higher education offering degree programmes, particularly in engineering, economics, administration, social
work, agriculture and design. The preparation for employment on the basis of applicationoriented
teaching and research is the specific training purpose of the Fachhochschulen.
Fachhochschulreife
Qualification obtained, as a rule, by taking a final examination after 12 years of schooling, the last two years at a
Fachoberschule. It provides access to studies at Fachhochschulen and the corresponding courses of study at
Gesamthochschulen.
Fachoberschule
Technical secondary school (grades 11 and 12) specialised in various areas and providing access to Fachhochschulen.
Fachschule
Technical school providing advanced vocational training.
Gesamthochschule