How to Find Duales Studium Positions in Germany

Duales Studium is a format of higher education in Germany in which study at a university or Berufsakademie is combined with practical work at an employer. That is why you need to look not only for a degree program, but also for a partner company: without a contract with an employer, many dual programs simply cannot be formalized.

What Is Duales Studium?

In dual study programs, theory and practice run in parallel. The student studies at a Hochschule, Duale Hochschule, or Berufsakademie and regularly completes practical phases in a company. Depending on the model, the program can be:

ausbildungsintegrierend — combines a bachelor’s degree with a recognized vocational Ausbildung;
praxisintegrierend — includes extended practical phases at an employer without a separate Ausbildung qualification;
berufsintegrierend — designed for people who already work and combine their job with studying.

The main difference from Ausbildung is that Duales Studium leads to a higher education degree, most often a bachelor’s degree. In the ausbildungsintegrierend model, you can receive both a university degree and a professional qualification.

Where to Start the Search

The process usually begins with the employer. The company indicates which Hochschule or Berufsakademie it cooperates with, which documents are required, and how the selection process works. But there are exceptions: some universities or academies first accept an application for the program and then help find a Praxispartner.

A practical order looks like this:

Choose a field: business, IT, engineering, social work, healthcare, public service, or another area.
Check which Hochschulen, Berufsakademien, and Duale Hochschulen offer such programs.
Find partner companies or openings using keywords such as Duales Studium, duales Bachelorstudium, Praxispartner, and Ausbildungsintegriertes Studium.
Compare the requirements of the employer and the educational institution: deadlines, language, school diploma, contract format, and admission procedures.
Submit documents in the right sequence: employer first, university first, or both in parallel, depending on the specific program.

Where to Look for Openings

You can search for Duales Studium positions through several sources at once:

Jobsuche Bundesagentur für Arbeit — the official search portal for jobs and programs;
company websites: sections such as Karriere, Ausbildung, Schüler, Duales Studium;
pages of Hochschulen, Duale Hochschulen, and Berufsakademien with lists of Praxispartner;
Hochschulkompass and other program databases to understand which institutions offer a dual format;
major job boards, for example StepStone, if you want broader company results;
career fairs, open days, and regional portals of the federal states.

Do not limit yourself to one platform. Large employers often publish openings on their own websites earlier or in more detail than aggregators do.

When to Apply

Deadlines depend on the company, the university, and the federal state. For many programs, applications open very early: as a rule of thumb, around one year or even one and a half years before the start of studies. For some employers, deadlines fall in the autumn of the previous year, but this is not a universal rule.

Track two calendars at the same time:

the employer’s deadline for the Duales Studium opening;
the Hochschule or Berufsakademie’s deadline for admission and submission of study documents.

If a company is ready to take a candidate but the deadline at the educational institution has already passed, the process can fall apart. That is why you should first build a list of programs and dates, and only then plan your applications.

Which Documents to Prepare

The package is similar to a Bewerbung for Ausbildung, but it needs to be adapted to studying and to the chosen profession. Usually, you will need:

a Lebenslauf in the German format;
an Anschreiben or Motivationsschreiben, if it is required or helps explain your motivation;
school certificates, grade transcripts, diplomas, and translations;
proof of Hochschulzugangsberechtigung or confirmation that your school education is recognized;
a language certificate, if it is required by the university or employer;
internships, projects, a portfolio, or Arbeitsproben, if they are relevant to the field;
a copy of your passport and additional documents for international candidates, if they are listed in the requirements.

For most German-language programs, you need good German skills. DAAD states that many universities require at least B2, while a specific program may require C1 or a particular exam. That is why wording such as “B2/C1 is enough” should always be checked on the page of the selected Hochschule.

How to Write the Application

Duales Studium is not a position for a ready-made expert. The employer is looking for someone who can study, handle the workload, and remain valuable after the program. In your application, it is worth showing:

why this field is right for you;
that you understand the double load of studies and practical work;
why you chose this specific company;
which school subjects, projects, internships, or personal experience confirm your interest;
how you plan to improve your German or subject-specific skills before the start.

If you are 35+ or 40+, a cover letter is especially useful: it allows you to calmly explain a change of path, show mature motivation, and connect your past experience with the future program. Age itself should not be the center of the letter; it is more important to convince the employer that you are consciously choosing an intensive study format.

What to Check Before Sending

Whether the employer’s requirements and the Hochschule’s requirements match.
Whether a separate contract is needed: Ausbildungsvertrag, Studienvertrag, or Praxisvertrag.
Which level of German is required and which certificates are accepted.
Whether you can apply from abroad and which visa steps will be needed after the contract.
Whether there are tests, an Assessment-Center, video interviews, or trial tasks.
Whether the practical phase is paid and which expenses remain with the student.

Common Mistakes

Looking only at “admission to university” and forgetting about the employer.
Sending the same Anschreiben to every company.
Starting the search only a few months before the program begins.
Not checking whether your school education is recognized for admission to a German university.
Listing only work experience in the resume without showing academic motivation.

Short Conclusion

For Duales Studium, you need to look for the combination of “program plus employer.” In most cases, the first step is applying to a company, but the order can differ. The earlier you compile a list of programs, deadlines, language requirements, and Praxispartner, the lower the risk of missing the intake and the stronger your Bewerbung will be.