Your provider organisation
Among other requirements, your organisation must demonstrate reliability, operational capability, suitable staff and a quality assurance system.
Understanding AZAV
AZAV.
Turn expertise into education.
The German Accreditation and Approval Regulation for Employment Promotion establishes a quality framework for education providers and certain funded offers. This could open a new market for your business.
Four things that need to fit together.
Your programme
The specific offer is assessed on its objective, target group, content, methods, duration and costs. Voucher-based offers generally also require suitable programme approval.
The certification body
An accredited FKS conducts the assessment under a separate paid contract. Only the FKS decides on approval and issues the certificate following a positive decision.
Individual funding
Approval does not mean enrolment. The responsible funding body decides whether a person receives support and to what extent. The agreed services must then actually be delivered and evidenced.
Sources: BA: Accreditation and approval AZAV: Requirements for providers and programmes. Checked on 28.08.2026.
Why building an education business can be worthwhile.
Your own education business lets you organise an offer that matches your expertise. You design learning pathways, develop your own brand and can build an additional business area alongside consulting or client projects.
In group teaching, delivery can be shared across several participants. Individual coaching focuses on one-to-one work. The two models have different costs, capacity limits and requirements. An offer becomes financially viable only when actual demand and costs align.
Which funding route fits?
Activation & coaching
Labour-market integration, guidance or another suitable programme objective. AVGS is one possible route.
For coachesHolistic support
Develop employability, including outreach where appropriate. A distinct funding purpose, not a substitute for therapy.
Health & social servicesVocational continuing education
Expand knowledge or gain new vocational qualifications. A training voucher can fund suitable programmes.
Training sectorsDevelop employees' skills
Continuing education during an existing employment relationship. Course costs and employer subsidies must be considered separately.
Understand QCGSources: BA: Which programmes receive funding § 16k SGB II: Holistic support § 82 SGB III: Employee training. Checked on 28.08.2026.
What you bring to the start.
You do not need to have everything ready. But missing evidence, staffing gaps and uncertain costs should be visible before you take on major commitments.
We include open points in the initial assessment. This is not an automated suitability check.
What AZAV does not promise.
No automatic vouchers, fixed revenue or protection from every audit finding. Professional permissions, genuine qualifications and proper delivery remain necessary. Consulting and software can help, but do not replace your responsibility.
Your next step with AZAV Experte
What could your expertise become?
Your sector, starting point and plans are enough for the first step. Together, we clarify which approach makes sense.
- Understand your plans
- Clarify open questions
- Agree the scope of work
Explore further
The essentials to take away.
Information materials in German
Service overview
Provider approval
Training ideas, requirements and next steps. Assumptions stated openly, without promises of success.