Fit for Germany: Living & Working
Set up your life and working life in Germany in the right order, with a personal checklist, official sources and dates on every step.
Your Readiness Proof
A completed personal set-up plan covering registration, tax ID, health insurance, bank account, work documents and job-search basics, with your appointments and document list.
What this course is — and is not
This course is educational and specific to Germany. It does not give individual residence, immigration, tax or legal advice; for these, contact the competent authority or a qualified adviser. Every lesson shows its sources and the date it was last reviewed.
Who this is for
- People who have just arrived in Germany
- People preparing a move to Germany
- Employers onboarding international staff (team licences on request)
Better to start elsewhere
- Individual residence or immigration questions — these require the competent authority or a qualified adviser; we link to both
What you will be able to do
- Complete the first administrative steps in the right order
- Understand insurance, tax and social-security basics
- Open accounts and read everyday contracts with confidence
- Start a job search with realistic expectations
Modules and lessons
1The first 30 days: the right order
4 lessons
- Address registration
- Tax ID
- Bank account
- Health insurance
2Insurance, tax and social security basics
3 lessons
- Statutory and private insurance
- Payslip deductions
- Pension basics
3Banking, contracts and everyday admin
3 lessons
- Rental contracts
- Phone and internet
- Everyday letters from authorities
4Work culture and job-search essentials
3 lessons
- Workplace norms
- Applying for jobs
- Where to get official help
Course author and support
Prepared with advisers who support newcomers to Germany.
Self-paced, with automated checks and a final assessment. A coordinator answers questions by message within three business days.
Your result tracker
Every week your tracker shows what is done, what is next and what your mentor said. Your coordinator checks in if a checkpoint slips.
- Week 1 · CheckpointThe first 30 days: the right order
- Week 2 · CheckpointInsurance, tax and social security basics
- Week 3 · CheckpointBanking, contracts and everyday admin
- Week 4 · CheckpointWork culture and job-search essentials
- Week 4Readiness Proof submitted and reviewed
- After the course+30 days: post-course follow-up
After the course
6 months of access to all materials and updates after you finish, a 30-day check-in from your coordinator and access to the alumni community.
Format and time
Video lessons, readings, exercises, quizzes and a final assessment, at your own pace. 2–3 hours a week.
Requirements
A laptop or desktop computer, a stable internet connection and about 2–3 hours a week.
Certificate
Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment.
This is a MAKE ME FIT certificate with a public verification link. It is not a state qualification or a professional licence.
Germany edition. Last reviewed: September 2026 by the MAKE ME FIT editorial team. Sources are linked in each lesson.