The preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) prepares you for entering the public service. The term often comes up in connection with the trainee period (Referendariat). For you, the key question is whether you are paid as a probationary civil servant (Beamter auf Widerruf) or as a trainee (Anwärter), because health insurance, Beihilfe and your other safeguards depend on that.
Short answer: The preparatory service is the practical training after university that many lawyers and teachers complete before they take up a post. For trainee lawyers (Rechtsreferendare), it lasts two years under § 5b of the German Judges Act (DRiG), with four mandatory placements. The duration for teachers and their pay are set by state law. Stand: October 2026.
Key points at a glance
- The preparatory service follows your studies and is structured practical training.
- For trainee lawyers, § 5b DRiG sets a duration of two years.
- Teachers are subject to state law, so there is no uniform duration across Germany.
- Pay comes as trainee salary (Anwärterbezüge) or, in some states, as a maintenance allowance (Unterhaltsbeihilfe).
- Health insurance and protection in case of inability to serve (Dienstunfähigkeit) should be clarified before the training begins.
What does the preparatory service include?
The preparatory service is training with practical placements, seminars and examinations. For lawyers, the focus is on placements at court, at the public prosecutor’s office, in administration and with a law firm. The German Judges Act (Deutsches Richtergesetz, DRiG) sets the framework. Under § 5b (2) DRiG, four mandatory placements take place. Under subsection (4), a mandatory placement lasts at least three months, and the placement with a lawyer lasts nine months.
How long does the preparatory service last?
For trainee lawyers, § 5b (1) DRiG sets a duration of two years. If the training is completed part-time, it is extended to two and a half years (subsection 6). For teachers, the states set the duration, which varies by school type and state. The following overview summarises the basics.
| Training | Basis | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Legal traineeship (Rechtsreferendariat) | § 5b (1) DRiG | Two years |
| Legal traineeship part-time (Rechtsreferendariat in Teilzeit) | § 5b (6) DRiG | Two and a half years |
| Teacher traineeship (Lehramtsreferendariat) | State law | Depends on state and school type |
What pay and protection do you receive?
During the preparatory service, you are usually a probationary civil servant (Beamter auf Widerruf) or a trainee receiving trainee salary (Anwärterbezüge). The amount is set out in your state’s pay table. For trainee lawyers in North Rhine-Westphalia, the maintenance allowance under the state ordinance is 1,585.17 euros per month from 1 April 2026 (Stand: April 2026). You will find the rules for other states from the responsible higher regional court (Oberlandesgericht). How to insure yourself is explained in Health Insurance for Referendare in Germany.
Why the term matters for your insurance
The preparatory service is no longer a course of study, and as a rule it is not employment like any other. This raises questions about health insurance, retirement provision and inability to serve. The states regulate separately what happens if a probationary civil servant becomes permanently ill during training. An introduction to this topic is provided in Teacher Disability Insurance: Occupational vs. Inability to Serve.
Preparatory service or traineeship?
In everyday use, both terms are mostly treated as the same. Referendariat refers to the preparatory service, mainly for lawyers and teachers. Federal states and universities do not use the terms consistently. It is therefore always worth checking the job advert or the training regulations.
Frequently asked questions
Is the preparatory service a course of study?
No. It follows your studies and serves as practical training. As a rule, you are no longer enrolled and are usually a probationary civil servant (Beamter auf Widerruf). This affects your health insurance, and often in a different way than during your studies.
Do I receive a salary during the preparatory service?
As a rule, you receive trainee salary (Anwärterbezüge), the amount of which is set by your state’s pay table. For trainee lawyers, some states pay a maintenance allowance (Unterhaltsbeihilfe) instead. Which rule applies is set out in the state ordinance.
Can I do the preparatory service part-time?
For trainee lawyers, § 5b (6) DRiG provides for part-time training on application, if you are actually caring for a child under 18 or looking after a relative in need of care. Your regular service is then reduced by a fifth, and the training lasts two and a half years. For teachers, the rules of your state apply.
Can part of the training take place abroad?
Under § 5b (3) DRiG, training may take place to a reasonable extent with supranational, intergovernmental or foreign bodies. The details are set out in state law, and the training authority decides whether it counts.
What happens if I fail the examination?
The consequences are set out in your state’s examination regulations, including repeat options and deadlines. Read the requirements early, because deadlines are often short. For your personal situation, it is worth seeking advice from the body that trains you.
What to do now
- Clarify whether the legal or the teacher traineeship applies to you and which state law is responsible.
- Check duration, placements and part-time rules in your state’s training or examination regulations.
- Ask the responsible body about the amount of your salary or maintenance allowance before you make plans.
- Clarify your health insurance and your protection in case of inability to serve before the training begins.
Related reading
- Health Insurance for Referendare in Germany
- Trainee Teacher Salary in Germany by State
- Glossary: Eligibility Rate for Beihilfe
- Glossary: Lump-Sum Beihilfe
- Teacher Disability Insurance: Occupational vs. Inability to Serve
Sources: § 5b German Judges Act (DRiG), gesetze-im-internet.de (accessed October 2026) · Ordinance on the granting of a maintenance allowance, North Rhine-Westphalia (Stand: 1 April 2026)
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
