25 free Lebenslauf templates for Germany: Ausbildung, Werkstudent, Pflege, academic and English CVs
Free Lebenslauf templates: Ausbildung, Werkstudent, Pflege, Arzt, Handwerk, academic CVs and English CVs for startups. Download PDF or Word.
German recruiters expect a very particular CV: the tabellarischer Lebenslauf, with dates in a left column, most recent first, usually with a photo, and signed with place and date. What goes in it depends a lot on who you are: an apprentice, a student, a nurse, a researcher or a senior manager.
The JobPLT CV Builder has 25 free Lebenslauf templates (Lebenslauf Vorlagen kostenlos), each for one of these situations. For the general rules, read our German CV (Lebenslauf) guide.
Schüler, Studenten und Berufseinsteiger (school leavers, students and graduates)
| Template | Best for | What's special |
|---|---|---|
| Ausbildung (Azubi) | Apprenticeship applications | Schulbildung first, Praktika & Nebenjobs, skills, Hobbys & Ehrenamt |
| Werkstudent & Praktikum | Working-student jobs and internships | Studium with your current grade first, practical experience and study projects on one page |
| Berufseinstieg (Absolvent) | First job after university | Kurzprofil, degree with Abschlussarbeit (thesis), internships |
Gesundheit und Pflege (healthcare)
| Template | Best for | What's special |
|---|---|---|
| Pflege & Gesundheit | Nurses, MFA, therapists | Berufserlaubnis & Anerkennung first, wards and departments, further training |
| Ärztin / Arzt | Doctors | Approbation & Facharzt first, clinical posts, Weiterbildung (Rotationen), publications |
Trained abroad? Mention the status of your Anerkennung, Kenntnisprüfung and Fachsprachprüfung there: hospitals check these first. More in our healthcare CV guide.
Wissenschaft und Lehre (research and teaching)
| Template | Best for | What's special |
|---|---|---|
| Akademischer Lebenslauf | Professorships (Berufungsverfahren), postdocs | Wissenschaftlicher Werdegang, Publikationen, Drittmittel, Lehrerfahrung, Vorträge, Gremien |
| Research CV (English) | Max Planck, Helmholtz, Fraunhofer, international posts | Research interests, appointments, publications, grants, teaching and invited talks |
| Lehrkraft & Pädagogik | Teachers, educators, social workers | Lehramtsbefähigung (state exams), subjects and school types, further training |
| EU-Format (Europass style) | Public sector and research applications | A structured EU-style CV with a labelled left column |
Technik, Handwerk und IT (engineering, trades and IT)
| Template | Best for | What's special |
|---|---|---|
| Handwerk & Technik | Craftspeople and technicians | Ausbildung & Meister, certificates and licences (welding, forklift), machines, driving licence classes |
| Ingenieurwesen | Engineers in automotive, mechanical and electrical engineering | Kurzprofil, Projekte & Patente, CAD and standards (ISO 26262, VDI) |
| IT & Software (deutsch) | Developers and IT consultants at German employers | IT skills with levels in a sidebar, projects |
| Berlin Tech Startup (English) | International startups and scale-ups | One page, English, no photo, tech stack and impact |
| International English (ATS) | International companies | English headings, no photo, ATS-friendly |
Büro, Vertrieb und Führung (office, sales and management)
| Template | Best for | What's special |
|---|---|---|
| Kaufmännisch & Büro | Office administration, clerks, assistants | Training (IHK), IT skills with levels (SAP, DATEV, Excel) |
| Quereinstieg | Changing careers | Übertragbare Kompetenzen and retraining before previous experience |
| Internationale Fachkraft | Skilled workers from abroad | German level and degree recognition first, residence permit (e.g. Blaue Karte EU) |
| Vertrieb & Marketing | Sales, key account and marketing | Erfolge & Kennzahlen before experience |
| Führungskraft | Managers and managing directors | Kurzprofil, Ausgewählte Erfolge, budget and staff responsibility, board seats |
Klassische Layouts (classic layouts for any job)
Klassisch, Modern Lebenslauf, Kompakt (two pages), Einseitig Minimal (one page), Zweispaltig Modern (two columns) and Zeitstrahl (timeline) follow the standard Lebenslauf structure in different looks.
How to create your Lebenslauf (Lebenslauf erstellen)
- Open the CV Builder and choose Germany.
- Search for your situation (Azubi, Pflege, Werkstudent…) and pick a template.
- Fill in your Persönliche Daten, career and education. Dates are entered as month and year and shown as MM/YYYY; language levels use the CEFR scale (A1–C2).
- Add a photo if you want one, and your place for the Ort, Datum, Unterschrift line.
- Switch headings between Deutsch and English to match the job ad, then download as PDF or Word.
Coming from India, Australia or the UAE? Build your CV there first and use Copy for… Germany: your experience moves across and the copy follows German conventions.
Create your free Lebenslauf now →
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Lebenslauf template I can download as Word?
Yes. All 25 German templates on JobPLT are free and download as PDF and as an editable Word (.docx) file, without a watermark.
Do I need a photo on a German CV?
It's legally optional (the AGG anti-discrimination law means employers can't require it), but still common. Most German templates have a photo slot. If you leave it out, the layout simply closes up. International English and Berlin Tech Startup have no photo, which suits international companies.
Should my Lebenslauf be in German or English?
Apply in the language of the job ad. German-language templates can switch their headings between German and English with one click; Research CV (English) and Berlin Tech Startup (English) are written for English-speaking employers.
Which template should I use for an Ausbildung application?
Ausbildung (Azubi). It puts your school education and expected Abschluss first, then internships and part-time jobs, skills, hobbies and volunteering, and ends with Ort, Datum and Unterschrift.
How do I show a foreign degree on a German CV?
Use Internationale Fachkraft. It has a section for the recognition of your degree (anabin, ZAB statement of comparability, Anerkennung) and puts your German level (Goethe, telc, TestDaF) near the top, with your residence permit in the personal data.
Do German CVs need a signature?
Traditionally yes: a German CV ends with place, date and signature (Ort, Datum, Unterschrift). The German templates include this line; sign the printed copy or add a scanned signature.