Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin (Fachschule) für Steuern/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft

This advanced training takes place at technical colleges (Fachschulen) and other educational institutions. For in-person events, learning locations are classrooms and computer rooms. For combined learning forms (e.g., blended learning), classrooms and computer rooms are used for in-person events, and home is used for online learning units.

This is an advanced training profession: Bachelor Professional. The type of advanced training is regulated by state law and takes place at technical colleges (Fachschulen). The duration of the advanced training is 2-4 years (full-time/part-time). Tasks and activities: Business economists (Betriebswirte) in taxation prepare tax declarations, review received tax assessments, and monitor tax payment deadlines. They determine the taxable income for the respective fiscal year and prepare tax balance sheets. Furthermore, they inform management about facts and utilization possibilities of tax regulations and implement the accepted financial concepts. They also manage financial resources to ensure the company's solvency (liquidity). In addition, they ensure the necessary personnel and material conditions and guide employees. Work areas and locations: Business economists (Betriebswirte) in taxation are employed in companies across almost all economic sectors.

Full-time: 2 years. Part-time: 3-4 years.

Distribution of hours (example): Interdisciplinary learning area: Communication and work techniques: 120 teaching hours. Profession-related communication in a foreign language: 160 teaching hours. Economics and economic policy: 80 teaching hours. Total interdisciplinary area: 360 teaching hours. Subject-specific learning area: Corporate management and employee leadership: 120 teaching hours. Corporate finance: 120 teaching hours. Taxes and commercial law: 80 teaching hours. Marketing: 120 teaching hours. Information management and data processing: 120 teaching hours. Quality management: 80 teaching hours. Total subject-specific area: 640 teaching hours. Focus-specific learning area: Accounting: 200 teaching hours. Property taxes: 240 teaching hours. Transaction taxes: 120 teaching hours. Controlling: 160 teaching hours. Final project: 80 teaching hours. Total focus-specific area.

Advanced training at state technical colleges (Fachschulen) is generally free for students. Private technical colleges, however, usually charge course fees, and sometimes admission and examination fees. Additional costs may arise, e.g., for work materials, travel to the training location, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Business administration advanced training can be financially supported according to the Advanced Training Promotion Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with funding. Funding for particularly gifted young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Advanced Training Scholarship.

Learning areas: Subject-specific, e.g.: Corporate management and employee leadership, finance, taxes and commercial law, marketing, information management and data processing, quality management, property and transaction taxes, controlling. Interdisciplinary, e.g.: Communication, English, economics/politics, vocational and work pedagogy. Additional knowledge: Schools may provide additional knowledge that enables the acquisition of the university of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife).

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing the advanced training examination: Economics/Law: e.g., to advise clients on tax benefits. Mathematics: e.g., to create actual-target analyses.

The advanced training consists of theoretical and practical lessons. Depending on the education provider, one should prepare for the following conditions: Class times: for full-time instruction: full-day classes on at least four weekdays; for part-time instruction: usually career-accompanying advanced training on weekends or in the evening. Learning format: for in-person events: classroom instruction at the educational institution (possibly not at the place of residence); for combined learning formats (e.g., blended learning): in-person events in a classroom setting at the educational institution and self-directed learning via electronic learning platforms and systems from home.

Participation in advanced training is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of business economist in taxation: Area of Taxes and Auditing: Certified Tax Specialist, Tax Advisor. Commonality: Advising clients on tax matters. Area of Accounting and Controlling: Business Economist (Fachschule) for Controlling/Bachelor Professional in Business, Business Economist (Fachschule) for Accounting/Bachelor Professional in Business, Certified Accountant – Bachelor Professional in Accounting, Certified Controller, Specialist Assistant for Payroll and Salaries, Specialist Assistant for Accounting and Controlling, Specialist Assistant for Agriculture and Forestry, Specialist Assistant for Digitalization and IT Processes, Financial Accountant. Commonality: Taking on specialist and management tasks in accounting and controlling. Area of Law.

2020: Amendment of the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO): among other things, the introduction of the advanced training qualifications 'Certified Vocational Specialist', 'Bachelor Professional' and 'Master Professional' to emphasize the equivalence of vocational and academic education. The use of professional titles depends on the enactment of corresponding new advanced training regulations.

The school and Fachschule (vocational school) regulations of the Bundesländer (federal states) govern the duration, possibilities for shortening and extending. Shortening: Participants with a degree in another specialization of the economics department or in a second focus of a specialization can shorten the advanced training. Extension: Participants can partly make up for missing professional experience during the advanced training. This may extend the advanced training.

This advanced training (Weiterbildung) is legally regulated only in the specified federal states (Bundesländer). In these states, it leads to the following qualification titles: North Rhine-Westphalia: State-certified business administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin) - focus on taxes (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). Rhineland-Palatinate: State-certified business administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin) - specialization in business administration and corporate management (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft).

Becoming a state-certified business administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin) in taxation is a vocational advanced training (Weiterbildung). It is regulated by state law and takes place at Fachschulen (technical colleges). The full-time training lasts 2 years, while part-time training takes 3-4 years.

After their advanced training, business administrators (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin) in taxation work in companies across almost all economic sectors. They can maintain, update, and expand their expertise through adaptive advanced training (Anpassungsweiterbildung). The range of topics extends from taxes and auditing to controlling. With their advanced training qualification, business administrators (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin) can gain access to university studies even without a general higher education entrance qualification, for example, to earn a Bachelor's degree in taxation and auditing. Self-employment is also possible, for instance, as a business consultant.

This advanced training (Weiterbildung) is regulated by state law in the following federal states (Bundesländer): In North Rhine-Westphalia, by the Ordinance on Training and Examinations in Vocational Colleges (APO-BK) of May 26, 1999, last amended by Article 3 of the Ordinance of January 29, 2026. In Rhineland-Palatinate, by the Technical College Ordinance for Agricultural Economics, Design, Home Economics, Technology, and Economics, promulgated as Article 1 of the Ordinance of October 30, 2024. There are no state-specific legal regulations in the following federal states (Bundesländer): Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia.

Fachschulen (technical colleges) typically require a qualification in a relevant recognized vocational training (Ausbildung) profession as well as professional experience. The minimum educational requirement is a secondary school leaving certificate (mittlerer Bildungsabschluss).