WhatsApp: +48 729 308 990Akademische Prüfstelle (APS)
APS India: A Guide for Indian Students (2022/23)
Learn about the application procedure, requirements, costs, interviews, and more!
As it was announced by the German representation in India, starting from November 1, 2022, Indian students will have to include a certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) in their application for a German student visa. The APS office in India will start receiving applications for the APS certificate on the 1st of October, 2022. In this article, we provide you with the answers to the key questions regarding this certificate.
Is the APS certificate mandatory for Indian students?
Simply put, the Academic Evaluation Centre (in German Akademische Prüfstelle) at the German Embassy in New Delhi is an institution specific to studying in Germany. In general, students from India, Vietnam, mainland China, and Mongolia are required to go through the APS due to the large number of applicants. The APS India issues the APS certificate, which confirms that your documents are genuine and valid and that, consequently, you are eligible to study in Germany. Put differently, if your application for the APS certificate was successful, you will receive the certificate with which you can apply for a German student visa through the VFS and for German universities. It is worth mentioning that the APS certificate is valid for an unlimited period of time.
Is the APS certificate mandatory for Indian students?
Yes, the APS certificate is mandatory for almost every Indian student! Without the APS, Indian students cannot apply for a student visa. Hence, every Indian who wants to pursue a degree in Germany has to go through the APS.
However, as always, there are some exceptions. The Indian students do not need the APS certificate in the following cases:
-
If they are funded by Germany- or EU-based scholarships
-
If they are Ph.D. applicants, whose dissertation supervisor does not demand the document for registration
-
If they hold international certificates from schools (e.g. A-Levels, International Baccalaureate) or universities
Note: Those Indian students who want to attend a short course (less than 90 days) in Germany do not need an APS certificate.
How to apply for the APS certificate in India?
As an Indian student, you can apply for the APS certificate in 5 simple steps:
Step 1
Familiarise yourself with all of the requirements specific to your case
Step 2
Collect the necessary documents
Step 3
Register online
Step 4
Transfer the processing fee
Step 5
Submit all the required documents together with a printed and signed online application form
Documents required by the APS India
Depending on whether you want to do your Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Germany, the documents required for getting the APS certificate to vary. Here is the list of documents for those who would like to do their Master's in Germany:
- Complete the application form (printed and signed) with passport-size photo
- Copy of the verification fee receipt
- Copy of Aadhaar card with linked mobile number
- Copy of the first and last pages of your passport
- Copy of 12th class certificate and transcript of records
- Copy of 12th class admit card (upon availability)
- Copy of the Bachelor's certificate and transcript of records
- Copy of language certificate
Keep in mind that you need to notarise only the documents translated into English from one of the regional languages.
APS India: Costs and Money Transfer
The APS certificate is not free: the processing fee for the APS equals 18.000 INR. Indian students have to transfer this amount to the APS bank account. The details of the account can be found here.
Take into consideration that once the money is transferred, it cannot be refunded (with no exceptions).
Submitting the application for the APS in India
After your application package with all the necessary documents is good to go, you have two options:
- You can either send the package via courier; or
- Take the documents to the APS India office yourself
Be careful: Incomplete applications will not be processed.
APS India: Processing times
To process your APS application, the APS India will need around 3-4 weeks. Generally, the APS office starts processing your application as soon as it receives your payment.
Advice
So, start checking your online profile regularly in about 3 weeks, because as soon as the results of the verification are available, the status of your application will be updated in your online profile.
If your application was successful, a courier will bring your five APS certificates to the address you mentioned during the registration. In case you need an additional copy, you will need to pay 500 INR.
APS India: Interviews
The interviews are not always a part of the APS application for Indians!
Usually, those Indian students who are still pursuing their Bachelor's degree at an Indian university MIGHT need to go through the interview process after their documents were successfully verified. This depends on the individual profile of the candidate and on the decision of the APS India itself. If that is the case, then the applicants will be contacted via phone or email and notified about the place and date of the interview 10-14 days before the interview is planned.
The candidates should reserve about 20 minutes for the interview, where they will mainly be asked questions regarding their academic background. The interviews will be held in English or German, upon the applicant's desire, which can be indicated during the online registration. If the interview was successful, then applicants will get their APS certificate within 14 days after attending the interview.
When to apply for the APS in India?
As soon as possible!
Why? Because getting the APS certificate, getting the visa appointment, and the visa processing time itself might take together several months. Thus, to increase your chances of arriving in Germany before the start of the semester, you need to act swiftly.
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