How to Apply for German Universities in 2026?

Studying in Germany is dream for many people because you get world-class education and pay very less fees. This article will tell you how you apply to German universities, which application portal use, what about fees, and what happens after you apply. Also we talk about benefits of applying to universities in Germany.

To apply for a German university in 2026, you need to be very organized and start early. Most international students aim for the Winter Intake, which begins in October. To get a seat, you must submit your application by the July 15 deadline. If you prefer the Summer Intake, the cutoff is usually January 15.

The first thing you must do is check if your degree is recognized using the Anabin database. If you are from India, getting your APS certificate is the most critical and time-consuming step; you should apply for this 6 months before you plan to send university applications. For the actual application, most universities use the uni-assist portal, but some top colleges like TUM or RWTH Aachen might ask you to apply directly on their own websites.

You will also need to prove your language proficiency with an IELTS or TestDaF score and show you have enough money in a blocked account (around €11,904 for 2026). Once you get your admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid), you can finally book your visa appointment at VFS Global.

Read more About: Lesser Known Good Colleges in Germany

University Applications in Germany: Overview

Here is the quick information that you should know before applying in German universities for admission.

Check: Cost of Studying in Germany

Ways to Apply at German Universities

There are three main ways to send your application to a German university. Each university chooses its own method, so you must check the university website first to see which one they use.

1. Applying through uni-assist

Most international students have to use uni-assist. This is a central service that checks if your foreign certificates match the German education system.

• You create one account on the uni-assist portal and upload all your documents.

• You pay a processing fee (usually €75 for the first college and €30 for each extra one).

• If your papers are correct, uni-assist sends them to the university for you.

2. Direct Application (University Portal)

Some big universities like TU Munich or Heidelberg University have their own online systems.

• You go directly to the college website and register on their portal.

• You upload your transcripts, CV, and SOP directly to them.

• This way is often free, and you can talk to the international office of the college if you have questions.

3. The VPD Procedure (Preliminary Review)

This is a mix of both ways. Some universities ask you to send your documents to uni-assist first just to get a paper called a VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation).

• uni-assist checks your marks and gives you the VPD certificate.

• Once you get this PDF, you must take it and apply directly on the university's own portal before the deadline.

How to Apply to a German University for International Students?

To apply for a German university as an international student in 2026, you must follow a very specific path. It is not just about sending an email to the college; there is a strict legal process for academic verification and visas.

Here is the step-by-step guide in simple ways.

Step 1: Find Your Course and Check Eligibility

First, you need to find a program. Use the DAAD database to search for English or German-taught courses.

• Check the HZB: You must have a "Hochschulzugangsberechtigung" (HZB), which means a "Higher Education Entrance Qualification."

• Anabin Check: Use the Anabin database to see if your high school or college degree is recognized in Germany. If it is not, you might have to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory course) for one year.

Step 2: Get Your APS Certificate (For India, China, Vietnam)

If you are from India, you cannot study in Germany without the APS certificate.

• Apply for this at least 6 months before the university deadline.

• It is a digital or paper certificate that proves your Indian marks are real.

Step 3: Clear Your Language and Entrance Exams

• English Courses: You need IELTS (usually 6.5+) or TOEFL (90+).

• German Courses: You need TestDaF or DSH (Level 2).

• Entrance Tests: Some Master's programs want GRE or GMAT. Some Bachelor's programs want the TestAS.

Step 4: Submit Your Application

Most universities don't take applications directly. You usually have to use:

• uni-assist: This is a portal that checks your papers for many colleges. You pay about €75 for the first application

• Direct Portal: Some colleges like TUM have their own website where you upload everything.

• VPD: Sometimes you get a VPD certificate from uni-assist and then upload it to the college website.

Step 5: Prepare Your Finances (Blocked Account)

To get a student visa, you must prove you have money for 1 year.

• For 2026, you usually need to put €11,904 into a blocked account (like Expatrio or Fintiba). You can only withdraw a small amount each month.

Step 6: Enrollment and Visa

Once the university sends you an Admission Letter (Zulassungsbescheid):

1. Book VFS Appointment: Go to the VFS Global website and book a slot for your National Visa (D-Type).

2. Health Insurance: Get German statutory health insurance (like TK or AOK).

3. Enrollment: Pay the semester fee (usually €150–€350) to the university to get your student ID card.

How to Apply to German Universities via Uni-Assist?

Before applying for admission to any German University and your choice of course or courses first check, all about studying in Germany. The following steps can be followed while applying through uni-assist e.V. for international students:

1. Check if the German University you are applying to accepts applications through uni-assist or not. If yes then,
2. Register on My Assist and create a login ID and password for the uni assist portal. Consequently an applicant number would be sent to your registered email id.
3. Log in on the portal again and upon access you will find an application tab, open it and use filters to select the desired university, course* and semester of admission.
4. Next step is adding your educational history and uploading relevant scanned documents if the university accepts ‘online pre-check’. In case your university requires an ‘official certification’ of your documents then:

• Send your academic and language documents with an overview of grades and marking and officially translated copies via post to:
  uni-assist e.V.
  11507 Berlin
  GERMANY
• These documents must reach un-assist after submitting the online application but before the application deadline is over in a single envelope only.
• It takes 4 to 6 weeks to receive an official certification from uni-assist before admission. 
• Before final submission verify all details and submit as no modifications would be possible after that. 
• After selecting ‘Proceed to Checkout’ pay the handling or application fee. First time fee charged is EUR 75, while EUR 30 is charged additionally for new course application.

*course: The choice of course can be found under course catalogue. 

Read: Student Guide to Germany

Uni-Assist Application Deadlines for 2026

German universities accepting applications through uni-assist admit international students through two intake seasons: Summer and Winter. For the benefit of our readers, we have listed below the application deadlines for universities in Germany:

Uni-Assist Required Documents (for Indian Students)

If you are an Indian student applying to German universities via Uni-Assist e.V., you will have to submit the following documents:

After Applying via Uni-Assist: What Happens?

After applying for courses at German Universities via Uni-Assist, applicants can track their applications and check their status. In My Assist account status of the application in the overview of each application can be viewed. The following status may reflect on the applications:

• In evaluation: Application is under evaluation
• Withdrawn: If the application has been withdrawn then this status would show up.
• Faulty: In case of missing documents evaluation cannot be completed, a email may be sent to the applicant for update.
• Okay: If application meets all criteria, standard applications would be forwarded to the university, in case of VPD applications, as soon as the documents are certified applicants will be informed in My Inbox so that they can share with their university.
• Case-by-case Decision: Though the application does not fulfil the requirements yet the university wishes to evaluate it further. In case of acceptance, the university would communicate.

Read: Why Study in Germany?

German Universities Accepting Uni-Assist Applications

Since more than 180 German Universities are in partnership with uni-assist for assessing their international applications, the following is a list of top few universities:

Check: Popular Universities in Germany

Pros of Applying to German Universities via Uni-Assist e.V.

The reason why a lot of international students submit applications to study in Germany via uni-assist is because of the hassle free experience and lower application costs for international students.

Some more plus points for applying to German Universities via uni-assist are as follows:

• Help for evaluating official certificates that are to be shared with the university upon admission.
• Securing all official data like important documents, choice of courses, choice of universities all in one account.
• Assisting students by keeping them updated about their application status.
• Uni-assist also helps in certifying documents for those universities that require a pre-review documentation before admission.
• Uni-assist does not qualify for being tagged as good or bad if some courses of specific partner universities are not applied through this portal.
• There is no additional fee for getting documents verified other than the handling fee of EUR 75 and EUR 30.

Also read:

• 7 Steps to Study for Free in Germany
• 5 Reasons why Germany is a great study abroad destination

German University Admission Applications Without Uni-Assist

There are around 240+ German Universities that accept applications for its English medium courses without uni-assist for international students. These universities accept applications directly through their websites for admissions. Following is a List of German Universities that Teach in English and don’t accept uni-assist applications are:

Note: Not all the above given German institutions have all courses admission applications directly, some of them may be found through uni-assist.

Check: Exams Required for Admission to UG/PG Courses in Germany