How to get APS Certificate for Germany?

If you're planning to study in Germany as an Indian student, obtaining the APS certificate is one of the most critical steps in your application process. Introduced in November 2022, this certificate has become a mandatory requirement for all Indian students applying to German universities.

The full form of APS Germany is Akademische Prüfstelle (Academic Evaluation Center). The APS Certificate is a mandatory document for Indian students applying to study in Germany. As there is a large number of Indian students applying to study in Germany every year, the APS certification has been introduced to provide proof of the authenticity of Indian academic documents and above all simplify and accelerate the admission process to German universities and for obtaining your German Student Visa. 

The APS certificate processing time in India usually takes around 3 to 4 weeks after the application is submitted and payment is received. Applicants need to pay a non-refundable fee of INR 18,000 for the academic evaluation process conducted by APS India. One must note that the APS certificate fees must be paid online before processing begins. Students can track their APS certificate application status by logging into their accounts on the APS India website.

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APS Certificate for Germany: Overview

What is APS Certificate Germany?

The Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) certificate is a document that verifies your Indian academic records. Germany wants this documents if you want to study there. Without APS you cannot get admission or visa.

Students are advised to complete the APS process before their application with the German university to keep processing times at a minimum. Candidates should note that APS does not issue visas but an original APS Certificate is an integral part of the German student visa application process. APS certificate is not required for short-term courses (less than 90 days). However, for courses having a duration longer than 90 days, an APS certificate is mandatory. The APS Certificate and TestAS exam often go hand-in-hand for admission to German universities. Find out more about TestAS and its significance in our TestAS Exam Guide.

Why APS Certificate is Needed

Germany wants to make sure all Indian students give real marks and papers. Some students try to give fake documents, so they made APS certificate. It is very important for few reasons:

• Visa: You cannot apply for Germany student visa without APS.

• Real Papers: APS checks your school and college marks are real, not fake. Germany people trust it.

• College Admission: APS helps universities know your papers are correct. It makes admission faster and easy.

APS is like a proof that your documents are true and Germany can trust you.

Who Needs the APS Certificate?

All Indian students who are pursuing or have acquired educational qualifications from any of the recognised Indian school boards or universities and are planning to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Germany are required to apply for APS Certification before they begin their application process to German Universities. The APS Certificate is also a mandatory requirement for a German Student Visa. 

Who Does Not Require an APS Certificate?

• Indian students who have been sponsored by German or EU-funded scholarships need not apply for an APS certification. 

• Indian students who are applying for a PhD or Postdoc. 

• Indian students who are going to study the German language without attending a university and/or without attending any pre-university preparatory classes are not required to apply for an APS Certificate. 

Who Can Apply for an APS Certificate from India?

There is no any particular guidelines to apply for APS certification, as individuals of any nationality who have pursued or obtained an educational qualification from any recognized Indian school board or university can apply for APS certificate. The APS certification is specially important for those who have academic background from Indian educational institutions and wants to study in Germany. 

How to get an APS Certificate in Germany?

In this section, we have mentioned the steps involved in getting an APS Certificate in Germany. 

Step 1: Candidates who are looking to pursue higher education in Germany would be first required to get their academic documents verified by APS India to get their APS Certificate for Germany

Step 2: Candidates are advised to go through the APS India official website, https://aps-india.de/ and go through the guidelines provided on the website. Candidates would have to keep the original and photocopies of their academic documents for the APS Certification process. Only documents translated into the English language from any of the Indian regional languages must be notarized.

Step 3: Candidates will be required to pay the APS Certificate Germany fees. Once the authorities have received your APS Certificate Germany fees of INR 18,000 they will be able to start processing your application

Step 4: Candidates would be then required to submit the required documents via courier or hand over the documents personally at the APS India office reception during stipulated office timings. Candidates can submit the required documents via courier. APS India office address is Academic Evaluation Centre, Gate No. 3, DLTA Complex, R.K. Khanna Stadium, 1 Africa Avenue, 110029 New Delhi, India.

APS Certificate for Germany from India: Application Process

APS Certificate Germany requirements: In this section, we are going to be discussing the application process for applying for the APS Certificate for Germany from India

source: Academic Evaluation Centre

1. Candidates would be required to register online at www.aps-india.de 

2. It is important to print and sign the completed application form. The data should be entered correct and that the form is personally signed by the applicant. Incomplete and incorrect information will invalidate your application.

3. Candidates would be required to transfer the APS verification fee of 18,000/- INR to the APS bank account. (NON-REFUNDABLE)

4. Candidates would be then required to submit the required documents, including the printed and signed application form via courier or in person at the reception desk of APS India. Kindly keep a record of your courier tracking details. Note: Documents must be in Legible A4-sized coloured photocopies of all original documents and both sides of all the documents must be photocopied. Candidates are not required to courier original documents.

5. Candidates should note that document verification will be conducted by APS India. Only complete applications will be processed. For Undergraduate students applying for an APS Certificate, there could be an interview involved in the process. The same has been mentioned below.

6. Upon successful completion of the document verification, students enrolled in a Bachelor’s program at an Indian university but have not yet completed their course of study might be asked to appear for a personal interview. These candidates will be notified via telephone or email 10 to 14 days before the interview date. The date shall not be changed.

7. There will be an interview generally happens for 20 minutes. It will focus on the candidate's academic history and achievements in India. The interviews will be conducted in English and/or German.

8. Within 5 days of the interview, your online profile will be updated with your verification result. Successful candidates will receive five original APS certificates via courier within two weeks.

9. On completion of the document verification, your online profile will be updated with a verification outcome. Successful candidates will receive five original APS certificates via courier.

10. Note: Candidates should note that from April 2023 onwards, paper APS certificates have been replaced with digitally signed APS certificates which the candidate would receive via email at the address provided on the application form. The digital certificate has a validity of three years, after which it will have to be reissued. It can be used for applying to all German universities.

The successful completion of document verification allows APS India to issue a certificate which is a pre-requisite for the visa application when applying to study in Germany. Read: Why APS Certificate is mandatory for Indian students in Germany? The APS Certificate Germany is in place to simplify your application process to German universities and accelerate your student visa application.

APS Certificate Requirements for Germany – Document Checklist

Here we tell you documents needed for APS Certificate Germany from India for different study levels.

After Class XII or passed JEE Main / Advanced:

• Printed and signed application form with passport photo (not more than 6 months old)
• Copy of APS fee receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card with linked mobile
• Copy of passport (first and last page)
• Copy of Class X Marksheet and Certificate
• Copy of Class XII Marksheet and Certificate (Provisional ok if original not ready, not more than 3 months old)
• Proof of Pre-University Entrance Exam if needed
• Proof of JEE Main and Advanced with Admit Card if needed
• Copy of TestAS Results (Core and Subject)
• Copy of Language Certificate German or English

For Bachelor’s course students:

• Printed and signed application form with passport photo
• Copy of APS fee receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card
• Copy of passport first and last page
• Copy of Class X and XII marksheets
• Copy of all Bachelor 1st year mark sheets
• Copy of TestAS Results
• Copy of Language Certificate German or English

For Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree holders:

• Printed and signed application form with passport photo
• Copy of APS fee receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card
• Copy of passport first and last page
• Copy of Class XII marksheet and certificate
• Copy of Class XII Admit Card if you have it
• Copy of all semester mark sheets
• Copy of Bachelor’s degree
• Copy of Master’s degree and transcripts if needed
• Copy of Language Certificate German or English

APS Certificate Germany Fees

The APS Certificate Germany fee is INR 18,000. Candidates are required to transfer the fee to the account mentioned below. Please ensure that the bank details are correctly entered. Keep the transaction receipt for future reference.

Bank details for transferring the fees in INR:

Account Holder: Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany – Wiss

Account Number: 0946426766

Name of Bank: Kotak Mahindra Bank

IFSC Code: KKBK0000182

APS Certificate Germany Validity & Processing Time

Once a candidate has been issued an APS Certificate, it is valid indefinitely. The Academic Evaluation Centre (APS India) processes all applications as quickly as possible. Please note, that the processing time will be 3 to 4 weeks (approx.) Candidates should note that the APS digital certificates being issued post-April 2023 have a validity of three years, after which they will have to be reissued. It can be used for applying to all German universities.

When Should You Apply for APS?

• For Master's Students: Apply once you have your 6th or 7th semester mark sheets
• For Bachelor's Applicants: Wait until you receive your 12th results or 1st-year Bachelor’s results

How to Get APS Certificate Faster?

In order to get an APS Certificate faster in India, applicants can:

• All documents required for APS Certificate are complete and correctly submitted.
• Contact your references or schools quickly if they need to check your documents.
• Regularly check their APS application status online and respond quickly to any requests from APS.

Is APS Certificate Required for Master’s in Germany?

Yes, if you are an Indian student and want to do Master’s in Germany, you must have APS certificate. It does not matter which subject you want to study like engineering, management, or anything else. APS checks your previous marks and makes sure all papers are real. German universities only accept students with real papers.

Even if you finished your Bachelor’s in India, you still need APS. Without it, you cannot apply for visa or join university in Germany. Candidates can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors on our website for assistance with university admissions. Readers can also write to us in the comments section below.