A Detailed Overview Of Applying For An APS Certificate: How To Apply, Documents Required, Timelines, and more

Germany is an ideal destination for international students, where they offer a unique and enriching study experience. Whichever field or industry you’re interested in, Germany provides a wide range of programs and institutions.

To study in Germany, you are required to apply for an APS Certificate (Akademische Prüfstelle or Academic Evaluation Centre). Prior to being introduced in India, APS was a requirement for students applying from China and Vietnam. In many ways, it was introduced to streamline the process of document verification as many universities and evaluatory bodies struggled with ascertaining authenticity, hence leading to a lot of chaos which ultimately affected the future of genuine students. APS India is a service provider of the Science Section of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and at present, an APS Certificate is a mandatory submission for the German Student Visa Application process. Do note that you do not need an APS Certificate to apply to universities - it’s basically verification of your academic documents before you apply for a German Student Visa (for a course that stretches past 90 days).

It is worth clearing up from the get go that the requirement for an APS Certificate is only for those looking to pursue university-level courses in Germany. If you’re going there to study a language course without enrolling yourself in a university or pre-university course, you don’t need one.

How to apply for an APS Certificate?

Let’s get straight to the nitty-gritty of it now! First and foremost, you need to head over to https://aps-india.de/ to get your application underway, and will need to understand the requirements and documentation required. On the “Checklists” page, you’d find a link to download the required documents list. Make sure you download the “Student Authorisation Letter” along with whichever document list you download based on your specific situation. Do note that documents translated to English will need to be notarized.

Now, we get to the fees part of it. After you’re done registering online,you must pay a processing fee of Rs 18,000 to get your application underway. Once acknowledged that the payment has been received, you must courier the required documents to APS India. The address, as provided on the official website, is Gate No. 3, DLTA Complex, R.K. Khanna Stadium, 1 Africa Avenue,? 110029 New Delhi, India.

APS India, based on its own discretion, might ask you to appear for a brief interview. This is usually the case for undergraduate students or students who are yet to wrap up their bachelor’s program in India but have applied for an APS Certificate. If you’re needed to appear, they will inform you by phone or email 10-14 days prior to scheduling the interview. Don’t sweat it too much - the interview is conducted in English, and only involves some question pertaining to your academic history and achievements till date.

Document Checklist to Apply for an APS Certificate

Here’s an overview of documents required to be sent. Please DO NOT send any original documents. Make sure that you submit Legible A4 sized colored photocopies of all original documents, and that both sides of all documents are photocopied.

APS Certificate Requirements: List of documents required for APS certificate after Class XII or passed JEE Main and Advance

• Printed and duly signed application form with passport-size photo (not older than 6 months
• Copy of APS fee transfer receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card with linked mobile number.
• Copy of passport. (1st and last page)
• Copy of Class X Marksheet and Certificate
• Copy of Class XII Marksheet and Certificate. If the certificate has not yet been issued, the Provisional Certificate issued by the school will be accepted (Not older than 3 months).
• Proof of participation in a Pre-University Entrance Exam (if applicable)
• Proof of passing the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and Advanced along with the Admit Card (If applicable)
• Copy of TestAS Results (Core and Subject-specific)
• Copy of Language Certificate – German and/or English

List of documents required for APS certificate Germany for Applicants enrolled in a Bachelor’s course

• Printed and duly signed application form with a passport-size photo (not older than 6 months)
• Copy of APS fee transfer receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card with linked mobile number.
• Copy of passport. (1st and last page)
• Copy of Class X Marksheet and Certificate
• Copy of Class XII Marksheet and Certificate. If the certificate has not yet been issued, the Provisional Certificate issued by the school will be accepted (Not older than 3 months).
• Copy of all Bachelor mark sheets for the first year of studies.
• Copy of TestAS Results (Core and Subject-specific)
• Copy of Language Certificate – German and/or English

List of documents required for APS certificate with Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree

• Printed and duly signed application form with a passport-size photo (not older than 6 months)
• Copy of APS fee transfer receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar Card with linked mobile number.
• Copy of passport. (1st and last page)
• Copy of Class XII mark sheet and certificate.
• Copy of Class XII admit card, if available.
• Copy of mark sheets of all semesters.
• Copy of the bachelor's degree. If the degree has not yet been issued, the provisional certificate issued by the College will be accepted. (Not older than 1 year)
• Copy of the Master’s degree and transcripts. (if applicable)
• Copy of language certificate – German and/or English

Note: The fees are non-refundable. APS reserves the right to request additional documentation.

How long does it take for the APS Certificate to be issued, and how long will it remain valid?

Let’s get it out of the way - the validity of an APS Certificate once issued is indefinite. However, APS digital certificates issued post-April’23 are valid for 3 years. Either of these can be used to apply to all German universities.

In terms of how long APS will take to process your application, it will take approx. 3-4 weeks, but there’s a good chance that it might take even longer. In its first year, APS faced many operational issues, due to which a lot of backlogs were created and they began prioritizing students who were already sent a conditional offer letter by the university. This meant that it took up to 6 months for many students to receive their APS Certificate at the time. They’ve gotten a lot more efficient over time and such delays have become much rarer, but institutions that APS might get in touch with to verify your submissions might be late with responding to them, which can push your application back. In this case, it is imperative that you remain in touch with your college/university.

Now of course, given our own expertise with respect to helping students study abroad in Germany, we’d love to offer up what we’ve observed accelerates the process of getting an APS Certificate. In fact, you might end up getting your APS certificate in around 20 days!

Here’s what you can do:

1. Upload Digilocker Verified Documents:

Ensure all documents you upload are Digilocker verified. This speeds up the APS approval process significantly.

2. Ask your Indian institution to send an email to APS:

Since APS verifies your previous academic records, you can request your school, college, or university to directly email APS from their official domain. This accelerates the verification process.

3. Send Academic Documents via Courier:

Ask your educational institution or relevant board to send your academic documents to APS by courier. This adds another layer of verification that can expedite approval.

4. Check the institution's status on the Anabin portal:

Before proceeding, verify if your institution has an "H+" rating on the Anabin portal. An "H+" tag means your university is recognized, which is crucial for faster approval. Furthermore, it goes without saying that owing to the amount of variables involved, it is paramount that you apply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so as to avoid any unsavoury surprises later. Once processed, you’d find your online profile updated with a verification outcome and will be emailed a scanned copy of the APS Certificate.?

..and that’s it! While there were a few hiccups initially, the introduction of APS in India has made the process of applying for universities in Germany much, much easier. When it was left up to universities and other authorities, it was a much lengthier process having your Indian academic documents verified, so APS has been a welcome intermediary point in that sense. All in all, as a student, you should find the process to be an absolute breeze to get through.

In case you do happen to feel overwhelmed, you’ve got us! Feel free to get in touch with us for in-depth consultation on anything about studying abroad in Germany!