APS certificate for Germany 2026: who needs it, fees and timing
Students from India, China, Vietnam and Mongolia need an APS certificate for German universities. What it checks, what it costs in each country, and when to start.
Short answer
4countries need an APS certificate (India, China, Vietnam and Mongolia)
Students with school or university documents from India, China, Vietnam or Mongolia need an APS certificate before German universities and German embassies accept their documents. Students from all other countries do not. The APS checks that your documents are genuine and, in China and Vietnam, also holds an interview. In India the fee is ₹18,000 and processing usually takes four to eight weeks, so start at least four months before your first application deadline.
Also in
हिंदी
भारत, चीन, वियतनाम या मंगोलिया के शैक्षणिक दस्तावेज़ों वाले छात्रों को जर्मन यूनिवर्सिटी और वीज़ा के लिए APS सर्टिफिकेट चाहिए। बाकी देशों के छात्रों को इसकी ज़रूरत नहीं है। भारत में फीस ₹18,000 है और प्रक्रिया में आमतौर पर 4 से 8 हफ्ते लगते हैं, इसलिए अपनी पहली आवेदन की आख़िरी तारीख से कम से कम चार महीने पहले शुरू करें।
The Academic Evaluation Centre (Akademische Prüfstelle, APS) checks school and university documents from a few countries before German universities and German embassies accept them. If you need one, you cannot complete most university applications or your student visa without it.
Who needs it
You need an APS certificate if your academic documents come from one of these countries:
| Country | Run by | What happens | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | APS India, German Embassy New Delhi | Document check; interviews only in some cases | ₹18,000 |
| China | APS China, German Embassy Beijing | Document check and academic interview | About 2,500 RMB* |
| Vietnam | APS Vietnam, German Embassy Hanoi | Document check; interview for Master's applicants (May and November) | Set in USD; check the official site* |
| Mongolia | German Embassy Ulaanbaatar | Document check | Check the official site |
* Fees for China and Vietnam are from third-party guides. Check the official APS site for your country before you pay.
Everyone else does not need APS. If your documents are from any other country, universities check them directly or through uni-assist.
Exceptions exist even in the four countries, for example some PhD positions, exchange programmes and students who already hold a German degree. Check your programme's admission page.
When to start
APS usually comes first in a chain: after it you still need admission, then a blocked account, health insurance and a visa appointment. Start at least four months before your first application deadline.
- Winter semester (many deadlines on 15 July): apply for APS in March or April.
- Summer semester (many deadlines on 15 January): apply in September or October.
- Vietnam: interviews for Master's applicants take place only in May and November. Documents are due by the end of February or the end of August.
India in detail
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| APS fee | ₹18,000, not refundable |
| Courier costs | Roughly ₹500 to ₹1,500 |
| Typical processing time | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Peak season (September to January) | Up to 10 to 12 weeks |
Documents for Master's applicants:
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and certificates
- Bachelor's degree certificate, all semester mark sheets and the consolidated mark sheet
- An official document listing the subjects taught in each semester (curriculum or syllabus)
- Passport copy, including pages with stamps
- The signed APS application form and a passport photo
- Proof that you paid the fee
Send clear, self-attested photocopies, not originals. The curriculum document usually takes longest to get from your university, so request it first. Applicants going straight from Class 12 to a Bachelor's programme follow a separate checklist with a language certificate and either TestAS results or proof of passing JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
Step by step: download the current form from APS India, collect your documents, pay the fee as instructed, send everything by tracked courier to New Delhi, and wait for the certificate by post.
China, Vietnam and Mongolia
The process follows the same idea: you register online, submit copies of your school and university documents, and the APS checks them against the original records. In China every applicant has an academic interview about their studies. In Vietnam Master's applicants have a short interview in German or English, and Bachelor's applicants usually need TestAS. Fees, forms and dates change, so use the official site of the APS in your country.
Questions people ask
Do I need an APS certificate if I am not from India, China, Vietnam or Mongolia?
No. The APS only checks documents from these four countries. Students from all other countries apply without it.
Can I apply to universities before I have the APS certificate?
Some universities accept proof that you applied for APS and ask for the certificate later. Many do not. Check each programme's admission page.
Is the APS certificate needed for the visa?
Yes. In the four APS countries, the German embassy asks for it with student visa applications.
Does the APS certificate expire?
It has no fixed expiry date, but it covers the degrees you had when you applied. If you finish another degree, you may need a new certificate.
Sources
- APS India: official forms, fees and checklists for India
- German Embassy Hanoi: APS Vietnam: procedure, interview dates and document deadlines
- University of Cologne: information for applicants from Mongolia (PDF): APS requirement for Mongolia
- GradGermany: APS certificate for India, China and Vietnam, checked October 2026: fees and process by country
Information only. Not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the official source linked above before you act.
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