APS for Germany: Your Guide to Language & Degree Requirements

Are you planning to study in Germany? The APS Germany certificate is your gateway. This guide clarifies everything Indian students need about language requirements (like IELTS), degree certificates, translations, and more to navigate the APS Germany process smoothly.

Indian students interested in studying in Germany would know that the APS Germany certificate is a mandatory requirement for higher education in Germany. While we have talked about APS certification in detail in our guide. Students are still facing queries that we plan to address here.

Can Students Apply for APS Germany without an IELTS Certificate?

Students should note that while applying for their APS Certificate Germany, students are not required to meet any specific language requirements. Hence, it is NOT mandatory to submit language certificates such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and DET. However, candidates can submit their English/German language certificates voluntarily and APS will verify the formal authenticity of the documents. Meaning, that the verification undertaken by APS would be specific to the formal aspects of the language certificates provided by the applicant. Indian students should note that a language proficiency certificate would be required during the German student visa application process.

Can Students Apply for APS Germany without a Degree Certificate?

The main purpose of APS Certificate Germany is to validate the authenticity of your academic transcripts or your past academic degree certificates. Hence, you must submit all your academic degree certificates as part of your APS application process. The APS Germany certification of your Indian degrees is important as it helps German authorities recognize the authenticity of your education qualifications. Indian students looking to apply for APS Germany Certification can also retrieve their documents using the DigiLocker facility of the Indian Government. The same is accepted/ recognised by German authorities during the APS process. 

Indian students who have not completed their Bachelor’s degree at the time of the APS verification process are advised to apply to German universities with certified grades from the 5th or 7th semester. Provisional certificates for the APS verification process older than one year will not be accepted as part of the APS certification process. Hence, it is essential to ensure that the provisional certificate that the candidate provides is either relatively recent, within the specified timeframe, or updated by the actual degree certificate to meet the requirements of the APS verification process.

Can a Pre-final Year Student apply for APS Germany Certification?

Yes, pre-final year students can apply for their APS Certificate Germany. However, all pre-final year students would need a provisional bonafide certificate issued by their university/college stating that the student is pursuing and will clear his/her (UG/PG) studies in (month) and (year) and should also mention the student's association with the institution, briefly touching upon his/her course name and duration.   

Candidates should note that all academic degrees and language certificates issued in an Indian regional language will have to be translated into English and these translations must be notarized. The notarization is an important step for all Indian regional documents as it ensures the authenticity and accuracy of the translation for the verification process. Bilingual documents that are in English and a regional language are NOT required to be notarized.

APS Germany Certification: At a Glance

In this section, we are going to talk about the important aspects of the APS Germany Certification for Indian students looking to study in Germany.

1. The APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certification is a mandatory requirement for candidates looking to apply to universities in Germany and for your German Student Visa application.
2. The main purpose of the APS Germany certification is to confirm the candidate’s educational background meets the standards required for admission to study courses in Germany.
3. The APS certificate Germany acts as a bridge between the Indian educational system and the German higher education and visa application process, confirming that the academic qualifications of Indian students are properly evaluated and recognized for studying in Germany.
4. Indian students who are beneficiaries of EU-funded or German scholarships are exempted from applying for APS Germany certification as their scholarship involves a thorough vetting process.
5. The APS Certificate Germany certification is valid indefinitely once issued and a candidate has to apply for an APS certificate only once as the certificate is valid for life.
6. Indian applicants looking to study in Germany are required to complete the APS certification process before applying to a German university as this would only streamline the university admission process, accelerate your German student visa processing time and most importantly it is a mandatory requirement.
7. APS India does not issue visas.
8. The APS Verification fee is INR 18,000 and is non-refundable under all circumstances.
9. Candidates are advised to apply early for their certification as APS Certificate Germany processing time can take up to 45 days provided the referee detail and verification process are aligned as per the APS requirement.

Indian students under no circumstances whatsoever should submit fake or altered documents. It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide genuine and authentic documents for the APS verification process. Any documents found to be altered or falsified in any way will be classified as fake and candidates submitting fake documents will be barred from participating in all current and future processes related to APS Germany. Candidates can get in touch with our Shiksha Counselling Services for assistance with German university admissions.