Study in Germany
APS certificate for Germany: the first step for Indian students
APS stands for Akademische Prüfstelle, the Academic Evaluation Centre at the German Embassy in New Delhi. It checks that your Indian school and university documents are genuine and that your degree fits a German programme.
Without this certificate most German universities will not enrol you and the visa officer will ask for it. It is not an exam and it does not judge your marks. It is a document check, and almost every problem people report comes from paperwork, not from grades.
This page walks through who needs APS, the documents to collect, what it costs in rupees, how long it really takes and the mistakes that send files back.
Who needs an APS certificate
The rule covers almost every Indian applicant, with a few exceptions worth checking before you pay.
Indian nationals applying to a German university
Since 2022 Indian citizens who hold Indian school and university qualifications normally need an APS certificate before a German university can enrol them and before the student visa is issued.
Bachelor and master applicants alike
The check covers your school leaving certificate, your bachelor degree and mark sheets. Both undergraduate and postgraduate applicants go through the same office.
Exchange, PhD and scholarship cases differ
Exchange students, doctoral candidates and some scholarship holders often follow a different or simplified procedure. Confirm your own case on the official APS India website before you pay anything.
Already studied in Germany?
If your last degree was completed in Germany or another country, the requirement can change. Ask APS in writing rather than guessing from forum posts.
Documents to prepare
Collect everything before you open the portal. The exact list for your case is on the official APS India website.
- Passport copy, valid and matching the name on all certificates
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and passing certificates
- All semester or year wise bachelor mark sheets, none missing
- Degree certificate, or provisional certificate if the degree is not yet issued
- Transcript issued by the university, if your programme uses one
- Language certificate, IELTS, TOEFL or German, as required by your course
- Medium of instruction letter, if your course was taught in English without a language test
- Recent passport size photo in the format the portal asks for
What APS costs in rupees
Indicative amounts to help you budget. Fees change, so confirm the current figures on the APS portal.
| Item | Typical cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| APS certificate application fee | ₹18,000 (approx.) | Paid once per application on the APS portal. Not refunded if your file is rejected. |
| Document courier to APS office | ₹400 – ₹1,200 | Use a tracked courier and keep the receipt until the certificate arrives. |
| Extra university attested copies | ₹500 – ₹3,000 | Costs vary a lot by university. Order more sets than you think you need. |
| Student visa fee at the German mission | ₹7,000 – ₹8,000 | A separate later step, listed here so you can plan the full budget. |
Planning the whole budget? See the monthly cost of living in Germany in rupees
The APS timeline, step by step
A realistic plan from collecting documents to holding the certificate.
- 1
Month 0
Collect and attest your documents
Request attested mark sheets and the degree certificate from your university. This is the step that slows most Indian applicants down, so start it before anything else.
- 2
Week 1
Register on the APS portal and pay
Create your account, fill the application exactly as your certificates read, upload scans and pay the fee online. A tiny spelling difference can cost you weeks.
- 3
Week 1 – 2
Send the physical documents
Courier the printed application and attested copies to the APS office in New Delhi in the order the checklist lists them.
- 4
Week 3 – 8
Verification with your university
APS contacts your university to confirm the documents are genuine. Slow universities are the main reason files sit here for weeks.
- 5
Week 4 – 12
Certificate issued
You receive the APS certificate with a unique number. Upload it with every university application and keep the original for the visa appointment.
- 6
After that
Apply to universities, then the visa
With admission and proof of funds ready, book the student visa appointment. Plan APS at least four to six months before the semester deadline.
Common rejection reasons
Almost every returned file falls into one of these six categories. Check yours against the list before you courier anything.
Missing a single semester mark sheet
APS wants every semester, including any repeat or backlog attempt. One gap sends the file back.
Name spelled differently across documents
Passport, mark sheets and the online form must match. Fix the mismatch with an affidavit or a corrected certificate first.
Copies not properly attested
Self attested photocopies are not enough. Follow the attestation rule stated on the APS website for your document type.
University does not answer APS
Politely follow up with your examination section yourself and give APS a working contact person and email.
Applying too late in the season
Files pile up before the winter semester deadline. A late application is not rejected, but it can arrive after your admission window closes.
Unclear or cropped scans
Scan flat, in colour, full page, with stamps and signatures readable. Phone photos at an angle get returned.
Check it yourself
- APS India (official) — fees, checklists, application portal and current processing times.
- DAAD India — course search, scholarships and admission requirements for Indian degrees.
- German Missions in India — student visa requirements and appointment booking.
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APS certificate: common questions
Is the APS certificate mandatory for Indian students?
For most Indian citizens applying to a German university with Indian qualifications, yes. German universities ask for the APS certificate at application or enrolment, and the German mission expects it for the student visa. A few groups, such as exchange students and some doctoral candidates, follow a different route, so check your own case on the official APS India website.
How long does APS take?
Plan for four to twelve weeks from a complete application to the certificate. The verification with your Indian university is the slowest part, so apply four to six months before your university deadline.
How much does APS cost in rupees?
The application fee is around ₹18,000, plus courier and attested copies. Fees are set by APS and can change, so confirm the current amount on the APS portal before you pay.
Can I apply to universities before the APS certificate arrives?
Many universities let you start the application and add the certificate later, but they will not confirm enrolment without it. Some portals accept the APS application number as proof that the process is running.
Does the APS certificate expire?
The certificate is issued for the qualifications you submitted and can be used for several applications. If you finish a new degree, you normally need a fresh check for that qualification.
What happens if my APS application is rejected?
Most rejections are document problems, not a judgement on your grades. Fix the missing or mismatched paper and re apply. The fee is charged again, so it pays to get the file right the first time.
Study Starter Pack
An application timeline, a document tracker you can fill in, motivation letter and email templates, and a semester budget sheet for Indian students applying to German universities.