APS Certificate Checklist for German Universities
Exactly who needs APS, the full document list, fee, timeline and 2026 rule changes — for India and Bangladesh applicants.
Prefer it sent on WhatsApp? We'll add a quick personalisation tip for your situation. Free, no obligation.
What's inside
What you get
- A 'who needs APS?' table: India (mandatory since 2022), Pakistan (no office), Bangladesh (no office — what to do instead), and why Ausbildung never needs it.
- The full 7-step APS India process, from online registration and payment to the VFS visa application.
- Two official APS document checklists — one for applying after Class XII, one for Bachelor's/Master's degree holders — each with a Notes column.
- The exact fee (INR 18,000, non-refundable) and a realistic processing timeline (3–4 weeks; up to 8–12 in peak season).
- The 2026 rule changes: the new 70% Class XII minimum for bachelor entry and the dMAT now required for selected Master's applicants.
- Seven common mistakes that get applications rejected or delayed — sending originals, wrong queries, and starting too late.
How to use it
Make it yours in four steps
- 1
Confirm you actually need APS
India: yes, for every university programme. Pakistan and Bangladesh: no APS office — you verify through uni-assist and attestation. Ausbildung: never. Check your row in the table before paying anything.
- 2
Pick the right document checklist
Use Checklist A if you're applying after Class XII (bachelor/Studienkolleg), or Checklist B if you already hold a degree. Gather A4 colour copies — never originals.
- 3
Register online and pay the fee
Register at aps-india.de, print and sign the form, and pay INR 18,000. If a dMAT applies to your Master's field, sit it first and include the certificate.
- 4
Courier, track, then use the certificate
Send everything by trackable courier. On success you get a digital PDF certificate by email — use it for both your university admission and your VFS visa application.
Keep going
Tools that pair with this template
Free, no sign-up — build your document list and check the details specific to your case.
Document checklist builder
Generate the exact documents you need by country and route.
OpenDo I need APS? — checker
Find out in seconds whether you need an APS certificate — the answer differs for Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and for Ausbildung vs university.
OpenAll templates
Browse the full free application kit.
OpenGood to know
Questions about this template
Indian applicants need APS for every German university programme — mandatory since November 2022; without it you cannot get admission or a visa. Pakistan and Bangladesh have no APS office, so they verify documents through uni-assist and attestation instead. APS never applies to Ausbildung, which is vocational, not university, study.
The APS India fee is INR 18,000 (about €195), non-refundable regardless of outcome. Verification usually takes 3–4 weeks after complete documents and payment arrive, but can stretch to 8–12 weeks during peak admission season — so start early. Confirm the current fee on aps-india.de.
No. There is no dedicated APS office for Bangladesh, so there's no APS certificate, fee or interview. You submit your HSC/SSC certificates, degree and transcripts through uni-assist, and have documents legalised for the German Embassy in Dhaka. Some websites wrongly list Bangladesh as an APS country — confirm your case with uni-assist.
From Winter Semester 2026/27, bachelor applicants must have at least 70% in Class XII (up from 50%). Separately, a Digital Master Test (dMAT) is now required for selected Master's applicants whose previous degree is in an affected field, from the Summer Semester 2027 intake onward. Check aps-india.de for your field.
No — never. APS is an academic-evaluation check for university admission only. An Ausbildung is vocational training, so APS does not apply, regardless of your country. Your school certificates are handled through normal attestation and employer/embassy checks instead.
- APS India — academic verification for Indian applicants — APS India (German Embassy New Delhi) (official)
- Application & document verification — uni-assist e.V. (official)
- German Missions in India — visa information — German Federal Foreign Office (official)
- German Embassy Dhaka — visa information — German Federal Foreign Office (official)
Figures are checked against these sources and reviewed each application intake. Last verified: 2026-07-20. Always confirm the current rule for your case with the official source before you act.
One honest read
Want us to check your draft?
Fill it in, then send it over. We'll tell you what an employer or visa officer will actually notice — usually within 24 hours, free.