In order to study in Germany, Indian students now will have to present an APS certificate along with their visa application. The candidate’s academic records will be evaluated by the Academic Evaluation Centre, and a certificate (authenticity certificate) will be issued.

What is an APS Certificate? 

It is a certificate used to prove the authenticity of degrees and students’ eligibility to pursue studies at a German university. The certificate is not required for students who have received German or EU-funded scholarships, or for Ph.D. applicants whose thesis mentors do not require it for enrollment.

Beginning November 1st, an APS certificate will be required as part of the paperwork submitted for a German student visa. As a result, candidates will be unable to submit visa applications without their APS certificates. APS will begin accepting submissions for evaluation on October 1.

Students chosen for European-funded scholarships and Ph.D. applicants whose thesis supervisors do not require an APS certificate are exempt from the verification process. Furthermore, people applying for short-term courses (programmes lasting less than 90 days) do not require a certificate.

The APS certificate application process

Below we have mentioned a step-by-step process involved in the processing of the APS application:

• You need to register online first to download the form. Fill complete and sign the form.
• The APS charge is INR. 18,000 dollars must be transferred to APS’s bank account.
• Submit the prerequisites, along with the completed APS form, through courier or at the APS India desk.
• APS will verify the prerequisites and only full applications will be processed.
• Following the completion of the verification, the candidates online profiles will be updated.
• Candidates that are accepted can apply for a German student visa through VFS.

Summarizing the process, students must first register online at the APS India website before applying for APS certificates. After completing the form, they should print and sign it before delivering it to the APS India reception desk, either by courier or in person. The INR 18,000 application fee should be deposited to the APS bank.

Note: The processing of the APS certificate application requires a period of two weeks.

The documents required to be attached with the APS application have been mentioned below:

1. An application form duly filled and signed along with a passport-size photo
2. A Copy of the APS fee transfer receipt 
3. A Copy of the Aadhar card with a linked mobile number 
4. Copies of passports
5. Copies of all your Mark sheets and degree certificates 
6. Proof or Language certificate for German or English

It is important that you make sure that you apply for the APS certificate well in advance, with all the documents that are required failing to which applications can be rejected. According to a press release, during the document verification process Applications that are incomplete or contain inaccurate information will not be processed.

Lastly, we’ll quote that an APS certificate is valid indefinitely once awarded to a candidate. If the candidate’s qualifying criteria change, he or she may be required to apply for an updated APS certificate under a new category.