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Germany now requires students from India to have their academic records assessed by the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) and get their authenticity certificates before submitting applications for a German student visa.

According to a media release issued by German Missions in India, applicants will need an APS certificate before filing a visa application beginning from November 1. The same informs that applications for APS certificates will open from October 1, 2022, Studying-in-Germany.org reports.

To apply for APS certificates, students at first need to register online at the APS India website. After completing the form, they should print and sign it, then send it to the reception desk of APS India, via courier or in person. The application fee of ₹18,000 should be transferred to the APS bank.

“As there still is a number of entries on the appointment waitlist for winter semester 2022, please note that – unfortunately – it is not possible for the Embassy / Consulates to verify who is in possession of a still valid admission from a German university. Therefore, all students are kindly requested to register for an appointment only if you have obtained all mandatory documents,” the press release said.

During the document verification process, applications that are incomplete or contain inaccurate information will not be considered.

Applications should consist of the following documents:

• The completed form (printed and signed) with a passport-size photo
• Copy of the APS procedure fee receipt
• Copy of Aadhaar card with linked mobile number
• Copy of academic records
• Degree certificate
• Copy of language certificates in German and English

Applicants receive the certificate within two weeks after submitting their completed applications.

An APS certificate is used to prove the authenticity of degrees and students’ eligibility to pursue studies at a German university. The certificate is not mandatory for students who have won German or EU-funded scholarships and PhD applicants whose thesis mentors don’t ask for the document for enrollment.

On its website, APS India notes that from January 2023, a TestAS score will be required for students without a Bachelor’s degree from Indian higher education institutions but who want to pursue undergraduate degree courses in Germany.

Germany welcomes thousands of international students every year. Today, there are more than 400,000 international students in Germany. Between 2016 and 2017, Indian students represented the majority of international students in Germany, increasing by 16 percent, from 11,655 to 13,537.

The number of Indian students in Germany rose from 17,294 in 2018 to 20,562 students in 2019.