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APS Step by Step Guide

If you’ve made the decision to study at Gisma – congratulations! As a student travelling to Germany from India, China, or Vietnam, you will need to acquire a student visa and follow the APS process. We are here to support you every step of the way!

Important Update: Effective March 1st, 2024, Gisma University of Applied Sciences is taking a more active role in supporting students through the APS process. We’ve streamlined the journey and now offer dedicated assistance to ensure a smooth experience. This includes answering your questions, helping you complete the application, and submitting it to the German Ministry and APS.

Germany is the most popular option for international students looking to study in Europe and moving to Germany as a student is an extremely exciting opportunity. If you study at Gisma in Germany, you will benefit from the country’s rich history, career opportunities, travel opportunities, and lots of things to do and people to meet. As an international student, there are steps you must follow before you start your journey. But don’t worry, we have a team of support staff to guide you through the entire process.

The German Foreign Affairs Ministry has now introduced an Academic Evaluation Center (abbreviated in German as APS) for applicants from India who wish to study in Germany. Such Academic Review Boards already exist for study applicants from Vietnam and China. An APS certificate will be required for visa applications for Germany by students who have acquired educational degrees from India. The entire process is closely connected with the German Embassy in New Delhi.

Since 1 November 2022, all students from India who wish to study in Germany (and thus seek a study visa for Germany) must now follow the APS India process. Anyone, irrespective of nationality, who is pursuing or has acquired educational qualification from any of the recognised Indian school boards or universities must apply for an APS certificate as a pre-requisite for student visa application.

This is a process to verify the authenticity of all your academic documents and your eligibility to take up the chosen course of study, ahead of your academic journey in Germany. A certificate issued by APS is mandatory to apply for a student visa to study in Germany. Please be assured that our team of Programme Consultants are here to guide and support you every step of the way!

If you already have your APS certificate, this will be valid for applications to Gisma.

We’ve compiled a step-by-step guide to what’s involved in the process, to make things as clear to you as possible.


At this stage, you will be assigned a Gisma Programme Consultant who will discuss the programme in more detail and find out if it is a good fit for you. From this point onwards, your Programme Consultant will support you through the entire application process including the APS process, however, it is important to note that you must initiate and complete the APS process independently yourself. Our consultants will give you guidance on which APS procedure is the right one for you to complete, regardless of whether you want to study a bachelor's or master's program at Gisma, or if you come from one of our cooperating universities in India and want to add a semester abroad or a Gisma degree to your studies.

Important: If you are an applicant for a bachelor study program, please note that Gisma is subject to special state-specific regulations which are not covered on APS’s website. Attendance of a public study college in Germany for Indian class XII graduates is not required. Gisma offers its own state approved entrance test or, alternatively, Gisma’s own preparation programme. Your Programme Consultant has all the information you need regarding these guidelines.

In any case, Gisma will assess your English language skills. Either you have already an IELTS or TOEFL certificate or you may need to complete Gisma’s own language test. Afterwards you attend a personal interview to assess your ability to study the programme. Interview and eventually also the language test will be conducted by Gisma and will be free of charge for you.

If you meet all the criteria, you will be unconditionally accepted onto the programme.

You must register directly on their website and pay the verification fee of 18,000 INR; you pay no other than directly to the bank account of APS India. This is the first step in starting the APS process, and you cannot proceed without doing so.

Once you fulfil all admission requirements and provide your APS token number with us, the Gisma APS Team will communicate directly with the authorities and keep you updated on the process.

You will find the information regarding which documents need to be submitted in your specific case on the APS website. Your documents can be submitted either in person or via a courier. Your Gisma study consultant will advise you which checklist is the relevant one for you and which documents are required. If using a courier, please ensure you have sufficient tracking of the delivery.

Once the documents have been received by APS, your verification fee has been paid, and your application has been verified, APS will begin to process your documents. If APS India are satisfied with the authenticity of your documents and confirms your eligibility to study, they will issue your APS Certificate at this stage.

Using your APS Certificate and the admissions letter from Gisma, you can now apply for a German student visa. Once granted, you are ready to travel to Germany and start your academic journey with Gisma!

Again, Gisma is here to support you every step of the way and we will be available to answer any queries or concerns to help ensure the visa process runs as smoothly as possible for all of our students from India.


Student Hari Chayanam from India

Hear from fellow student Hari, who enrolled in one of our programmes at Gisma to get ahead in his career. Some of the many things that appealed to him at Gisma include the spirit of innovation at the campus, and the friendliness of the locals in Germany. He found the state-of-the-art facilities to be the best part of the Gisma Potsdam campus and this dramatically enhanced his study experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

APS (German: Akademische Prüfstelle; English: Academic Evaluation Center) is mandated by the German Foreign Affairs Ministry to check the authenticity of documents of Indian university applicants and their eligibility to study in Germany. APS is closely connected to the German Embassy in New Delhi. Such Academic Review Boards already exist for study applicants from Vietnam and China.

Yes. An APS Certificate is required for anyone acquiring an Indian education qualification and wishing to apply for a visa to study in Germany

An APS Certificate is required to ensure that the degree or any other qualifications you may have obtained prior to studying in Germany are valid. This is to ensure you get the most out of being an international student in Germany, and you have the best opportunities for success.

Once an APS Certificate has been issued, it is valid indefinitely. You will only need to re-apply if you want to obtain further degrees in India.

As the APS process is likely to take 3-4 weeks, providing all your documents are in order. We recommend you start the process as soon as possible and follow the guidelines provided by APS very closely.

Absolutely, our dedicated APS team are here to guide and support you every step of the way! Here's how:

- Dedicated APS Team: Our team will be available to answer your questions, guide you through the application process, and ensure a smooth experience.
- Simplified Process: We will work with you to complete your APS application and submit it to the German Ministry and APS.
- Improved Communication: You'll receive regular updates and clear guidance throughout the process.

For more information regarding APS, please check the official website here