Germany guide · APS certificate
Do Nepali students need an APS certificate for Germany?
If your SEE, +2 and bachelor's are all from Nepal, you don't need an APS certificate. The German Embassy in Kathmandu asks for APS only for Chinese and Indian school or university degrees. If you did your +2 or bachelor's in India, you do need one, from APS India: the fee is INR 18,000 (about Rs 28,800), and it takes weeks, so start early.
Written byKamal Pandey, Senior counsellorHandles UK and Germany files, from shortlist to visa appointment.
Checked byRabindra Joshi, Head of complianceChecks every money and visa page against the official source.
Published · 5 min read
APS for Nepali students at a glance
- All certificates from Nepal
- No APS needed for the visa
- +2 or degree from India
- APS India certificate needed, whatever your nationality
- Fee
- INR 18,000 (about Rs 28,800), not refundable
- Time
- No fixed time; plan 4 to 8 weeks, longer before intakes
- Exempt
- Holders of German or European public scholarships
Rules from the German Embassy Kathmandu study visa page and the APS India FAQ, read on 19 October 2026. INR converted at the fixed rate of Rs 1.60.
Who needs an APS certificate, and who doesn't
It depends on where your certificates come from, not on your passport. The German Embassy in Kathmandu lists APS as mandatory for Chinese and Indian school or university degrees, and APS India says plainly that the applicant's nationality is not the deciding factor.
| Your certificates | APS needed? | Where from |
|---|---|---|
| SEE, +2 and bachelor's all from Nepal | No | Not applicable |
| +2 (CBSE, ISC or a state board) from India | Yes | APS India |
| Bachelor's or master's from an Indian university | Yes | APS India |
| Any degree from China | Yes | APS China |
| Indian certificates plus a German or European public scholarship, such as DAAD | No, you're exempt | Not applicable |
Many guides online say every Nepali student needs APS. The embassy's own checklist doesn't say that. Paying for an APS you don't need costs you INR 18,000 and several weeks, and the fee doesn't come back.
Nepali certificates still get checked, just not by APS. The university or uni-assist compares your marks with German entry rules, and the embassy checks your documents with the visa.
What an APS certificate is
APS stands for Akademische Prüfstelle, the Academic Evaluation Centre. Germany runs APS offices in a few countries where it has seen many forged or hard-to-check certificates. The office confirms your certificates are genuine and that they meet the basic rules for studying in Germany, before you apply.
- It's a check, not an admission. An APS certificate doesn't get you into any university. The university still decides.
- It's issued as a PDF. APS India sends a digital certificate, which must stay unchanged when you upload it to universities, uni-assist or the visa section.
- Some master's applicants also sit a test. APS India has added the dMAT, a test for applicants in certain fields, with sessions planned for January and March for the winter semester 2027/28. Check the field list on aps-india.de.
How to get an APS certificate if you studied in India
Nepali students who did their +2 or bachelor's in India apply to APS India like any other applicant. The whole process is online, apart from posting your documents.
- Check your procedure with the eligibility quiz on aps-india.de. School leavers and graduates follow different checklists.
- Collect your documents: marksheets, certificates and transcripts from the Indian board or university, your passport, and translations where needed.
- Register online and fill in your APS account.
- Pay the fee online: INR 18,000, about Rs 28,800. It isn't refunded, whatever the outcome.
- Send the documents by courier or post to APS India, then track the status in your account.
- Sit the dMAT if APS India tells you your field needs it.
- Download your APS certificate as a PDF and keep it unchanged for every application.
APS India doesn't promise a processing time; it depends on how many files it has and how fast Indian universities answer its checks. Plan on 4 to 8 weeks and expect longer before the winter semester. Apply for APS before you apply to universities, not after.
Where APS fits in your plan for Germany
With or without APS, a German student visa from Nepal follows the same order. APS, when you need it, sits at the very start.
| Step | What happens | When APS matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Language | IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught courses, German for German-taught ones | Start APS now if your certificates are Indian |
| 2. Applications | Apply to universities directly or through uni-assist (about €75 for the first, €30 for each one after) | Universities and uni-assist ask for the APS PDF |
| 3. Admission letter | The university sends your offer | |
| 4. NOC and money | Get your NOC, then fund your blocked account | |
| 5. Visa | Apply through the Consular Services Portal, then attend the German Embassy in Kathmandu | The APS PDF goes in the visa file |
Our cost guide for Germany has every fee in rupees, and if you're applying straight after +2, read studying in Germany after +2 first, because the Studienkolleg route changes your timeline.
APS mistakes we see from Nepali applicants
- Paying for APS with Nepali certificates. APS India checks Indian certificates. A file built on a Nepali +2 isn't what it's for, and the fee isn't refunded.
- Forgetting an Indian bachelor's. A Nepali +2 with a bachelor's from an Indian university still needs APS India for the bachelor's.
- Starting APS after applying. Universities with early deadlines won't wait. Start APS the month you decide on Germany.
- Editing the PDF. Renaming is fine; changing or re-saving the certificate can make it invalid.
- Trusting an old checklist. The embassy updates its checklist without notice. Check it on the day you book.
If your certificates are all Nepali, your real early tasks are different: German or English scores, a university shortlist and money for the blocked account. The Germany page sets out all of it, with what we charge.
