If you're a Bangladeshi student planning to study in Germany, there's one step most people don't know about until it's too late — the APS certificate. Without it, no German university will process your application and no visa will be approved. It's not optional. Here's everything you need to know.
1. What Is the APS Certificate?
APS stands for Akademische Prüfstelle — the Academic Evaluation Centre. It's run by the German Embassy and its job is to verify that your Bangladeshi academic documents are genuine and that your qualifications meet German university standards.
The APS certificate confirms two things:
- Your academic transcripts, certificates, and degrees are authentic (not forged or altered)
- Your qualifications are sufficient for admission to a German university
Think of it as a quality check — Germany wants to make sure your Bangladeshi education is real and meets their academic threshold before they let you apply.
2. Why Do You Need It?
For students from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and several other countries, the APS certificate is mandatory for:
- Applying to any German university (public or private)
- Applying for a German student visa at the German Embassy in Dhaka
- Applying through uni-assist (the centralised application portal)
Without an APS certificate, your university application will be rejected automatically, and your visa application won't even be processed. There are no exceptions.
3. How to Apply from Bangladesh
Step 1: Create an account on the APS website for Bangladesh at bangladesh.diplo.de (the German Embassy Dhaka portal). Register and fill in your academic details.
Step 2: Prepare your documents. You'll need:
- SSC certificate and marksheet (attested copies)
- HSC certificate and marksheet (attested copies)
- Bachelor's degree certificate and all semester transcripts (if applicable)
- Passport copy
- Passport-sized photographs
- CV / resume
- Proof of German or English language proficiency (if available)
All documents must be attested by the issuing institution (your school, college, or university).
Step 3: Pay the fee. The APS verification fee is approximately €150 (~BDT 18,000). Payment details are on the embassy website.
Step 4: Submit documents to the German Embassy in Dhaka (either by mail or in person, depending on current procedures).
Step 5: Attend the interview (see next section).
Step 6: Receive your APS certificate — typically 4-8 weeks after the interview.
4. The APS Interview
This is the part that worries most Bangladeshi students — but it's not as scary as it sounds. The APS interview is a 15-20 minute conversation (in English or German) where an academic evaluator asks you questions about your studies.
What they ask:
- Questions about subjects you studied in your Bachelor's or HSC
- Basic concepts from your major subjects (not trick questions — just proving you actually studied what your transcripts say)
- Your motivation for studying in Germany
- Your study plan and which programmes you're interested in
What they're checking: They're not testing your knowledge at university exam level. They're checking that you actually attended your courses and understand the basics. If someone else took your exams or your transcripts are fake, this interview will catch it.
Format: The interview is conducted at the German Embassy in Dhaka. You'll receive an appointment date after submitting your documents. Dress professionally, arrive early, and bring originals of all your documents.
5. Tips and Common Mistakes
Do:
- Review your own transcripts before the interview — know what subjects you studied and basic concepts
- Be honest — if you don't remember something, say so politely rather than making up an answer
- Apply early — the process takes 2-4 months from start to certificate, so start at least 6 months before your intended university application deadline
- Keep multiple attested copies of all documents
Don't:
- Don't memorise textbook definitions word-for-word — explain concepts in your own words
- Don't submit incomplete documents — missing transcripts are the #1 cause of delays
- Don't panic about the interview — the pass rate for genuine students is very high
- Don't apply for university admission before getting your APS — universities will reject your application without it
6. Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the entire process take?
From registration to receiving the certificate: typically 8-16 weeks. The interview itself is scheduled 4-6 weeks after document submission. Certificate arrives 2-4 weeks after interview. Plan for 3-4 months total.
Can I apply to universities while waiting for APS?
You can research programmes and prepare applications, but most universities require the APS certificate as part of the application. Some allow you to submit a "pending APS" application, but your admission won't be confirmed until the certificate arrives.
What if I fail the interview?
You can retake the interview once. If you fail twice, you cannot apply for APS again. However, failure is rare for genuine students — the interview is designed to catch document fraud, not to test academic brilliance.
Is APS required for English-taught programmes too?
Yes. APS is required regardless of whether your programme is taught in English or German. It's about document verification, not language.
Do I need APS for a Master's programme?
Yes. APS is required for both Bachelor's and Master's applications from Bangladesh. If you already have an APS certificate from a previous application, you can usually reuse it.