Moving to Germany as an Indian prospective student
As India emerges as the largest source of international students for Germany, there have been recent shifts in the immigration process for students moving from India. Getting to know the process and applying by the priority deadlines will allow you to have a smooth process into Berlin and the Hertie School!
Applying to a German university might require a bit of time for you to have everything ready and without complications. Given the long degree recognition process and visa procedures, we strongly encourage prospective students from the Indian community to finish their application process by the Early Bird (1 December) Deadline or the Priority Deadline (15 January).
Are you planning to apply to one of the Hertie School’s master’s programmes? Here’s the step-by-step you need to follow to guarantee a smooth transition:
Only the students at recognised Indian universities are eligible to secure student visas to Germany. This is a new guideline issued by the German Government in 2024. The list of such published universities is listed on the Anabin Portal.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the Early Bird Deadline of 1 December or the Priority Deadline of 15 January. Do you have questions about the application process? Worry not! Read the admissions blog post about how to apply.
What is APS?
The Academic Evaluation Centre (APS India) is a service provider of the Science section of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Established in 2022, APS India is the gateway to German universities for applicants with Indian academic qualifications. Undertaking document verification and securing an APS Certificate from APS India is a prerequisite for the visa application when applying to study in Germany.
Please note an APS certificate is mandatory for studying at any university (public or private) in Germany and can be applied for at any point in time if you ever decide to study in Germany. The APS certificate never expires.
We recommend applying by December 2024, or by mid-March 2025 at the latest.
More information here.
German Student Visas in India are processed by VFS Global.
The processing time for German Student Visas in India, varies from four to 12 weeks, depending on the consulate and on the submission of the documents by the students. Missing documents or additional information sought from the consulate usually increases the processing time by at least two to four weeks.
More information here.
Congratulations on securing the visa! Please pay special attention to emails from Hertie Student Life, Student Admissions, Curricular Affairs, and other offices for updates on Orientation Week, Course Registrations, and Events at the Hertie School!
Willkommen in Deutschland!
FAQs:
Ideally, yes. The APS certificate has lifetime validity, and it is mandatory for the visa process if you plan to study anywhere in Germany. Some students choose to apply for the APS as early as October or November, even before submitting their application to the Hertie School or any German university.
If your university status is unrecognised on the Anabin portal, you are unfortunately not eligible to apply. Please feel free to contact us with any queries.
The Hertie School will send a list of incoming students who have already made the deposit payment to the APS Indian Office to help fast-track their application. However, due to the high volume of applications and the system’s recent implementation, delays are occurring. We strongly encourage students to apply for APS as early as possible.
The APS team will contact your undergraduate institution to verify your academic credentials. We recommend reaching out to your institution when applying to APS to make them aware of this process.
They usually call back or write an email to you. You can also send an email to their info address and they will get back to you.
Visa slots open at different times across consulates. We encourage you to check updates on the consulate website or relevant Facebook groups to understand each consulate’s operations and secure an early slot. You may also consider booking any available slot and rescheduling to an earlier one if this option is offered.
In such cases, delays can range from a few days to up to four weeks, depending on the consulate and the nature of the document issue. We strongly encourage students to follow the visa checklist provided by VFS Global and the German Embassy to avoid documentation delays.
The visa stamping period doesn’t affect your status as long as you enter Berlin with a student visa. Every student must apply for a residence permit in Germany for the duration of their studies, and Hertie’s Student Life office is here to support you in securing it.
In exceptional cases, students with visa issues could arrive up to four weeks after the start date. If your visa is delayed, you can coordinate with the Student Life office to understand the latest possible start date and relevant policies.
We strongly encourage students not to pay any deposit without making a personal visit to the flat. For more details on housing, please click here.