The APS certificate: which procedure are you in?
There is no single "APS interview". APS runs six procedures for applicants going to Germany, and which one you are in decides whether you are interviewed at all.
uni-assist.com Rehberi · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026 · 3 dk okuma
Bu sayfada
APS is a service institution of the culture department of the German Embassy in Beijing, run in cooperation with the DAAD. For China, Vietnam and India, the APS certificate is a requirement for applying to a German university. There are six procedures for Germany: applicants who have studied at a Chinese university take the China procedure, which involves a document check plus an interview or TestAS; applicants applying with a Gaokao result take the Gaokao procedure, which APS states involves no plausibility interview and no TestAS.
Applicants educated in China who are applying to a German university.
No interview on the Gaokao route
APS states that its Gaokao procedure involves no plausibility interview and no TestAS.
The China route has an interview or TestAS
If you studied at a Chinese university, the document check is followed by an interview or by TestAS.
Paper copies are not accepted
uni-assist states it does not accept copies, not even officially certified ones. Upload the original digitally signed APS PDF where available.
Which procedure applies to you?
APS lists six procedures for Germany. Find yours first, then work from that procedure's own document list.
| Your situation | Procedure | How you are checked |
|---|---|---|
| You have studied at a Chinese university, applying for a Bachelor's or Master's | China-Verfahren (China procedure) | Interview or TestAS [1][2] |
| You are applying with a Gaokao result for a subject-related Bachelor's | Gaokao-Verfahren (Gaokao procedure) | No interview [3] |
| Scholarship holder, doctoral candidate, spouse of an EU citizen | Dokumentenprüfverfahren (document review) | Documents only [1][6] |
| You are on a German-Chinese university cooperation programme | Partnerschaftsverfahren (partnership) | See that procedure [1] |
| You are going for a few semesters without taking a German degree | Austauschverfahren (exchange) | See that procedure [1] |
| Purely artistic or musical programme, applying to a German art or music academy | Künstler-Verfahren (artists) | See that procedure [1] |
The China and Gaokao procedures cost the same: 2,500 RMB each. Visa fees are separate.
Applicants educated in China will normally need an APS certificate before applying to a German university. [7][1]
For China, Vietnam and India, the APS certificate is a requirement for applying to a German university.
Work out which of the six procedures you are in, then follow that procedure's own document list. The procedure decides whether you are interviewed.
The China and Gaokao procedures, and the one sentence between them
On the China procedure, APS checks your documents for authenticity and then schedules an interview or TestAS. Once you pass, a digitally signed certificate (DigZert) appears in your APS account. TestAS is held several times a year worldwide, with two dates in China; applicants who cannot sit it may switch to the interview procedure.
The Gaokao procedure skips that step. APS states in its own words that this review involves no plausibility interview and no TestAS. It requires at least 70% of the maximum Gaokao score, or at least 80% for medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry and law. [2][4][3]
What uni-assist also asks for
Paper copies are not accepted: uni-assist states it does not accept copies, not even officially certified ones, so upload the original digitally signed APS PDF where available. Applicants who graduated in 2019 or later also submit the Gaokao result, the Huikao result, the senior middle school diploma, and an overview of subjects and grades from grades 10 to 12.
If your APS certificate came through the TestAS procedure, your TestAS result also has to be verified in your My assist account. [6]
How to plan the timing
The APS pages we checked state no fixed processing time. Plan backwards from your university's own deadline instead, and account for TestAS being offered on only two dates a year in China.
One more thing worth knowing in advance: if your educational status in the certified field changes after your certificate is issued, APS has a re-examination procedure for it, and it costs 2,000 RMB. [4][5]
APS procedure clear, university route still open?
APS decides how you are checked, not what you can apply for. Whether you enter directly or need a Studienkolleg first depends on your qualifications. The route check asks five questions and returns the route that fits your answers, and an advisor takes your application from there.
- Five questions, about two minutes
- No account and no payment
- Ends with your route, not a general rule
- An advisor manages your application end to end
Sık sorulan sorular
How long does the APS review take?
The APS pages we checked state no fixed processing time. Plan backwards from your university's deadline and leave room for a TestAS date.
Is there an interview on the Gaokao procedure?
No. APS states that this review involves no plausibility interview and no TestAS.
What does it cost?
2,500 RMB for both the China and the Gaokao procedure, and 2,000 RMB for a re-examination. Visa fees are not included.
Can I submit a copy of the APS certificate?
Paper copies are not accepted: uni-assist states it does not accept copies, not even officially certified ones. Upload the original digitally signed APS PDF where available.
Kaynaklar
- [1] APS, Verfahren und Services Deutschland · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [2] APS, China-Verfahren · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [3] APS, Gaokao-Verfahren · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [4] APS, TestAS · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [5] APS, Erneute Überprüfung · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [6] uni-assist e.V., Country details: China · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026
- [7] uni-assist e.V., Glossary: Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) · Son kontrol: 29.07.2026