Short answer. uni-assist checks international applications for many German universities. It costs EUR 75 for your first course in a semester and EUR 30 for each extra one, takes 4 to 6 weeks, and is fully online. Indian applicants must upload their APS certificate and a grading document showing the minimum needed for the award of the degree.
If you are applying to a German university from India, there is a good chance your application goes through uni-assist rather than straight to the university. uni-assist is an association that evaluates international certificates on behalf of its member universities: it checks that your documents are complete, works out whether you qualify, converts your grade into the German system, and forwards the application. The university still makes the admission decision.
Most Indian applications that go wrong at uni-assist fail on paperwork, not on grades. This guide covers the fees, the timing and the India specific document rules, all taken from uni-assist’s own pages in October 2026. It also covers TestAS, which uni-assist handles for bachelor’s applicants. If you have not started your APS yet, read our APS certificate guide first, because uni-assist asks every Indian applicant to upload it.
Fees and timing
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First course in a semester | EUR 75, about ₹8,000 |
| Each additional course, same semester | EUR 30, about ₹3,200 |
| Exceptions | None; the same fees apply to every applicant |
| Processing time | Usually 4 to 6 weeks from the day your paid online application arrives |
| Missing documents uploaded later | Another 4 to 6 weeks if your application has already been evaluated |
| When to apply | uni-assist recommends at least 8 weeks before the university’s deadline |
| Payment by international transfer | Can take up to two weeks to arrive |
The 8 week advice matters more than it looks. If uni-assist finds a document missing, it tells you in the evaluation result, and you can only fix it if the university’s deadline is still open. Applications that are incomplete at the deadline are not forwarded, and you would have to apply again for a later semester. Applying with weeks to spare is the only buffer you get.
The three procedures
| Procedure | How it works |
|---|---|
| Standard procedure | Used by most uni-assist universities. You apply in My assist, uni-assist evaluates your documents and, if they pass, forwards your application to the university electronically. |
| VPD, preliminary review documentation | Some universities want a VPD instead. uni-assist issues a document listing your certificates, how it evaluates them and your grade in the German system, and you then apply to the university directly with it. It takes 4 to 6 weeks and is valid for one year from issue. |
| hochschulstart.de | For some restricted courses, you also register with the central hochschulstart.de system. |
Which one applies is set by the university, and uni-assist’s list of member universities notes where the VPD procedure is used. With a VPD there are two applications to make, so request it early: it does not by itself submit anything to the university.
Documents uni-assist wants from Indian applicants
uni-assist publishes country specific notes, and the India notes are stricter than most applicants expect. For a master’s application after an Indian degree, you need:
- Your transcripts: an official overview of subjects and grades, which your university may call a transcript of records, a consolidated statement of marks or grade sheets. Upload both sides if anything is printed on the back.
- Your degree certificate, if you have finished. A provisional degree certificate is accepted only if issued by a university or autonomous college, and only for 12 months after you complete your studies. After that, you need a letter from the university giving the expected date of convocation.
- Your university’s grading system, showing the maximum grade and the minimum needed for the award of the degree, meaning the CGPA or percentage for a pass class, third division or the lowest classification, for your own programme and batch.
- Your APS certificate as the original, digitally sealed file, unchanged. Paper APS certificates issued before 23 April 2023 can be uploaded as a scan.
- Any dMAT result, if your field requires it for the summer 2027 intake onwards.
Faz's ruleThe grading document must show the minimum for the award of the degree, not the pass mark for a single course.
This is the line that trips up Indian applicants most. Many Indian universities set one minimum for passing an individual course and a different one for being awarded the degree. uni-assist says plainly that the course pass mark is not relevant and cannot be accepted. Find the minimum for the award of the degree in your university’s academic regulations or on the back of your transcript, make sure it is for your programme and year, and upload that page. It is what uni-assist uses to convert your grade into the German system.
For a bachelor’s application after Class 12, uni-assist asks for your school leaving certificate with all subjects and grades, your board’s grading system, your APS certificate, and JEE Main and Advanced results if you passed both. JEE results only count if you passed JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
Everything is uploaded online. Files must be PDFs of up to 10 MB each, and each document only needs uploading once, even if you apply to several universities. You do not post anything to uni-assist.
Where TestAS fits
TestAS is a standardised aptitude test for international applicants to German bachelor’s programmes, run by g.a.s.t., the same body behind the dMAT. For Indian applicants it is not a blanket requirement: g.a.s.t. says that in India it can be relevant if German universities require it, and APS India does not require it. Check each university on your list. Where it is required or helps, you upload the result in the TestAS section of your My assist account.
| TestAS detail | Digital TestAS |
|---|---|
| Format | On computer at a licensed test centre, in English or German |
| Core module | Figure sequences, mathematical equations and Latin squares, 25 minutes each |
| Subject module | 90 minutes of 10 to 15 problem sets in your subject area |
| Scores | 0 to 200 for each module, 0 to 400 overall, plus a percentile rank |
| Results | About three weeks after the test |
The honest closing take
uni-assist is not a hurdle that judges you. It is a document check with a fixed price and a fixed clock, and the people who get caught by it are the ones who apply late or upload the wrong grading page. EUR 75 for the first course and EUR 30 for each one after makes it cheap to apply to several universities in one semester.
The practical sequence for an Indian applicant is APS first, then uni-assist at least 8 weeks before your earliest deadline, with the right grading document and the unchanged APS PDF. uni-assist also warns that it does not work with commercial agencies and that payment requests come only through its portal, so nobody needs to be paid to submit for you. Our guide to the German intakes and deadlines helps you work backwards from the date.
FAQ
What is the uni-assist fee for Indian students?
EUR 75 for the first course you apply to in a semester and EUR 30 for each additional course in the same semester. The fees are the same for all applicants, with no exceptions.
How long does uni-assist take?
Usually 4 to 6 weeks from the day uni-assist receives your paid online application. If you upload missing documents after your application has been evaluated, the clock starts again for another 4 to 6 weeks.
Do I need APS for uni-assist?
Yes. uni-assist’s notes for India ask for the APS certificate for both bachelor’s and master’s applications, uploaded as the original digitally sealed file without changes.
What is a VPD in uni-assist?
A preliminary review documentation. Some universities ask for it instead of having uni-assist forward your application. It records your certificates, how uni-assist evaluates them and your German grade, and you then apply to the university directly. It is valid for one year.
Is TestAS mandatory for Indian students?
No, not in general. It matters only where a German university requires it, so check each university on your list. APS India does not require it.
Can I apply with a provisional degree certificate?
Yes, if it was issued by a university or autonomous college and you are within 12 months of completing your studies. After that, uni-assist wants the final degree or a letter giving the expected convocation date.
Where these figures come from
- uni-assist, FAQs on applying online, fees and processing times
- uni-assist, country information for India
- uni-assist, VPD preliminary review documentation
- g.a.s.t., structure of the digital TestAS and TestAS in India
- European Central Bank, euro reference exchange rates
Checked against the sources above in October 2026. Each university sets its own deadlines and may ask for documents beyond these.
