Complete APS Audit Guide for Vietnamese Students (2024) 🎓

If you want to study in Germany, then the APS audit is going to be your very first step to begin the long yet fruitful journey. This audit step, unlike the regular exam and application, can often be a bit daunting. Today we will take you through everything you need to know about the APS audit - from the procedure to the preparation of the documents, as well as the dos and don'ts - to solve most of the questions you may have. We believe that after reading this article, you will have a clear understanding of the main details of the APS audit and will be able to pass the first hurdle of studying in Germany more smoothly. Without further ado, let’s get started!

What is APS?

Simply put, the Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) at the German Embassy Hanoi is an institution specific to studying in Germany. Before German universities can review your documents, they need an APS certificate to confirm that your application is genuine and valid. Due to the large number of applicants, students from India, Vietnam, mainland China, and Mongolia are required to go through the APS. After passing the APS audit, your APS certificate can be used to apply to universities in Germany, as well as Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium and is valid for an unlimited period of time.

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How does the APS audit work?

Document preparation and on-site interview/examination

The APS audit process consists of two main components. The first is the review of the written documents submitted by the applicant, which is a process that ALL applicants are required to undergo. There are slight differences in the documentation required by APS depending on the applicant's academic background and qualifications, etc. The second part of the APS review process includes either an in-person* interview for those who are going to study undergraduate in Germany or written examination (TestAS) of students seeking further studies (2nd bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, postgraduate program, etc.) This part requires students to go to the appropriate APS for an interview or test depending on their location. Below we will explain in more detail the different types of review procedures and the specific application steps.

*Summer 2022 and Winter 2022/23 are paused due to the epidemic

When and where are the APS interviews and exams held?

The GSP interviews take place twice a year in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in May and November. Latest dates for document submission are:

For interview in May: by the end of February
For interview in November: by the end of August

Who needs to be audited by the APS - and who is exempt?

All Vietnamese students who wish to study in Germany (with a Vietnamese secondary school qualification or studying at a Vietnamese university) must be audited by the APS - regardless of the subject, degree level or university you wish to study.

Exception: In the following cases, you do not need to be audited and can apply directly to a German university program with your already obtained transcripts or university diploma:

Pursuing a PhD at a German university (unless the admitting university or research institution requires a certificate of verification, in which case you only need to apply for the "material verification procedure" in the APS)
All students with a Vietnamese qualification who have received a German or EU public scholarship (e.g. DAAD or Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
Hold a foreign degree and proof of grades
Students who are enrolled in a dual degree program with a foreign country and have received a foreign diploma

Do I have the qualifications for admission to a German university?

Before you can undergo an APS audit, you need to make sure that you have the right qualifications for admission to a German university. Also, your academic qualifications will influence the form of audit you can choose from.

APS Test Procedure:

Undergraduate Program

APS Standard Procedure for further studies:

Master program

· School leavers after 12 school years with successfully completed Vietnamese university entrance examination

· Students without a Vietnamese university degree

· Cao dang graduates

· All applicants with a Vietnamese university degree who want to apply for admission at a German university and continue studying in Germany.

Subject-specific access to Studienkolleg in Germany

Admission to full-time study of a minimum 4-year course of study at a recognized Vietnamese university

Or:

The completion of full-time study program at a recognized Vietnamese higher technical school (Cao dang)

Direct university access

Completion of study at a recognized Vietnamese university

direct,

subject-specific undergraduate university access

A full-time course of study of at least 4 semesters at a 4-year Vietnamese university

Or:

The completion of full-time study at a recognized Vietnamese higher secondary school (Cao dang) as well as admission to the 5th Semester (full-time study) of a 4-year Vietnamese university

The APS application procedure - 4 steps to get your certificate!

Once you have established that you fulfill the qualifications for admission to a German university, let’s take a look at the actual procedures! Preparation of documents? Interviews? The APS examination process can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, we have broken it down into 4 actionable steps for you!

Step 1: Identify the specific type of audit process you need to go through

APS offers five different types of audits accordingly, depending on the course of study for which the applicant is applying:

APS Audit Type	Applicable Group	Document Review	Interview	Test AS
1. APS standard procedure	All applicants with Vietnamese certificates who will study undergraduate in Germany (school leavers after 12 years; students without a qualification from a Vietnamese university, Cao dang graduates)	☑️	✖️	☑️
2. APS standard procedure for postgraduate studies in Germany	All applicants with Vietnamese university degrees who want to start further studies (second bachelor's degree, master's degree, postgraduate program...)	☑️	☑️*	✖️
3. Artists and applicants in purely artistic courses of study	Applicants with Vietnamese certificates in purely artistic courses of study (e.g. Music, dance, art...)	☑️	✖️	✖️
4. Germany procedure	Applicants with Vietnamese certificates who are already in Germany as part of family reunification	☑️	✖️	✖️
5. APS partnership procedures, special procedures and exchange procedures	For university cooperation between German and Vietnamese universities	☑️	✖️	✖️

*Until February 15, 2022, applicants of the APS standard procedure for post graduate studies can still apply for the corona certificate, which is valid for an application for the summer semester 2022 and winter semester 2022/23. Otherwise, the application will be considered for the interview round in May 2022.

Step 2: Pay the APS fee

The APS fee is currently 250 USD for the APS standard procedure for postgraduate studies in Germany, and 150 USD for all other procedures. Please keep in mind that this fee must be paid in advance to Vietcombank and the deposit receipt must be submitted together with your written documents.

Step 3: Submit written Vietnamese documents

Next, you will need to submit the required documents by mail or in person to the German Embassy Hanoi. APS will review your eligibility and the authenticity of your documents upon receipt of your documents.

For students who have gone through the artist, Germany, or the APS partnership procedure, all steps of the review process have been completed once the documents have been submitted. After reviewing your documents, the auditing department will issue you an APS certificate, and you will not need to take additional interviews or exams.

Step 4: Attend an interview or test (for standard procedures applicants)

TestAS

For an application to a German university at undergraduate level, you will need to take the TestAS in addition to the documents you have submitted to the APS. The TestAS is a central, standardized study ability test for foreign students. The TestAS can be taken either in English or German and is carried out 3 times a year on fixed dates. The exam is used to examine whether students have the necessary cognitive abilities to study in Germany and can be taken in either German or English. The German Fit Test is a written examination consisting of two parts: a core test and a test of professional thinking skills.

The TestAS consists of a core test and a subject module.

When registering, participants choose one of the four subject-specific modules:

Humanities, cultural and social sciences
Mathematics, computer science and natural sciences
Engineering
Economics

The core test consists of 4 task groups. In each task group you solve 22 tasks (click on the links below to see a sample test question in each category!)

Solving practical problems arithmetically
Defining relationships
Determining content-related relationships between concepts
Patterns complement
Recognition and arrangement of rules in the figural real
Continue series of numbers Recognize and apply rules in the numeric domain

Interview

For those who want to apply for a masters in Germany, you are going to go through an interview (around 15 minutes). The interview will be conducted either in German or English. It consists of a preparatory part in which you have to solve a written task for a subject mentioned in your study certificate and an oral part for about 15 minutes. Calculators, rulers, pens may be used; dictionaries are provided. Other aids such as electronic dictionaries, etc. may not be used.

Update: The APS interview has been cancelled?

Yes, that's right! Due to the impact of the epidemic, the APS has decided to waive the interview requirement for some applicants and give out a “Corona certificate” instead. Below is a quick Q&A to break down the main points of this new policy:

Q: Who can be exempted from the interview process?

Q: Who is not exempted from the interview process?

Q: Can I be exempted from the interview if I have already sent my documents to the auditing department before the adjustment but I have not yet been scheduled for an interview?

Q: When will this temporary policy end?

After understanding what the APS is and the specific types of applications and steps, we hope that you will have more confidence in passing the APS audit. Although Germany's strict academic attitude has kept the APS pass rate low, we are sure that you will be able to pass the audit as long as you prepare well in advance!

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