# German student visa for Vietnamese and Chinese students



## sofia.doria.diener (4 mo ago)

Hi,
I work for a University in Germany and I'm trying to understand the visa process and APS check (interview and TestAS) mandatory for standard student visa applications.
Has anyone gone through this? Could you give me details on what you needed to do to pass the APS interview and TestAS?
Did you applied with a German test or an English one?
What I'm looking for is the student view of these embassy procedures and how we could help future students to apply.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

I don't think that there is much you can do to assist foreign students with these aspects of the visa application process. There are books available to prepare for the TestAs and the APS is basically just a plausibility check. 

If you really want to assist prospective students you could provide them honest and accurate information regarding pass rates and employment prospects after graduation. Many foreign students receive incorrect information and move here with unrealistic expectations.


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## sofia.doria.diener (4 mo ago)

Was that your case? Shouldn't the process be made easier?


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

What do you mean by easier? I didn't have to take either test, however, from what I hear neither are onerous requirements that cause undue difficulty to foreign students. Foreign students face other much more serious difficulties. 

What are your goals to assist foreign students?


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## sofia.doria.diener (4 mo ago)

I noticed that some students said they had a hard time passing the APS check and if they fail to do it, they are not granted a visa. Other cases, where students have difficulties to ask for student visa extensions and have to go back without finishing their degrees.
In your opinion what are the main pain-points that vietnamese students face?

My goal is to understand these difficulties to better advise them and to give them a much clear view of what they will face.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

sofia.doria.diener said:


> I noticed that some students said they had a hard time passing the APS check and if they fail to do it, they are not granted a visa. Other cases, where students have difficulties to ask for student visa extensions and have to go back without finishing their degrees.
> In your opinion what are the main pain-points that vietnamese students face?
> 
> My goal is to understand these difficulties to better advise them and to give them a much clear view of what they will face.


I thought APS just looks at a student´s CV and checks whether all the corresponding reports/diplomas/certificates are genuine.

If that´s the case, it´s not exactly something one can study for, one either has paperwork or not.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

sofia.doria.diener said:


> I noticed that some students said they had a hard time passing the APS check and if they fail to do it, they are not granted a visa.


From what I've heard most Chinese students are easily able to pass the APS. I know of only one case where a student who had an esoteric major was not able to pass and that was probably due to the person asking the questions not understanding the material. I don't have much experience with Vietnamese students. 



sofia.doria.diener said:


> Other cases, where students have difficulties to ask for student visa extensions and have to go back without finishing their degrees.


The next time you hear someone claiming this, ask how many semesters they've been in Germany as well as how many ECTS points they've completed. The main reason student resident permit extensions are refused in Germany is because foreign students have not really taken their studies seriously.



sofia.doria.diener said:


> In your opinion what are the main pain-points that vietnamese students face?
> 
> My goal is to understand these difficulties to better advise them and to give them a much clear view of what they will face.


*In my opinion the main difficulties foreign students face in Germany are due to inaccurate or misleading information provided by universities trying to increase enrollment. *

A few examples:

1) Many schools target foreign students with the promise that the don't need to know German. 

2) Universities do not warn foreign students of the high drop out rates in certain NC Freie degrees.

3) Universities recruit foreign students for international programmes taught in English without warning them that it'll be next to impossible to find a job in Germany after graduation (I.e. L.L.M., business administration, cultural studies, etc.). 

These are just the first examples that spring to mind.

If you really want to properly advise foreign students, compile data on the percentage of students (both foreign and local) who actually complete their days and make this information public for every faculty. 

If your university doesn't already do it, publish the average as well as minimum grade needed for admission in all programmes.

The most important step universities can take to make it easier for foreign students to obtain a study permit is to change the application deadlines and issue acceptance letters much earlier. The only reason I was able to arrive before my semester officially started was because I come from a privileged country that is allowed to apply for a study permit within 90 days of arrival.


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## sofia.doria.diener (4 mo ago)

ALKB said:


> I thought APS just looks at a student´s CV and checks whether all the corresponding reports/diplomas/certificates are genuine.
> 
> If that´s the case, it´s not exactly something one can study for, one either has paperwork or not.


That is not always the case. As I understood it's also about a test were you have to prove that you're on the same page as any german student . This is done for undergraduates. For graduates only an interview is done and documents are properly checked.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

sofia.doria.diener said:


> As I understood it's also about a test were you have to prove that you're on the same page as any german student .


That seems a completely normal and rationale thing to do with foreign students. The educational systems in the various countries varies all over the place. I've seen articles in a variety of sources about the problems created by admitting foreign students who turn out not to have the educational background needed to succeed in the local higher education system. This is a particular problem in those countries where foreign students are sought after because they pay "full fees" rather than the (much) lower or free tuition accorded to local nationals. It doesn't do anyone any good to simply admit them, take their money and then flunk them out because they can't handle the program.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

sofia.doria.diener said:


> That is not always the case. As I understood it's also about a test were you have to prove that you're on the same page as any german student . This is done for undergraduates. For graduates only an interview is done and documents are properly checked.


But that´s the TestAS, not the APS.

APS is checking that the applicants don´t use forged documents, TestAS is testing ability. I tried some of the sample online questions and they are not unlike the tests a lot of big German companies and organizations use to screen applicants.

I´d recommend IQ test training and doing lots of sudoku at least for some of the modules.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

An APS is now required for applicants from India as well. It seems upto 15% of documents from India were being altered/forged by applicants and that the German Embassy is trying to weed out the forgeries. 









APS - Academic Evaluation Centre


QUICK LINKS APPLY IN 6 EASY STEPS




aps-india.de


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