Study in Germany from India: APS, blocked account and deadlines
I want to study in Germany from India. Do I need the APS certificate, how much goes into the blocked account, and when do winter and summer semester applications close?
Indian applicants almost always need an APS certificate before a German university can admit them. For the student visa, the German Embassy in New Delhi asks for a blocked account (Sperrkonto) holding €11,904 for the first year, with withdrawals capped at €992 a month. The national visa fee for adults is €75. Universities run a winter semester from October and a summer semester from April. There is no national application deadline: each university sets its own, and uni-assist, which checks papers for many of them, takes 4 to 6 weeks.
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As of 31 October 2026: we read every figure on this page on the official page linked next to it that day. Governments revise these amounts, often once a year, so open the official page again before you pay or apply.
At a glance
- Blocked account
- €11,904 for the first year; no more than €992 a month can be withdrawn[1]
- APS certificate
- Almost always required if your school-leaving certificate or degree is Indian; exemptions are listed by the Embassy[1]
- APS fee
- INR 18,000 (Bachelor and Master graduate procedure)[3]
- National visa fee
- €75 (INR 8,300) for applicants over 18; €37.50 (INR 4,200) under 18[2]
- Application deadlines
- Set by each university for each course; uni-assist takes 4 to 6 weeks to check papers, so apply at least 8 weeks before[4]
Blocked account: the year's amount and the monthly cap
TUM's 2026/27 year, as an example
National visa fee
| Semester | Dates | Lectures start |
|---|---|---|
| Winter 2026/27 | 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 | 12 October 2026 |
| Summer 2027 | 1 April 2027 to 30 September 2027 | 12 April 2027 |
Technical University of Munich. TUM sets bachelor and master deadlines per programme; its Studienkolleg windows are 15 May to 15 July (winter) and 15 November to 15 January (summer).[5]
| Document | Detail |
|---|---|
| Passport | Issued within the last 10 years, with 2 empty pages |
| School-leaving certificate or previous degree | Your academic record |
| Language proof | German or English, at the level your course needs |
| APS certificate | Or anabin/ZAB recognition if you are exempt from APS |
| Admission letter | University, Studienkolleg or language course |
| Proof of means | Blocked account, a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) or a German or EU scholarship |
| Health cover | A certificate of statutory health cover from your arrival date |
The Embassy also says that handing in the documents does not by itself mean a visa will be issued.[1]
The Embassy lists these exemptions: PhD or postdoc applicants, holders of a stipend from EU or German public funds, applicants with a non-German degree from outside India, and holders of an international school certificate such as the IB. If you are exempt, you show recognition through anabin or a ZAB statement of comparability instead.[1]
For a degree taught in English the Embassy generally expects level C1, and B2 for an English-taught preparatory course, shown by a recognised certificate such as IELTS. It does not recognise Duolingo, Pearson PTE or the TOEFL home edition for visa applications in India. Universities set their own scores too: TUM asks for IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88 for its English-taught master's programmes.[1]
Public universities charge a semester contribution rather than tuition in most states. At TUM's Munich, Garching and Weihenstephan campuses it is €97.00 a semester for the student union basic contribution.[7]
Tips and tricks
- Start APS first. It is the slowest step, and both the university and the visa ask for it.
- Do not book PTE or Duolingo for a German visa from India: the Embassy says it does not recognise them.[1]
- uni-assist advises applying at least 8 weeks before a deadline, because it checks documents before the university sees them.[4]
- Look up the deadline on each programme's own page. TUM, for one, sets bachelor's and master's deadlines course by course.[5]
Questions people ask
How much money goes into a German blocked account in 2026?
The German Embassy in New Delhi lists €11,904 for the first year, with withdrawals limited to €992 a month.[1]
Is APS mandatory for Indian students going to Germany?
The Embassy says you almost always need an APS certificate if your school-leaving certificate or degree is Indian. PhD applicants, public stipend holders and IB-type certificate holders are among the exemptions.[1]
What is the APS fee in India?
The APS leaflet for Bachelor and Master graduates lists INR 18,000. Other APS procedures have their own leaflets.[3]
What is the last date to apply for the winter semester in Germany?
There is no single national date. Each university sets deadlines course by course (TUM lists them on each programme page). If your university works through uni-assist, apply at least 8 weeks before the deadline, because uni-assist takes 4 to 6 weeks to check your papers.[4]
Connected pages
- Uses data from · Study abroadStudent visa funds by country: official figures with a rupee converterThe money each government asks students to show, from UK to France, with source and date, and a converter to rupees at RBI's published rate.
- Related · Study abroadAPS certificate for Germany: fee, documents, dMAT and exemptionsAPS certificate for Germany from India: INR 18,000 fee, at least two weeks, the document list, the new dMAT for some Master's applicants, exemptions.
- Related · Study abroadGermany blocked account (Sperrkonto) for Indian students: amount and rulesGerman blocked account for Indian students: €11,904 for year one, €992 a month, the other ways to prove funds, and how to close it, from official pages.
- Related · Study abroadStudy abroad intake and deadline calendar: a month-by-month back-planPick a country and intake to get a printable month-by-month plan built back from official university and government dates, each with its source.
- Related · Study abroadStudy in France from India: Études en France, funds and visaFrance student visa from India: Études en France steps, €877.50 a month minimum resources from 1 Aug 2026, €50 visa fee and the 2027 calendar.
Official and partner links
Sources
- Student visa (study and language course), German Embassy New Delhi (india.diplo.de). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- National visa, German Embassy New Delhi (india.diplo.de). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- APS leaflet for Bachelor and Master graduates (June 2026), Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) India. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Standard procedure: processing times, uni-assist. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Dates, periods and deadlines, Technical University of Munich. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Language certificates, Technical University of Munich. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Fees: Munich, Garching, Weihenstephan and TUM Asia, Technical University of Munich. Accessed 31 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 31 October 2026.