Interested applicants from Vietnam have to certify study times from a accredited Vietnamese University together with their secondary school certificate.
For some time now school certificates from Vietnam have to pre-checked and validated for authenticity.

For this reason the “Akademische Prüfstelle (APS)” – an academic inspection centre for aspiring students, which is part of the legal and consular department of the German embassy, was founded in Hanoi. The APS checks the university entrance qualification and academic performance records of Vietnamese applicants who want to study in Germany.

The APS Vietnam distinguishes between different procedures:

* Standard procedure

* Germany procedure (for applicants who possess a valid study visa for the Federal Republic of Germany and who already reside in Germany)

* Procedure for Arts (does not apply at the University of Osnabrück)

Candidates who receive a grant from public funds (e.g. from the DAAD, by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training - MOET - or by a German charitable foundation) and are selected by German experts in Vietnam in coordination with the German Embassy or the DAAD, as well as PhD applicants, do not have to pass the APS procedure.

Prerequisite for admission to study in Germany:
- Admission to a full-time study for at least a four-year degree program at an accredited Vietnamese University or a completed full-time study at an accredited Vietnamese high school (Cao dang) for the subject-specific access to a “Studienkolleg” / preparatory course in Germany
or
- A full-time study of at least four semesters of a four-year degree program at an accredited Vietnamese university or a completed full-time study at an accredited Vietnamese high school (Cao dang) and admission to the fifth semester (full time study) of an at least 4-year degree program at an accredited Vietnamese university for direct subject-specific access to German universities
or
- The completion of a minimum four-year degree program (with writing a dissertation) at a recognized Vietnamese University (Bachelor) for general access to German universities or to take up a Master's degree course.

The APS procedure normally follows the same procedure:
1. Pre-checking and validation of documents
2. Interview (only Standard procedure)
3. Handing out of the certificate rsp. attestation
Then:
1. Application at German University
2. Application for Visa documents at the Embassy rsp. the Consulate Ho Chi Minh City (duration of Visa process: normally 4 weeks)

The interviews take place twice a year in November and May of every year. The application documents for the Standard procedure have to be handed in at the latest by August rsp. February in person or by post (last hand-in date on 31.08. rsp. 28.02.). Applications that do not include an interview can be handed in at any time. Which applications are affected can found on the website of the German embassy.

The fee for the APS-Standard-procedure amounts to 110 USD (the Visa charge of approx. 40 USD is not included). It has to be paid in advance to the Vietcombank and the payment slip has to be handed in with the application.

APS Contact data:
Address:     
Deutsche Botschaft in Hanoi
APS
29 Tran Phu
Q. Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Telephone: 04-845 38 36/7, 04-843 02 45/6
Fax: 04- 843 99 69
Homepage

For further information about the different application procedures please visit the German embassy’s website mentioned above.