German Course for Indian Students Moving to Germany
APS has been mandatory for Indian applicants since November 2022. Without the certificate, German universities will not process your file and the embassy will not issue the student visa. It costs around 18,000 rupees and takes four to eight weeks, longer in peak season, so it starts three to four months before your university deadlines rather than after them.
For India it is document verification, done online, with no interview for most applicants. That is the piece people get wrong in both directions: they either brace for an interview that is not there, or they leave the paperwork until the semester they wanted to start.
German is the one part of this that does not sit in a queue. Your degree may be taught in English, but the Bürgeramt, the landlord and the part-time job are not, and you can start on that today from India for nothing.
Chapters 1 to 5 of every level are free. No card to start.
From India specifically
What India Adds To The German Application
Three of these you schedule and one you queue for. The APS clock is the one that decides whether an intake is still reachable, so it is the first thing to start and the last thing to leave.
- Nov 2022
- APS mandatory for Indian applicants since then
- 4 to 8 weeks
- APS processing, longer in peak season
- 75 then 30 euro
- uni-assist, first programme then each extra, per semester
- 11,904 euro
- blocked account for one year, released at 992 euro a month
APS applies to India, China, Vietnam and Mongolia. PhD applicants, DAAD and government scholarship holders and A-Level or IB leavers are usually exempt, so check your own case before you pay the fee.
Why Indian students should learn German early
Your first weeks become easier
Basic German helps with transport, shopping, forms, appointments, and understanding common signs or messages.
Housing communication improves
Apartment search and landlord communication can be easier when you understand basic words and can write simple messages.
Student jobs can become more accessible
Many part-time jobs prefer at least basic German, especially roles involving customers, instructions, or local teams.
You feel more confident outside university
Even if your course is in English, German helps you become more independent in everyday life.
What you should learn first
- Introducing yourself in German
- Talking about India, your city, and your studies
- Asking and answering simple questions
- Understanding numbers, prices, dates, and time
- Writing short messages and emails
- Making basic appointments
- Using German in shops, stations, and offices
- Understanding simple university communication
- Asking for help politely
Start with A1 German
A1 is the first step for complete beginners. You learn basic sentence structure, common vocabulary, simple grammar, and useful phrases for everyday life.
Ankommo A1 helps you learn German through practical chapters, so each lesson connects to real situations you may face in Germany.
German helps even if your course is in English
Many Indian students choose English-taught programs in Germany. That can be enough for admission, but everyday life still often happens in German.
You may need German for city registration, apartment search, letters, appointments, local services, part-time jobs, and social life. Starting early gives you more confidence when you arrive.
The Application Itself, Dated From Your Intake
The German course stays free. The application is the part that runs on other people’s calendars, and the order you start things in is what decides whether an intake is reachable. If you would rather not assemble that order out of forum posts, it is written down.
Study Application Kit€29Ten chapters from eligibility and APS through uni-assist, the money and the visa file, with a plan that dates itself from the intake you pick.See what’s includedUseful for Goethe A1 and telc A1 preparation
If you plan to take a beginner German exam, Ankommo A1 helps you build the foundation for simple listening, reading, writing, and speaking-style tasks.
Who is behind this page
Five Applications Of My Own, Then 700 More Since 2022
I applied to five German universities and got into all five, and since 2022 I have taken 700+ more people through German admissions, on no commission from any university. That is why this page opens on the APS date instead of a longer checklist: APS is the one step in an Indian application that somebody else controls, so it decides whether an intake is still reachable. Worth saying plainly, because it argues against us: learning German will not shorten a single one of those queues. It decides how the year after them goes.
- 5 / 5
- my own applications, all admitted
- 700+
- people helped through German admissions since 2022
- 109
- chapters from A1 to B2, written here rather than licensed
APS processing runs longer in peak season and the exemptions are decided case by case, so treat four to eight weeks as a planning figure and confirm your own case with the APS office for India before you pay the fee.
Frequently asked questions
- Do Indian students need German to study in Germany?
- Many English-taught programs do not require German for admission, but German is very useful for everyday life, housing, appointments, part-time jobs, and integration.
- Should I learn German before moving to Germany?
- Yes. Starting before arrival helps you handle basic daily situations with more confidence during your first months.
- Is A1 German enough for Germany?
- A1 is a useful beginning. It helps with basic survival German, but A2 and B1 are more helpful for work, integration, and long-term life.
- Can I learn with Ankommo as a complete beginner?
- Yes. Ankommo A1 starts from the basics and builds step by step with vocabulary, grammar, listening, writing, and practice.
- Does Ankommo only teach German?
- No. Ankommo also supports students with admissions guidance and resources for preparing their move to Germany.
Start learning German before you arrive
Free to start. Practical A1 German for Indian students moving to Germany.
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