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日本語How to Apply to German Universities as a Japanese Student
No APS, no equivalency hurdles — Japanese qualifications are well-recognized in Germany.
No APS certificate required
Japanese qualifications are directly accepted
Japanese students are not required to obtain an APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate. Your Japanese academic credentials — high school diploma (高校卒業証明書), university degree (学位記), and transcripts — are submitted directly to German universities or to uni-assist. Japanese 4-year bachelor's degrees (学士) are generally well-recognized for master's program entry. Confirm eligibility with each specific university for your field of study.
Documents typically required for a German university application
- High school diploma and transcripts (with certified Japanese→English or Japanese→German translation)
- University degree certificate (学位記) and complete transcripts (with certified translation)
- Proof of language proficiency: IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught programs; TestDaF/DSH/Goethe C1 for German-taught
- Letter of motivation (1–2 pages)
- CV in European format
- Two academic reference letters
- Passport copy
- Portfolio (for design, architecture, fine arts)
Direct application vs uni-assist
Understanding the two application routes
Many German universities accept direct applications through their own portals. About 170 universities use uni-assist (uni-assist.de), a central application service — you submit documents there (fee: ~€75 first application, ~€30 each additional), and they forward verified applications to each university. Check the specific admissions page of each university to determine which route applies.
Japanese qualification recognition in Germany
| 4-year bachelor's (学士) | Widely recognized for master's entry across German universities |
|---|---|
| Japanese master's (修士) | Recognized for doctoral program applications |
| Japanese high school diploma | Accepted for undergraduate entry (no equivalency gap — Japan has 12+1 years of schooling, which aligns with German requirements) |
| JLPT N2/N1 | Accepted as proof of German language equivalency at some universities for Japanese-taught content — not widely applicable, confirm individually |
| Certified translations | Required for all documents not already in German or English |
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