How to Apply for a German University Via Uni-Assist: A Quick Overview of VPD and Uni-Assist

What exactly is uni-assist, and when does it apply to my study program application?

Uni-assist is a national service provider based in Berlin which is used by approx. 170 universitiesto help them process international student applications. They also support international students who are interested in applying to German universities. uni-assist does this by providing general information about the application process online and processing relevant application documents required by universities for the admissions process.

What exactly is the objective of Uni-assist?

Uni-assist handles application documents and makes the admissions process easier. Uni-assist does this by:

• Evaluating official certificates to see if they meet the requirements for studying in Germany.

• Grades are being converted to the German grading system.

• Checking all entrance requirements of your preferred institutions.

• Keep track of all the information and documentation needed for the admissions process at the institution of your choosing.

• Students are being informed of the outcomes of their evaluations.

What is VPD or VPD certificate?

VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) is a document issued by a Uni-assist following an evaluation of your documents. VPD includes the following information for the institution to process your application:

• Which educational certifications were presented?

• How uni-assist analyzes these educational certifications

• How uni-assist assesses the grade inside the German grading system

The following is the procedure:

• You submit your application to the Uni-assist online portal along with all relevant papers and pay the processing charge.

• Sending all certified and translated copies of your papers via postal service and tracking their arrival at uni-assist

• Your papers are evaluated by uni-assist: After receiving your application and handling fee, processing normally takes 4 to 6 weeks.

• Sending VPD and other necessary paperwork to your university before the deadline

• If the evaluation is good, uni-assist will provide you VPD through the post and email (in PDF file)

• The university makes a decision on your admission and notifies you of the outcome.

Which document should you prepare for submission to uni-assist for VPD?

Depending on your university or country of origin, different documentation will be necessary. However, the following are the basic documents that you should thoroughly prepare:

For Bachelor:

1. A school-leaving certificate is a document that demonstrates your eligibility to attend university in your native country (high school graduation certificate, for example). It should be accompanied with a summary of your subjects and grades, or a transcript.

2. Proof of passing a university entrance exam

3. Certificate for past university study: a university diploma and a transcript containing all topics and grades

4. Officially released by your institution as a PDF file or on its website, an explanation of your university's grading system.

For Master:

1. Certificate of completion of university studies: a university diploma with a summary of courses and grades with no missing diploma supplements or pages.

2. Officially released by your institution as a PDF file or on its website, an explanation of your university's grading system.

3. Certificate of completion of secondary school and proof of passing a university admission exam for master's programs in your native country (required by some universities only).

Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Uni-assist

Advantages:

• Using their website, you may create and manage all of your uni-assist applications.

• Regardless of the number of uni-assist applications you have, you just need to submit all papers and official certifications once.

• You can follow the status of your applications, and Uni-assist will notify you of the findings of the review.

Disadvantages:

• Uni-assist costs 75€ for your first application and 30€ for each subsequent application.

• Application deadlines may be earlier in some circumstances than at non-uni-assist institutions that handle the application on their own.

• Students are not allocated a personal contact person and must contact a phone center if they have any questions.

• Because all of the stages and additional deadlines might be onerous for students, the process can sometimes be regarded as an additional application.