What are the admission requirements for chemical engineering programs in Germany?

The requirement most Indian applicants overlook is the APS Certificate, issued by the Academic Evaluation Center, which most Indian students need to verify their academic documents before a German university will even consider the application, separate from whatever the university itself asks for.

Bachelor's Level Requirements

• Academic background: Class 12 with strong marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
• Entry pathway: depending on your background, this can mean completing a Studienkolleg foundation year and passing the Feststellungspruefung, successfully completing one year of a recognised Indian bachelor's programme in a related field, or qualifying through another recognised pathway such as IIT JEE Advanced eligibility.
• APS Certificate: required for most Indian applicants to verify academic documents, generally needed for the student visa process.
• Language proficiency: B2 or C1 German for German taught programmes, tested through exams such as TestDaF, DSH, Goethe or telc, or IELTS around 6.0 to 6.5 for English taught programmes.

Master's Level Requirements

• A recognised bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Materials Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Good academic performance, with many universities expecting roughly the equivalent of a German grade of 2.5 or better.
• Proof of English or German proficiency depending on the language of instruction.
• An APS Certificate where the university requires it for degrees earned in India.

This Information Is Also Available On

• German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD, Bachelor studies and admission database
• Academic Evaluation Center, APS India, FAQs page

My Advice

Start the APS Certificate process early, since document verification can take longer than expected and it sits on the critical path before you can even submit most applications. If you are weighing German taught versus English taught programmes, be realistic about how long reaching B2 or C1 German will take. Many strong applicants underestimate this timeline and end up delaying their intended start year by a full cycle.