Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR)

What you would need to do

In the order you must act, not the order things get published. Some steps depend on your nationality — tell us where you are from and this list gets sharper.

1. APS certificate (Akademische Prüfstelle) — IndiaVerification of academic documents issued by Indian institutions. Required for the German student visa. It does NOT replace a university's admission decision, and it can run in parallel with university applications. · ⚠ needed by 2026-08-03, 20 days ago — too late for this intakeAcademic Evaluation Centre India (APS India) ↗
2. Submit your applicationBefore you applyApplications close on 2026-08-31 · by 2026-08-31University of Bonn ↗
3. APS India minimum Class XII score of 70%Before you applyA hard academic floor applied at COUNTRY level, outside any university's own criteria. A student holding a university offer can still be refused the APS certificate, and therefore the visa. Announced 23 February 2026, effective Winter Semester 2026/27.Academic Evaluation Centre India (APS India) ↗
4. dMAT (Digital Master Test) — required for some Master's fieldsBefore you applyStandardised academic aptitude test run by APS India with g.a.s.t. Required as part of APS documentation for Master's applicants whose PREVIOUS degree is in Engineering; Commerce, Accounting, Finance or Economics; or Business and Management. Applies from the s · EUR 150APS India with g.a.s.t. ↗
5. German language proficiency (institution-set level)No national minimum level. The recognised EXAMS are standardised nationally (TestDaF and DSH), but the required level and any waiver are set by each institution.Individual higher education institutions; exams standardised nationally ↗
6. Proof of financial resources (Finanzierungsnachweis / Sperrkonto)Applicants must prove funds for one year, commonly by depositing into a blocked account (Sperrkonto). Blocks the visa, not the university application. · EUR 11,904Federal Foreign Office / DAAD Study in Germany ↗
7. Health insurance (compulsory)Proof of health insurance is demanded at BOTH university enrolment and residence-permit application.DAAD Study in Germany ↗
8. Anmeldung (residence registration)Every international student moving to Germany must register at the residents' registration office, usually within one week. The written confirmation is needed to obtain the residence permit.Einwohnermeldeamt / Bürgeramt, then Ausländerbehörde for the permit ↗

Cost

tuition — EUR 0 per year (international students)DAAD International Programmes: Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) at University of Bonn — tuition fees as published: 'No tuition fees'Checked 2026-08-16 · daad.de

Entry requirements

• languageDAAD programme detail for Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) at University of Bonn — english language requirement as published: C1 required, please provide an official language certificate, e.g.: IELTS Academic: 7
• otherDAAD programme detail for Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) at University of Bonn — academic admission requirements as published: An excellent Master's or equivalent degree: GPA higher than 3.0 in the American system or a grade higher than 2.0 in the German system or equivalent Relevant work experience (min. two years) An excellent and innovative research concept Certified proficiency in English The last MA degree should have been obtained less than six years ago. German language skills No minimum language level required English language skills C1 required, please provide an official language certificate, e.g.: IELTS Academic: 7