All students with a Chinese diploma who want to come to Belgium need to pass the APS-screening in Beijing. APS formulates a non-binding advice for universities and colleges concerning the level of the student.

An APS-certificate is granted to candidates who possess the level required for the first bachelor year.

Without an APS-certificate it is impossible to get a student visa from the Belgian embassey/consulate in China!

• APS-website: www.aps.org.cn (in Chinese)
• Contact APS-administration: info@aps.org.cn

Conditions

The APS-certificate is not granted in case of

• document fraud
• incapability of the student to conduct a simple conversation in English regarding the preliminary training

The APS-certificate is not granted in case the student does not have a study certificate of:

• a completed and official post-secondary dazhuan (higher vocational)
• 1 semester of attendance at one of China's top universities (2-1-1 universities)
• 3 semesters of attendance at any other official Chinese university (study certificates obtained at private institutions and studies by mail will not qualify for application)

Procedure

The student needs to contact the APS administration in Beijing his/herself by e-mail (info@aps.org.cn); then, they automatically receive detailed information on what to do (step by step).

The screening consists of two parts:

• Verification of documents (by mail): diplomas, certificates, and reviews of exam results, language tests etc. are subjected to an authenticity test. For this reason, either the student's home institution will be contacted, or databases of graduates issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education will be consulted.
• Academic interview (in Beijing or before a travelling jury): testing the knowledge of the language and defining the student's level

It is also strongly advised that students inform themselves on what other documents are needed for applying for a Belgian visum! Please note that it is absolutely necessary that if you go to the Belgian Embassy or Consulate, you turn in a complete dossier, so without any missing documents! if there is anything at all missing, your visum application dossier will be send to Brussels, so it can take a very long time before everything is allright! once again, double check you didn't miss anything!

1. Ghent University will contact the APS administration through the Flemish Government and give them the student’s name and date of birth; the student should contact APS however himself, but first send us your name + date of birth
2. As well as in Leuven University and at the Free University of Brussels, CSC-scholarship grantholders in Ghent also do not have to take the interview
3. Ghent University reimburses every Chinese student (not only PhD students) for the cost of their APS screening. Please contact China@UGent.be  to make an appointment. BRING A COPY OF YOUR APS-CERTIFICATE!; BRING PROOF OF PAYMENT (BANK TRANSFER, ...) OF YOUR SCREENING!

Exceptions?

At present, no exceptions are made: EVERYBODY who has a Chinese diploma and wants to study in Belgium needs an APS certificate.

However, a distinction can be made in the way one receives his/her certificate:

• CSC-bursals do not have to take the interview
• students from universities where Ghent University has a Cooperation Agreement with (see list) do not have to take the interview

-> they still have to contact the APS administration for the authentification of their documents!

-> Chinese students who have a non-Chinese degree DO NOT have to get the APS certificate at all.