Uni-Assist application status meanings: in evaluation, okay, faulty, case-by-case, and what happens next
What each status in your My assist account means, how long each one lasts, what "faulty" is actually asking you to do, and when to stop refreshing and email someone.
Short answer: My assist shows one of five statuses per application. In evaluation means queued, usually 4 to 6 weeks. Okay means you passed uni-assist's check and the file is being forwarded to the university, or your VPD is being issued. Faulty means something is missing or does not meet a criterion; the reason is in My Inbox and you can usually fix it before the deadline. Case-by-case decision means the university wants to judge a borderline file itself, so it is forwarded anyway. Withdrawn means you withdrew it. None of these is an admission decision. That comes from the university.
The uni-assist portal is where most applicants first meet German bureaucracy, and the status field is where the anxiety collects. The labels are short, the emails are terse, and the answers in Facebook groups contradict each other. This page covers what each status means and what, if anything, to do. For the submission steps themselves, see the Uni-Assist walkthrough.
"In evaluation"
Your documents are in the queue and nothing is wrong. Uni-assist says 4 to 6 weeks; in the busy months, roughly December to February and June to July, it runs longer. The clock starts when your payment has cleared, so if you paid by bank transfer, count from the day the money arrived, not the day you sent it. Refreshing changes nothing. The status moves only when the evaluation is finished.
"Okay"
The best status uni-assist gives. Your application is complete and passes the preliminary check against the university's formal criteria. What happens next depends on the procedure. For a standard application, uni-assist forwards the whole file to the university and every later update comes from the university's own portal or by email. For a VPD application, the VPD document appears in My Inbox and you now apply to the university yourself, attaching it. Okay is not an admission. It means you are in the pool.
"Faulty"
The one that causes panic and rarely deserves it. Faulty means the application, as submitted, does not meet every criterion. The reason is in a message under My Inbox, and it is almost always one of: a missing document (often the matric or intermediate certificates, or a translation), a copy that is not certified the way uni-assist wants, a language certificate below the program's stated level, or a scan nobody can read. Upload the missing piece before the application deadline and the file is re-evaluated. If the reason is something you cannot change, like CGPA or degree length, faulty is effectively a no for that program, but not for the others in your account.
Read the message twice. Half the "uni-assist rejected me" posts describe someone who resubmitted the same document instead of the one that was asked for.
"Case-by-case decision"
Rare, and confusing the first time. Your application does not fully meet the university's published criteria, but that university has told uni-assist it wants to look at borderline files itself. Uni-assist forwards it and the university contacts you. Treat it as a maybe with a real chance, and keep your other applications moving.
"Withdrawn"
You withdrew it. The fee is not refunded. If it was a mistake, email uni-assist the same day; before evaluation has started they can sometimes reinstate an application, but do not plan around it.
After forwarding: where the status lives now
Once the file is with the university, uni-assist's part is over and My assist will not change again for that application. Universities answer in their own time, typically 6 to 8 weeks after their deadline, through their portal or by email. If you have heard nothing four weeks after the university's published decision date, email the program coordinator. Emailing uni-assist at that point gets you a polite note saying it is no longer their file.
The whole sequence in one line
Submit and pay, then in evaluation (4 to 6 weeks), then okay or faulty (fix and resubmit), then forwarded or VPD issued, then the university's decision (6 to 8 weeks), then the admission letter.
Refunds and the fee
The handling fee (€75 for the first application, €30 for each additional one) pays for the evaluation, not the outcome. A faulty status, a withdrawal or a university rejection does not trigger a refund. Add up what a round of applications costs with the uni-assist cost calculator before you submit, and withdraw only if you are certain.
Frequently asked questions
What does "okay" mean on uni-assist?
Your application is complete and meets uni-assist's preliminary criteria. For standard applications it is forwarded to the university; for VPD applications the VPD appears in My Inbox. It is not an admission decision.
What does "faulty" mean on uni-assist, and can I fix it?
One or more criteria are not met as submitted, most often a missing or wrongly certified document. The exact reason is in My Inbox. If it is a document problem you can upload the fix before the application deadline and the file is re-evaluated.
How long does uni-assist stay "in evaluation"?
Usually 4 to 6 weeks from the day your payment cleared, longer in peak months around the winter and summer deadlines. The status only changes when the evaluation is complete.
Does uni-assist tell me whether I am admitted?
No. Uni-assist checks formal eligibility and forwards the file. The admission decision, and every update after forwarding, comes from the university through its own portal or by email.
Will I get a refund if I withdraw my uni-assist application?
No. The handling fee covers the evaluation and is kept whether you withdraw, receive a faulty status or are later rejected by the university.