Do Cambridge A-level certificates need UK apostille for German student visa from Pakistan?

Hi everyone,

I'm from Pakistan applying for a German student visa (for a bachelor's in CS). I have original Cambridge International A-level certificates (Physics, Math, CS) issued by Cambridge in the UK.

The German Embassy in Islamabad says: "Please check the website of the German Mission in the country where the document was issued to find out if legalisation is required."

German Embassy London site mentions UK school certs need a Hague apostille from FCDO Legalisation Office (gov.uk), not them directly.

But I've never heard anyone mention this step in Pakistani student visa groups. Do I really need to mail my originals to UK for apostille (2-15 days, £35+), or can I submit without? Anyone done this recently for A-levels?

Thanks! (A-levels from Nov 2024 series)