APS certificate for Germany: fee, documents, dMAT and exemptions
I want to study in Germany with Indian marksheets. Do I need APS, what does it cost, which documents go in, how long does it take, and does the new dMAT apply to me?
APS India (the Academic Evaluation Center at the German Embassy's science section) checks Indian marksheets and degrees before you apply to a German university and for the student visa. The Embassy says you almost always need the certificate if your school-leaving certificate or degree is Indian. The fee is not refunded, and verification takes at least two weeks. You register online, pay, then courier copies (never originals). Since 29 June 2026 there is one more step for some Master's applicants: if your degree is in Engineering, Commerce/Accounting/Finance/Economics or Business/Management and you are aiming for summer semester 2027 or later, APS also needs your dMAT certificate before it can issue its own.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 30 November 2026. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
As of 31 October 2026: APS India charges INR 18,000 and says verification takes at least two weeks. From the summer semester 2027 Master intake, applicants with an Engineering, Commerce/Finance/Economics or Business/Management degree also need a dMAT certificate; the 2027 test dates are 16 January and 13 March. Check aps-india.de before you pay; it updated its dMAT page on 29 October 2026.
At a glance
- APS fee
- INR 18,000, not refunded whatever the outcome[2]
- Time
- At least two weeks; longer when your school or university is slow to answer APS[3]
- Who needs it
- Almost everyone with an Indian school-leaving certificate or degree; exemptions are listed below[1]
- dMAT (some Master's applicants)
- Required for Engineering, Commerce/Accounting/Finance/Economics and Business/Management graduates from the summer semester 2027 intake; fee €150.00, charged by g.a.s.t.[5]
- Certificate
- Issued digitally by email once verification succeeds[2]
The APS procedure in order
The first dMAT round in India
| Your stage | Checklist | Points to know |
|---|---|---|
| Class 12 pass | Class XII graduates | Asks for TestAS results (core and subject) and any pre-university entrance exam you took |
| Class 12 with JEE Main and Advanced | JEE Main and Advanced | A separate checklist for JEE candidates |
| In a bachelor's, 2 or more semesters done | Undergraduates with 2 semesters | Marksheets of the semesters completed |
| Bachelor's or Master's completed | Graduates / Postgraduates (valid as of June 2026) | Provisional certificate accepted if the degree is not yet issued (not older than 1 year); dMAT certificate if it applies |
Partnership students (Process A, Process P) and the N-procedure for participating German universities have their own checklists on aps-india.de.[4]
| Document | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application form | Printed, signed by you, with a passport-size photo not older than 6 months |
| Fee receipt | Copy of the APS fee transfer receipt |
| Aadhaar | Copy, with a linked mobile number |
| Passport | Copy of the first and last page |
| Class X and XII | Marksheets and certificates; Class XII admit card if you have it |
| Degree | All semester marksheets and the degree (or provisional certificate); Master's degree and transcripts if any |
| dMAT certificate | Only if the dMAT applies to you |
| Language certificate | German and/or English |
| Student Authorisation Letter | Signed; the form is on the APS checklists page |
Send copies by courier. Documents not in English need a notarised English translation; English documents need no notary.[2]
| You are | dMAT needed? |
|---|---|
| Applying for a Master's from summer semester 2027, degree in Engineering, Commerce/Accounting/Finance/Economics or Business/Management | Yes |
| Applying for a Master's from summer semester 2027 with a B.Tech or B.Eng in any branch | Yes |
| Same, but you completed APS online registration or shipped your full papers before 29 June 2026 | No, for that APS procedure |
| Already holding an APS certificate | No, for that completed procedure |
| Applying for a bachelor's or a PhD | No |
| In a bachelor's, with fewer than 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters done | No |
| On an officially confirmed exchange, double-degree or partnership programme | No; send the programme confirmation with your group number |
| Degree in another field | No |
The official affected-fields list on aps-india.de decides mixed subjects such as Business Analytics, Data Science or Industrial Engineering.[5]
The German Embassy lists five exemptions: PhD or postdoc applicants, holders of a stipend from EU or German public funds, students aiming for a non-German degree, holders of a non-Indian degree (British, US and so on), and holders of an international certificate such as the International Baccalaureate. If you are exempt, the visa file needs a recognition of your school-leaving certificate instead: an anabin printout or a Statement of Comparability from the ZAB.[1]
The digital Master Test is a standardised test for Master's applicants run by g.a.s.t., a German test body, not by APS India. You register and pay on g.a.s.t.'s site (for the first round, between 29 June and 15 September 2026), sit it at a licensed centre, and download the certificate from its portal. India centres named so far: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kolkata, Mananthavady, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.
According to APS India, a low score does not by itself lead to a refused APS certificate; the result is printed on it and each German university decides how to weigh it. The test does not make a degree from an institution rated H+/- or H- in anabin acceptable, so check anabin before you pay for it.[5]
APS writes to your school, board or university to confirm your records. It asks you to tell them in advance, and replies must come from an official email address; Gmail and similar addresses are refused. Paying by bank transfer instead of the online CCAvenue option means your account is activated by hand, which APS says lengthens the process.[2]
Tips and tricks
- Tell your college office the week you courier the papers that APS will email them, and ask them to answer from the official college address.[2]
- Pay online during registration. APS says a manual bank transfer means manual activation and a longer wait.[3]
- Put every academic document in the first parcel. If you send the dMAT certificate later, you cannot add other marksheets with it.[5]
- Do not send medium-of-instruction or exemption letters as language proof; APS asks for an approved certificate such as Goethe, telc, ÖSD, DSD, IELTS or TOEFL.[2]
- Never post originals. APS asks for copies and says it will request anything extra it needs.[4]
Questions people ask
What is the APS certificate fee in India?
INR 18,000, paid online during registration or by bank transfer. It is not refunded, whatever the result.[2]
How long does APS take?
APS India says at least two weeks, and longer when many people apply or when your school, board or university is slow to answer its queries.[3]
Is APS mandatory for Germany?
Almost always, if your school-leaving certificate or degree is Indian. PhD applicants, public stipend holders, students aiming for a non-German degree, holders of a non-Indian degree and IB-type certificate holders are exempt.[1]
Who has to take the dMAT?
Master's applicants whose earlier degree is in Engineering, Commerce/Accounting/Finance/Economics or Business/Management, for the summer semester 2027 intake or later, unless they registered or shipped their APS papers before 29 June 2026.[5]
How much does the dMAT cost?
g.a.s.t. charges €150.00, paid when you register. This is separate from the APS fee.[5]
When is the next dMAT in India?
APS India lists 16 January 2027 (cycle 1) and 13 March 2027 (cycle 2). Registration is open now through g.a.s.t., and the fee is €150.00.[5]
Does a B.Sc, BA or B.Com degree need the dMAT?
Every B.Tech and B.Eng degree needs it, whatever the branch. For a B.Sc, BA or B.Com variant, APS India looks at the core subject: if it is Commerce, Economics, Business or Management, the dMAT applies. In a borderline case APS India strongly advises taking it, so your APS file isn't held up.[5]
Will a low dMAT score stop my APS certificate?
Not by itself. APS India says the dMAT is not a pass-or-fail test for the certificate; the result is shown on it, and each German university decides how to use it.[5]
Connected pages
- Related · Study abroadStudy in Germany from India: APS, blocked account and deadlinesGermany student visa from India: blocked account €11,904 a year, APS certificate, €75 visa fee, English proof rules and semester deadlines, sourced.
- Related · Study abroadGermany blocked account (Sperrkonto) for Indian students: amount and rulesGerman blocked account for Indian students: €11,904 for year one, €992 a month, the other ways to prove funds, and how to close it, from official pages.
- Related · Study abroadStudy abroad intake and deadline calendar: a month-by-month back-planPick a country and intake to get a printable month-by-month plan built back from official university and government dates, each with its source.
Official and partner links
Sources
- Studies, including preparatory college and language courses, German Embassy New Delhi (india.diplo.de). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Information leaflet: students with Bachelor/Master degree (valid as of June 2026), Academic Evaluation Center India (APS). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Apply for APS verification, Academic Evaluation Center India (APS). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Checklists: documents for APS procedures, Academic Evaluation Center India (APS). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Digital Master Test (dMAT) for selected Master's applicants in India (last updated 13 July 2026), Academic Evaluation Center India (APS). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- dMAT in India, g.a.s.t. (d-mat.de). Accessed 31 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 31 October 2026.