Short answer. The APS certificate is the German Embassy’s check of your Indian academic documents, needed for a German student visa. It costs ₹18,000, non refundable, and takes at least two weeks. From the summer 2027 intake, master’s applicants with engineering, commerce, finance, economics or business degrees must also take the dMAT test.
If you studied in India and want to study in Germany, APS is the first piece of paperwork that can hold you up. APS India, the Academic Evaluation Centre in the Science Section of the German Embassy in New Delhi, verifies that your marksheets and degrees are genuine and checks them against the German criteria for university access. Its certificate is generally required for the German student visa, and some universities and uni-assist ask for it with your application too, so check each one.
The process itself is not complicated. What catches people is timing, a new test that started in 2026, and a few rules about the certificate file that can get an application rejected. Everything here is from APS India’s own website, FAQs and application leaflets, checked in October 2026. For the wider plan, start with our guide to studying in Germany as an Indian student.
APS at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who runs it | APS India, Science Section of the German Embassy, New Delhi, with DAAD |
| Who needs it | Anyone whose relevant academic documents were issued by Indian institutions, whatever their nationality |
| Fee | ₹18,000, paid online or by bank transfer; not refundable once paid, whatever the outcome |
| Processing time | At least two weeks; longer if your college or board is slow to reply |
| How documents go in | Colour photocopies by courier or post to New Delhi; no walk ins |
| Certificate | A digitally signed PDF sent by email |
| Interview or test | No interview; the dMAT test for some master’s applicants from the summer 2027 intake |
The new dMAT test for master’s applicants
This is the change most Indian applicants have not caught up with. The Digital Master Test, dMAT, is a standardised academic aptitude test run by g.a.s.t., a German testing body, and it is now part of the APS documentation for selected master’s applicants. In its introductory phase it applies to applicants whose undergraduate degree is in engineering; commerce, accounting, finance or economics; or business and management. APS India says an updated list of affected fields will be published, so check before you register.
| dMAT detail | What APS India and g.a.s.t. say |
|---|---|
| Who must take it | Master’s applicants in the affected fields, for the summer semester 2027 intake and later |
| Who is exempt | Bachelor’s applicants, PhD applicants, other fields, confirmed exchange or double degree students, and anyone who registered or shipped their APS documents before 29 June 2026 |
| Fee | EUR 150, about ₹16,000, paid to g.a.s.t. |
| Format | A core module and a general academic module, on screen at a test centre |
| Centres in India | Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kolkata, Mananthavady, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune |
| Next test dates | Mid January and mid March 2027; registration dates to be announced |
| Does a low score fail you? | No. The score is printed on your APS certificate, and universities decide how to use it |
The first dMAT in India was held on 26 September 2026, with certificates out on 12 October. If you are aiming for the winter semester 2027 to 28 intake, the January and March sessions are your realistic slots, and your APS certificate has to be ready before your visa appointment. You can send your APS documents before you have the dMAT certificate, and APS India will start verifying them, but the APS certificate is issued only after the dMAT result arrives.
Faz's ruleIf your degree is in engineering, commerce or business, book the dMAT before you do anything else for a 2027 Germany intake.
The dMAT score does not decide whether you get an APS certificate, but it now appears on that certificate, and the universities reading it can use it. The test sessions are months apart and seats are first come, first served at each centre. Miss the January slot and the next one is in March, which leaves little room before visa appointments for a winter intake. Check the anabin status of your college too: a good dMAT score cannot rescue a degree from an institution that German universities do not recognise.
How to apply, step by step
- Find your procedure. APS India runs separate procedures for Class 12 graduates, students with two semesters of a bachelor’s, and bachelor’s or master’s graduates. Its online requirements quiz tells you which applies.
- Register online at aps-india.de, then print and sign the application form.
- Pay ₹18,000 by CCAvenue during registration or by bank transfer.
- Take the dMAT if it applies to you.
- Courier your documents to APS India in New Delhi and keep the tracking number.
- Track your status in your APS account. Successful applicants receive the certificate by email, then apply for the visa through VFS.
Documents for bachelor’s and master’s graduates
- The printed, signed application form with a recent passport photo
- The APS fee receipt
- Aadhaar card with a linked mobile number, and the first and last pages of your passport
- Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets and certificates, and your Class 12 admit card if you have it
- Marksheets for every semester, and your degree certificate or a provisional certificate not older than a year
- Your master’s degree and transcripts, if you have one
- Your dMAT certificate, if the requirement applies to you
- Your German or English language certificate
- The signed student authorisation letter
Send legible A4 colour photocopies, both sides where relevant, and never originals. Documents in English, or bilingual with English, do not need notarising; documents only in a regional language need a notarised English translation. If you did an exchange semester abroad, APS India also wants proof that your Indian university recognised the credits.
Why APS gets stuck, and how to avoid it
Most delays are not at the Embassy. APS India confirms your records directly with your school, board and university, and if they do not reply through an official channel, your status shows as non-support. The Embassy cannot issue a certificate until they answer, and a reply from a professor’s Gmail account does not count. Tell your college and university, in writing, that APS India will contact them, and follow up if your status stalls.
Three other rules cause avoidable problems. APS India does not keep an application open while you wait for later results, so apply with the documents for the stage you are applying from. A new evaluation after a later degree needs a new fee. And the certificate is a digitally signed PDF that must stay exactly as sent: do not rename it, merge it with other files or edit it when you upload it to uni-assist, a university or VFS, because the signature has to verify.
The honest closing take
APS is a verification step, not a selection step. It does not decide your admission or your visa, and with genuine documents from a recognised institution most applicants get through. What costs people a semester is starting late, a slow university registrar, or, from 2027, missing a dMAT session they did not know they needed.
So treat APS as the first task in your Germany plan, not the last. Check anabin, check whether the dMAT applies to your degree, warn your college, and apply as soon as you have the documents for the stage you are applying from. Then plan the money side: our blocked account calculator covers the visa funds requirement, and the German grade calculator shows how universities will read your marks.
FAQ
What is the APS certificate fee in India?
₹18,000, paid online or by bank transfer during registration. It is not refundable once paid, whatever the result of the verification. The dMAT, where it applies, costs a further EUR 150, paid to g.a.s.t.
How long does APS take?
At least two weeks, according to APS India, and longer if your school, board or university is slow to confirm your records. APS India does not give a fixed processing time for individual cases.
Is there an APS interview?
No. APS India verifies documents; it does not hold an interview. Master’s applicants in the affected fields take the dMAT test instead, from the summer 2027 intake onwards.
Is APS required for a PhD in Germany?
Not always. APS India says PhD and postdoctoral applicants may not need APS if their German institution does not require it, and PhD applicants are exempt from the dMAT.
Do I need APS before applying to German universities?
The certificate is generally required for the student visa, and some universities and uni-assist ask for it with the application. APS India advises planning it early, so in practice apply for APS as soon as you have the documents for your stage, and check each university’s requirements.
Can I get APS if my college is not in anabin?
Possibly not. APS India applies the criteria used for access to German higher education, including anabin, and may not issue a positive certificate if your institution or degree is not recognised. Check your college’s anabin status first.
Where these figures come from
- APS India, Academic Evaluation Centre, German Embassy New Delhi
- APS India, frequently asked questions
- APS India, Digital Master Test (dMAT) for selected master’s applicants
- APS India, leaflet for bachelor’s and master’s graduates, June 2026
- g.a.s.t., dMAT for graduate students in India
Checked against the sources above in October 2026. APS India updates its procedures and the dMAT field list; confirm on its website before you apply.
