If you plan to start a Master’s in Germany in the summer semester 2027 or later, the APS certificate may now involve one more step: the dMAT (digital Master Test). Whether it applies to you depends on your degree field, and APS India says it will soon publish an updated list of affected fields.

APS India describes the dMAT as a standardised academic aptitude test for Master’s applicants, added to the APS documentation. The test is run by g.a.s.t. (Gesellschaft für Akademische Studienvorbereitung und Testentwicklung e.V.), which issues a separate dMAT certificate. APS India still verifies your documents. The dMAT result is reflected on your APS certificate, but it does not replace document verification.

Who has to take it

The requirement applies to APS applications for the summer semester 2027 Master’s intake and later intakes, for applicants whose previous degree is in an affected field.

For the introductory phase in 2026, g.a.s.t. lists these fields:

  • Engineering
  • Commerce, accounting, finance, or economics
  • Business or management

APS India published an affected-fields list in June 2026. On 15 October 2026 it said an updated list will be announced on its dMAT page. Until then, check your exact degree title against the current list, and check again before you register.

Who does not need it

APS India lists these groups as exempt:

  • You completed your APS online registration before 29 June 2026, or shipped your complete APS documents before that date.
  • You have already received your APS certificate (for that completed APS procedure).
  • You are applying for a Bachelor’s or a PhD, not a Master’s.
  • You have not yet completed at least 5 semesters of a 3-year Bachelor’s, or 7 semesters of a 4-year one.
  • Your previous degree is not in an affected field.
  • You are in an officially confirmed exchange, double-degree or university partnership programme. Send the confirmation, including your group number, with your APS documents.

If you start a new APS application later, the rules in force at that time apply.

Test dates

The first dMAT round in India is over: registration ran from 29 June to 15 September 2026, the test was on 26 September 2026, and certificates were issued on 12 October 2026.

On 15 October 2026 APS India announced that the next test dates will be in mid-January and mid-March 2027. The registration start date will be published on its website. Registration, payment, test-centre booking and certificates are handled by g.a.s.t. through the dMAT registration portal.

Points from the official pages to plan around:

  • Test centres in India include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kolkata, Mananthavady, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. The final list is shown during registration.
  • A valid passport is the only accepted identification.
  • The fee is shown on the booking page. g.a.s.t. accepts PayPal or a credit card with 3D Secure; debit cards are not accepted.
  • You may take the dMAT more than once. g.a.s.t. says the certificate is generally valid indefinitely for the APS procedure; a university that receives it directly may set its own rule.

How it fits with your APS application

You can send your APS documents before your dMAT certificate is ready, and APS India may start verifying them. It can issue the APS certificate only after your dMAT certificate has been submitted and checked against g.a.s.t.’s records.

One rule matters here: only the dMAT certificate can follow later. All your academic documents must be in your first APS submission. You cannot add or update them later together with the dMAT certificate in the same APS procedure.

The dMAT also does not replace anabin, recognition of your degree or a university’s admission decision. APS India says a good result cannot make up for a degree from an institution that is not recognised. If your institution is listed as H+/- or H- in anabin, check its status before you register for the dMAT. Our degree recognition guide explains how anabin works.

What to do now

  1. Check whether you are exempt: a registration or shipment date before 29 June 2026, an issued APS certificate, or an exchange programme.
  2. If not, compare your degree title with APS India’s affected-fields list, and watch for the updated list.
  3. If the dMAT applies, check your university’s status in anabin, then watch the APS India dMAT page for the registration date. Plan your university deadlines around the date your certificate would arrive.

Admission decisions stay with each university, and APS India and g.a.s.t. decide on the APS certificate and the dMAT. For the wider picture, read our Master’s in Germany checklist. If you are unsure whether the dMAT applies to you, contact SGC with your degree title and your planned intake.