APS Certificate for Germany: Process, Documents & the 2026 dMAT Update
Last updated 2026-07-16
APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certification verifies the authenticity of academic credentials for applicants from certain countries, India included, who are applying to study in Germany. Most German universities require a valid APS certificate before they'll process your admission application, and it typically also forms part of your later student visa file. APS India itself does not make admission decisions — those remain entirely with the individual German university.
Who needs it
Applicants holding Indian academic qualifications generally need APS verification. Exceptions include applicants with international secondary credentials such as the IB, PhD or postdoctoral applicants, and certain scholarship holders — check directly with APS India if you think one of these applies to you.
How documents are submitted
APS India requires physical documents sent by post or courier to its New Delhi office — email submission isn't accepted unless specifically requested. Submit legible A4 colour photocopies of both sides of each document. English or bilingual documents don't need notarization; translations of documents in a regional language do need to be notarized.
Processing and fees
There's no fixed processing timeline — it depends on application volume and how quickly your institution responds to verification requests. Processing fees are non-refundable regardless of outcome, and APS India doesn't offer individual status checks by request; monitor the online student portal or wait for an email notification once processing completes.
The 2026 dMAT update
Starting with the 2026 cycle, APS India added the dMAT as an extra documentation requirement for selected Master's applicants — specifically those from Engineering, Commerce/Accounting/Finance/Economics, or Business/Management backgrounds, applying for Summer Semester 2027 intakes or later. This doesn't change the APS process described above; it adds one additional certificate to the file for affected applicants. See how the dMAT fits into your APS application for the full sequencing, and the dMAT eligibility page to check whether it applies to you.