The dMAT exam in India — everything you need to know
What the dMAT is, who must take it for APS India, how the exam is structured, and where to register — with links to every official source.
1. What is the dMAT?
The dMAT (Digital Master Test)is a standardised, digital academic-aptitude test for Master's-level applicants. It is developed and administered by g.a.s.t. (Gesellschaft für Akademische Studienvorbereitung und Testentwicklung) — the same organisation behind the well-known TestAS — together with the Universities of Ulm and Kassel.
It has two parts: a Core Module testing general reasoning (Figure Sequences, Mathematical Equations, Latin Squares) and a Subject Module. For the APS-India route, the subject module is the General Academic Module (GAM) — applied problem-solving, not rote recall.
2. Who needs it — and is it mandatory?
From 2026, the dMAT is mandatory within the APS India process for Indian graduates applying to German Master's programmes whose undergraduate degree is in one of these fields:
Required if…
You're an Indian graduate in the fields above applying for a Master's (Summer Semester 2027 intake onward) through APS India.
Not required if…
You're applying for a Bachelor's or PhD, or you're in a confirmed exchange / double-degree / university-partnership programme.
A transitional exemption applies if you completed APS online registration or shipped complete APS documents before 29 June 2026, or already hold an APS certificate from a completed procedure.
3. dMAT vs APS vs g.a.s.t. vs TestAS — how they fit together
| Term | What it is | Your action |
|---|---|---|
| APS India | The certification body that verifies Indian academic documents for German admission. | Get your APS certificate. |
| dMAT | The aptitude test now required within the APS process for the fields above. | Sit the dMAT; submit the result to APS. |
| g.a.s.t. | The organisation that builds & runs the dMAT (and TestAS) — handles registration, payment & centres. | Register & pay via g.a.s.t. |
| TestAS | A separate g.a.s.t. aptitude test (mainly Bachelor's). Not the same as dMAT. | Only if a university asks for it. |
Key point: the dMAT certificate is separate from your APS document check and is required before your APS certificate can be issued (for applicants it applies to). Your dMAT result is also referenced on the APS certificate.
4. Exam structure & scoring
| Module | Subtests | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Core Module | Figure Sequences (20) · Mathematical Equations (20) · Latin Squares (16) | 90 min |
| General Academic Module | Applied problem-solving testlets (passage/scenario + linked questions) | 90 min |
Results are reported as a percentile rank plus a scaled score (0–200, mean 100), with a combined total across modules. There is no officially published universal "pass mark" for the APS-India route — aim for the strongest score you can.
For a section-by-section breakdown, see our dMAT syllabus & exam pattern, or jump straight to how to prepare and practice papers.
5. Dates & registration as of 19 Jul 2026
| Milestone | Date (first cycle) |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | 29 Jun 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 15 Sep 2026 |
| Test date | 26 Sep 2026 |
| Certificates issued from | 12 Oct 2026 |
Registration, payment, centre booking and certificates are handled by g.a.s.t., not APS India.
6. Test centres in India as of 19 Jul 2026
7. Fees as of 19 Jul 2026
The fee for the first Indian administration is €150, paid to g.a.s.t. at registration.
8. Frequently asked questions
Is the dMAT the same as TestAS?
Do I need the dMAT if my bachelor's is not in engineering, commerce or business?
Where do I register and pay?
How long is the dMAT certificate valid?
9. Official links
Practise the dMAT before you sit it
Take a free, timed readiness check across the core reasoning sections — then work through full mock papers built to the official structure.
Start the free diagnostic →See mock papers