FAQ: dMAT for graduate students in India

Do I need to take the dMAT?

g.a.s.t. is responsible for the administration of the dMAT. To find out whether you are required to take the dMAT as part of your APS procedure, please refer to the information provided by APS India and the list of affected fields of study.

If you are still unsure, please contact APS India directly.

For which degree programmes or fields of study is the dMAT required?

The dMAT is required for the degree programmes and fields of study listed by APS India.

Does the dMAT requirement also apply to the winter semester 2027?

Yes, applicants from the affected fields of study who intend to begin a further course of study in Germany in the summer semester 2027 or later must take the dMAT, including the General Academic Module, as part of the APS procedure unless a transitional arrangement applies.

Do APS certificates that have already been issued remain valid?

Yes, applicants who have already completed the APS procedure and received their APS certificate do not need to take the dMAT retrospectively for that completed APS procedure.

Applicants who registered online with APS on or after 29 June 2026 and sent their application documents on or after 29 June 2026, require a dMAT certificate if their previous degree is in one of the affected fields of study.

Can I take the dMAT voluntarily?

Yes, you may take the dMAT voluntarily.

Can I take the dMAT more than once?

Yes, you may take the dMAT as many times as you wish.

How long is the dMAT certificate valid?

The dMAT certificate itself is generally valid indefinitely and is required for the APS procedure. If you submit the certificate directly to a university, that university may apply its own rules regarding how long the result is accepted.

Will a result obtained in September 2026 still be valid for the winter semester 2027?

Yes, this result will still be valid for the winter semester 2027.

Can I take the dMAT now and use the result for an application in 2028?

The dMAT certificate itself is generally valid indefinitely. However, if you use it for a university application, the university may set its own rules regarding how long the result is accepted.

Does the dMAT replace tests such as the GRE or GATE?

No, the dMAT is part of the APS procedure for applicants from the affected fields of study. Whether and how a university also considers the dMAT as part of its own admission process must be clarified directly with that university.

For a visa application, is it enough to take the dMAT, or do I need to achieve a certain score?

Taking the dMAT is sufficient for the visa application.

When will the next dMAT take place?

The next test date after 26 September 2026 is planned for the first quarter of 2027. The exact date will be published on the dMAT website once it has been confirmed.

Can I take the dMAT in Germany?

Yes, the dMAT can be taken in Berlin.

Are there any test centres outside India?

Yes, the dMAT is also offered at test centres in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Berlin, Germany.

 

Are preparation materials available for the dMAT?

Yes, preparation materials for the Core Module and the General Academic Module are available on the dMAT website.

Are sample questions available?

Yes, sample questions are provided on the dMAT website and in the g.a.s.t. participant portal.

Is there a demo version of the dMAT?

Yes. The demo version includes the familiar sample tasks, along with helpful information on how to use the test software.

You can access it in your participant portal under “Exam Preparation.”

Is there a curriculum or syllabus for the dMAT?

The General Academic Module assesses knowledge and the ability to apply it in ways that are considered important for successful master’s-level study at German universities.

The dMAT is administered digitally at test centres designated by the Society for Academic Study Preparation and Test Development (g.a.s.t.).

What is the General Academic Module?

The General Academic Module assesses your ability to apply cognitive and analytical skills to general academic problems. The tasks present typical problem situations followed by related questions.

The focus is on transfer and application skills rather than the rote memorisation of factual knowledge.

Which modules does the dMAT include for the APS procedure?

For the APS procedure, the dMAT consists of two modules:

• the Core Module
• the General Academic Module as the subject module

Both modules are compulsory for the applicants concerned. All participants receive the same tasks.

What is the test format?

The Core Module assesses general cognitive and analytical abilities and consists of three subtests.
The General Academic Module assesses how these abilities are applied to academic problems.

All questions are single-choice questions.

The current subject modules are administered in English.

How many questions are there in the General Academic Module?

The General Academic Module contains approximately 60 individual questions. This is an average; the actual number may be higher or lower.

Are the sample questions as difficult as the questions in the actual test?

The sample questions are intended to give you an idea of possible topics and question types, so their level of difficulty may differ from that of the actual test. The dMAT may include questions from a range of disciplines, such as mathematics, computer science, the natural sciences, engineering, business administration, economics, the social sciences and humanities.

 

How do I register for the dMAT?

Registration takes place online via g.a.s.t. or the dMAT participant portal. Registration can only be completed after the participation fee has been paid.

Each test date has its own registration deadline. Test dates and registration deadlines are published on the dMAT website.

For the first dMAT date offered as part of the APS procedure in India in 2026, the following dates apply:

• Registration opens: 29 June 2026
• Registration deadline: 15 September 2026
• Test date: 26 September 2026
• Results published and certificates issued: 12 October 2026

Where and how do I choose my test centre?

You select your test centre during the registration or booking process. The list of available test centres is displayed during registration.

What do I need to keep in mind when registering?

All information required for registration must be complete in the g.a.s.t. participant portal by the registration deadline.

In particular, you must upload a passport-style photo for identity verification. You will not be admitted to the test without this photo.

You can update your contact details in the g.a.s.t. participant portal until the registration deadline. After the deadline, changes are generally no longer possible.

Changes to your first name or surname can only be made in consultation with g.a.s.t. Your name should be entered exactly as it appears in your passport.

Can I change my details after registering?

You can update your contact details in the g.a.s.t. participant portal until the registration deadline. After the deadline, changes are no longer possible.

Changes to your first name or surname can only be made in consultation with g.a.s.t.

What should I do if I require reasonable accommodations?

If you have a recognised disability or impairment and require accommodations, you must register no later than ten weeks before the test date and request the accommodation as part of the registration process so that suitable arrangements can be made where possible.

How much is the participation fee?

A participation fee is charged for the dMAT. The exact amount is shown on the booking page used for registration.

The participation fee is generally paid online. In exceptional cases, payment at the test centre might be possible.

When does my registration become binding?

Registration is binding. The contract is concluded when g.a.s.t. confirms the registration and the participation fee has been paid.

 

 

Can I cancel my dMAT registration?

Yes, you can cancel your registration up to the relevant registration deadline.

Cancellations must be made through the g.a.s.t. participant portal. g.a.s.t. will then inform the test centre you booked.

Will my participation fee be refunded if I cancel?

If you cancel by the registration deadline, any participation fee you have already paid will be refunded.

If you paid online, the refund will be credited to the account used for payment. An administrative fee of up to 15% of the participation fee may be deducted.

If you paid the participation fee directly at the test centre, the test centre will issue the refund. An administrative fee of up to 15% may also be charged in this case.

What happens if I cancel after the registration deadline?

Once the registration deadline has passed, you are not entitled to a refund of the participation fee.

This also applies if you:

• do not attend the test,
• discontinue the test, or
• are excluded from the test.

In these cases, no dMAT certificate will be issued.

Can I change my test date or test centre after registering?

Changes to an existing registration are generally only possible in consultation with g.a.s.t. (kontakt@gast.de).
Because changes can no longer be made through the regular process once the registration deadline has passed, you should clarify any requested change of test date or test centre before the deadline whenever possible.

Is there also a statutory right of withdrawal?

Under the General Terms and Conditions, there is generally a 14-day right of withdrawal from the date the contract is concluded. You must explicitly notify g.a.s.t. if you wish to exercise this right.
This is separate from the regular cancellation of a specific dMAT test date through the g.a.s.t. participant portal.

When will I receive detailed information about what happens on my test day?

Relevant information about the test-day procedure will be made available in the g.a.s.t. participant portal approximately five days before the test.

This includes information on check-in and participation on test day, as well as an introductory video explaining the technical aspects of the digital test.

Will I receive instructions on how to use the digital test system before the test?

Yes, introductory materials and videos are available on the website and in the g.a.s.t. participant portal. They explain how to use the system and how the different question types work.

We recommend reviewing these materials in full. No additional detailed instructions on how to use the system will be provided during the test.

When will my dMAT result be published?

For the first dMAT test date in India on 26 September 2026, results will be published in the g.a.s.t. participant portal on 12 October 2026.

Where can I get my dMAT certificate?

The certificate is issued by g.a.s.t. and made available through the g.a.s.t. participant portal.

What do I need to do with my dMAT certificate?

Download the dMAT certificate from the g.a.s.t. participant portal and submit it to APS. The dMAT certificate must be included with the documents for your APS procedure.

How is the dMAT scored?

The certificate shows two types of results:

• your percentile rank
• your dMAT score

The percentile rank indicates the proportion of other participants who achieved a lower or equal result.
The dMAT score converts the number of correct answers to a scale from 0 to 200, with a mean of 100.

Will I receive a separate dMAT score for each module?

Yes, a separate dMAT score is reported for the Core Module and for the subject module.

How is the overall result calculated?

The overall result is calculated by adding the scores for the two modules.

Is my dMAT result valid indefinitely?

Yes. the dMAT certificate itself is generally valid indefinitely. However, universities may set their own validity requirements if the certificate is submitted directly as part of a university application.