APS Certificate for India: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

APS (Akademische Prufstelle) India is mandatory for most Indian students applying to study in Germany with Indian qualifications, for universities and the usual student visa process. Start with the APS certificate guide for the global roadmap, then use this guide for India-specific documents, courier, and verification details. Official site: aps-india.de. If you apply with credentials from China or Vietnam, use those countries' APS offices instead.

For country-specific alternatives, see:

• APS India dMAT & TestAS guide
• APS China guide
• APS Vietnam guide

This article covers the real process: documents, self-attested colour copies, online + courier, fees, dMAT for selected Master's applicants, what happens when APS contacts your university or board, and why cases stall.

TL;DR

• Fee: about ₹18,000 (confirm in portal), non-refundable
• Timeline: often 2-6 weeks; 6-10+ weeks if university/board verification drags
• Flow: register online -> pay -> upload what the portal asks -> courier hard copies
• Copies: colour A4 photocopies, self-attested; routine notarization is usually not required (translations from regional languages into English are an exception per APS India)
• Verification reality: APS may email your university or your board (CBSE, state boards, etc.), so timelines are not always in your control

Always use the official checklist PDF for your case on APS India Checklists.

Master's applicants: dMAT (2026 update)

From Summer Semester 2027 intake, APS India requires the Digital Master Test (dMAT) for Master's applicants whose Bachelor's degree is in:

• Engineering
• Commerce / Accounting / Finance / Economics
• Business / Management

The test is run by g.a.s.t. (€150, separate from APS fees). APS India verifies documents; g.a.s.t. issues the dMAT certificate. Both go into your APS file.

You do NOT need dMAT if:

• You target Winter Semester 2026/27 Master's intake
• Your Bachelor's is outside the affected fields list
• You completed APS online registration before 29 June 2026, or shipped complete APS documents before 29 June 2026
• You already hold an APS certificate from a completed procedure

First test cycle: register by 15 Sep 2026 · test 26 Sep 2026 · certificates from 12 Oct 2026.

If dMAT applies, APS cannot complete your case without the dMAT certificate (you may submit other documents first).

Not sure if dMAT applies to you? Use the dMAT eligibility checker.

Full tables and dates: APS India dMAT & TestAS guide · Official: aps-india.de/dmat

Documents required

Academic

• Class 10 mark sheet (and certificate if your checklist asks)
• Class 12 mark sheet (and certificate if required)
• Bachelor's degree + all semester/year marksheets or transcripts
• Master's degree + all marksheets/transcripts if applicable

Important: Even if you hold a Master's, you still submit the full Bachelor's set. APS verifies the full academic chain.

Other documents (India)

• Passport copy (pages per official checklist)
• APS application printouts / signed form as instructed
• Payment receipt
• Mandatory Student Authorisation Letter (download from Checklists, do not skip)
• Passport photos to APS specifications
• CV and IELTS/TOEFL only if your official PDF checklist or target programme requires them (many students need these for universities, not always for APS, so verify your checklist)
• dMAT certificate (g.a.s.t.) if your Master's pathway and field require it — see section above and dMAT checklist item on APS leaflets

Document format

Colour copies

Use clear A4 colour photocopies. Include both sides of each sheet if the back contains grades or seals. Avoid blurry scans and heavy folds.

Self-attestation

On each copy, handwrite something like:

Self-attested
Signature
Your name
Date

Use the same signature as in your passport. This is the standard approach for APS India; notarization is not normally required for every page, except notarized English translations when the original is in a regional language (per APS India FAQs).

Step-by-step process (APS India)

Step 1: Apply online

• Register on aps-india.de
• Enter names, university, programme, and years exactly as on certificates; mismatches are a top cause of delays

Step 2: Pay (~₹18,000)

• Pay online through the portal flow (amount shown at checkout)
• Save the receipt for your records and courier packet

Step 3: Upload documents

• Upload only what the portal requests, in the required format and resolution
• Uploads do not replace the physical courier

Step 4: Courier documents to APS New Delhi

Send self-attested photocopies (not originals unless the checklist explicitly requires them) to the address published on aps-india.de (FAQs/contact, always use the current address).

Include:

• Printed application / summary as required
• Payment receipt
• Student Authorisation Letter (completed)
• All items on your official checklist

Courier practical tips

Reliable options many students use include Blue Dart, DTDC, and Delhivery. Use tracking.

• Prefer a sturdy A4 envelope or rigid mailer
• Do not fold certificates where avoidable
• Write your APS application/reference number on the outside of the package

What actually happens (verification reality)

APS does not only “stamp paper.” They can:

Contact your university

They may email the registrar or exam cell to confirm that your degree and transcripts are genuine. If the university is slow to reply, your file waits.

Contact your board (e.g. CBSE, GSEB, state boards)

For some credentials, APS may need board-level verification. Boards sometimes charge a paid verification step, and APS often has to wait for that confirmation.

Example: A state board may require a re-verification fee before replying; until then, APS cannot close your case.

Timeline reality

Start early. Do not assume the fastest case when you have a visa appointment or admission deadline.

Common delays

• University not answering APS verification emails
• Board verification pending or paid step not completed
• Name mismatch between portal, marksheets, and passport
• Missing semester marksheets or incomplete transcripts
• Missing Student Authorisation Letter or unclear payment proof

Pro tips

• Tell your university (exam/registrar office) that APS may contact them; a polite heads-up can speed replies
• Ask your board whether paid verification applies to you and complete it early
• Keep email and phone active; APS or third parties may contact you
• Re-read the official checklist before you seal the envelope

Final advice

APS India looks simple on paper. Many delays come from third-party verification (university or board), not from APS ignoring you.

What you can control: accurate and consistent data, complete colour self-attested sets, and fast responses to requests.

What is outside your control: waiting on institutions, so buffer time is essential.

Need timelines and tools? Try YourWeg's APS processing time estimator and keep deadlines in one place.

APS and the CSP Study - APS visa process (India)

After you receive your APS certificate, upload it in the CSP Your documents section when applying for a student national visa. The Study - APS eligibility questionnaire asks whether you completed school education in India and whether you hold an APS certificate; both should be Yes.

Keep the certificate PDF ready before you start CSP. Name spelling must match your passport and VIDEX form. Full upload checklist: CSP portal guide.

Official source

• APS India - Academic Evaluation Centre (register, pay, checklists, FAQs)
• APS India dMAT · d-mat.de
• APS India dMAT & TestAS