Which German Universities Use the dMAT Score, and How?
German universities meet the dMAT in two ways. Every university you apply to sees your result, because it is printed on your APS certificate, and each one decides for itself what to do with it. A few programmes go further and use the dMAT, with their own subject modules, as a formal part of selection. As of 10 October 2026, g.a.s.t. names RWTH Aachen and the University of Göttingen in that second group.
1. Through APS: every university sees your result
If you were required to take the dMAT, APS India prints the result on your APS certificate. The certificate states that you took the test and shows the scores from your dMAT certificate. Since the APS certificate goes into every application you make to a German university, every admissions office will see the numbers.
What they do with them is up to them. APS India puts it this way:
- German universities decide independently how they assess the dMAT in their admission procedures.
- A good result does not guarantee admission.
- A low result does not automatically lead to rejection.
- The dMAT does not replace the university's own admission decision.
No German university has published a general minimum dMAT score for applicants who took the test through APS. The requirement is new, and the first results in India are only being issued on 12 October 2026. Universities will need at least one admission cycle before any pattern is visible.
There is also an open debate about the test inside German higher education. A representative of SRH Higher Education, a large private university group, told The PIE News that making the dMAT part of APS effectively turns it into an additional entry requirement, and that any such requirement should complement the right of universities to select students by their own criteria.
2. Programmes that use the dMAT in their own selection
These programmes ask for the dMAT directly, with subject modules built for them. This is separate from APS.
| University | Programme | How the dMAT is used | Subject modules |
|---|---|---|---|
| RWTH Aachen University | M.Sc. Battery Science and Technology in Engineering | Applicants must take a study aptitude test for the selection procedure. The test result counts for 80% and the Bachelor's final grade for 20%. A missing result counts as 0 points. | Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering |
| University of Göttingen | M.Sc. Applied Data Science | The programme page recommends the dMAT Data Science for international applicants and says a good result is an advantage. It also describes a plan, subject to approval by university bodies, for the dMAT to take the place of the programme's own online aptitude test. | Data Science |
These are not the General Academic Module. For APS you take the Core Module and the General Academic Module. The programmes in this table use the Core Module with a different subject module. If you apply to one of them, ask the programme which module it needs and when its test dates are. Your APS result may not be enough.
Details such as weightings and test dates change from one intake to the next. Check the programme pages linked under Sources before you apply.
How to find out what your programme does
Most programme pages do not mention the dMAT yet. To get a clear answer:
- Read the programme's admission page and its selection rules. Look for the words "dMAT", "aptitude test" or "Studierfähigkeitstest".
- Read the application portal's document list. If the dMAT certificate is listed as a separate upload, the programme uses it actively.
- Write to the admissions office if neither mentions it. Ask three specific questions: Is the dMAT result on the APS certificate considered in selection? Is there a minimum score or percentile? Is the result weighted against the Bachelor's grade?
- Keep the reply. A written answer from the admissions office is the only reliable source for your application.
What this means for your preparation
- Treat the score as visible. Even where no rule exists, a person reading your file will see the numbers next to your grades.
- Aim above the mean. A module score above 100 puts you above the average of all test takers, and a high percentile is the easiest figure for a selection committee to read.
- Do not skip preparation because there is no pass mark. There is no mark to fail, but the result stays on your APS certificate.
Start with the dMAT exam pattern and the timed sample test.
Tracker: updates on university use of the dMAT
| Date checked | What changed |
|---|---|
| 10 October 2026 | g.a.s.t. lists RWTH Aachen University and the University of Göttingen as universities that use the dMAT as a selection criterion. No university has published a minimum score for the APS General Academic Module. |
We add a line here whenever a university publishes how it uses the dMAT.
Applying for a Master's in Germany?
Yastudy helps with university shortlisting, APS, applications and the visa, alongside dMAT preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Do all German universities require the dMAT?
No university requirement is involved for most applicants. The dMAT is required by APS India for selected Indian Master's applicants, and the result is printed on the APS certificate that every German university receives. Separately, a small number of programmes use the dMAT in their own selection.
Is there a minimum dMAT score for German universities?
No general minimum has been published. APS India says German universities decide independently how they assess the result. If a programme sets a threshold, it will state it in its own admission rules.
Will a low dMAT score lead to rejection?
Not automatically. APS India says the dMAT certificate is one element that may be considered together with your other academic documents, depending on the university and the programme.
Does a high dMAT score guarantee admission?
No. Admission decisions are made by the university, and APS India states that a dMAT certificate does not guarantee admission.
Does my APS dMAT result count for RWTH Aachen's Battery Science programme or Göttingen's Data Science programme?
Those programmes use the dMAT with their own subject modules, which are different from the General Academic Module taken for APS. Ask the programme which module it requires before you assume your APS result covers it.
Can a university see my dMAT score if I do not send the certificate?
If you were required to take the dMAT, your result is shown on your APS certificate, and the APS certificate is part of your application to German universities.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources below on 10 October 2026.
- dMAT for graduate students in India (g.a.s.t., official dMAT website)
- FAQ: dMAT for graduate students in India (g.a.s.t.)
- Digital Master Test (dMAT) for selected Master's applicants in India (APS India)
- dMAT India: List of Affected Previous Degree Fields, Version 1.0 (APS India, PDF)
- dMAT Preparatory Materials for Test Takers, General Academic Module (g.a.s.t., PDF)
- dMAT overview: which universities use the dMAT (g.a.s.t.)
- M.Sc. Battery Science and Technology in Engineering (RWTH Aachen University)
- Applied Data Science M.Sc. (University of Göttingen)
- Germany adds new test to pre-visa checks for Indian master's applicants (The PIE News)
