How to Plan a Master’s in Germany: APS, dMAT, Costs and Three Admits
Key Takeaways
- Start 18 to 24 months before you want to begin: researching universities from India can take six or seven months on its own.
- A German university missing from a world ranking can still be excellent, because many teach in an applied, hands-on way that rankings do not measure.
- From the summer semester 2027 intake, master's applicants with a bachelor's in engineering, commerce, finance, economics or business need the dMAT before APS India will issue their certificate.
- Most public universities charge no tuition, but a student visa needs €11,904 in a blocked account, and Baden-Württemberg and TU Munich charge non-EU students tuition.
- In the three Galvanize admits Shanthi Mohan shared, strong academics and a close fit between profile and programme mattered more than any single score.
Table of Contents
- What did the Germany webinar cover?
- Is Germany the right country for you?
- Should you rule out a German university that is not ranked?
- What do German universities check before they read your application?
- How do APS and the new dMAT fit in?
- What does it really cost to study in Germany?
- What does a 2027 timeline look like?
- What got three Galvanize students into German universities?
Germany draws Indian master’s applicants for its public universities and its engineering depth, but the route from shortlist to visa has more checkpoints than most countries, and one of them changed in 2026. In this Galvanize webinar on 25 September 2026, Shanthi Mohan, a former EducationUSA advisor, walks through the whole route for the 2027 intake: whether Germany fits you, what universities check before they read your application, APS and the new dMAT, the real cost, and three Galvanize students who got in.
If your bachelor’s is in engineering, commerce, finance, economics or business, the APS and dMAT part matters most: the dMAT now has to be cleared before APS India will issue your certificate, and that certificate is required for a German student visa.
Shanthi Mohan is Galvanize’s US Admissions Specialist and a former EducationUSA Advisor with 12 years at the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) in Chennai.
What did the Germany webinar cover?
The recording runs 1 hour 7 minutes: about 50 minutes of presentation, three student admits, and questions. Jump to a part:
- 10:04 — The five-fit test, and why you start 18 to 24 months early
- 12:50 — Rankings, public vs private universities, and TU9
- 16:09 — Eligibility: degree, grades, programme criteria and English tests
- 23:25 — APS, the anabin H+ check and the new dMAT
- 36:09 — The real cost, scholarships and the blocked account
- 43:55 — A 2027 timeline, then three admits
- 1:03:13 — Question: how to split an 18-month plan
Is Germany the right country for you?
Shanthi Mohan’s first question to any student is whether the country fits them, not whether it is popular. She asks you to map four things: what you studied, the degree you want next, where you want your career to be in five to ten years, and whether you meet the academic and language requirements. German was once close to mandatory; English-taught master’s programmes have grown so much that the competition has moved to English scores instead, and applicants in the top ranges of IELTS or TOEFL stand out.
Then comes what she calls the five-fit test: programme, eligibility, cost, career and application. None of them can be rushed. “The plan starts at least 18 to 24 months before you start the process,” she said, because researching universities from India can take six or seven months on its own. Watch this part from 10:04.
Should you rule out a German university that is not ranked?
No. Third-party rankings only include universities that take part, and they lean on research output. Many German universities put applied, hands-on teaching first, so a strong programme can be missing from a world ranking. “Make sure you don’t drop a university just because it doesn’t show up in a ranking system,” she said. Write to the international or admissions office and ask. At the top end sits TU9, the network of nine leading technical universities, where you need a strong profile and should start closing your gaps early. When attendees were polled on what they would check first at a dream university, 57% chose the programme and curriculum and 21% their eligibility, ahead of ranking and cost. Watch this part from 12:50.
What do German universities check before they read your application?
Eligibility in Germany is a series of gates, and missing one ends the application. Your degree has to come from a recognised institution. Your grades are read against a bar: Shanthi Mohan said some programmes take only applicants above 85%, and the most competitive look for 90 to 95%. The programme checks your coursework, so a data science master’s run by a statistics department expects strong mathematics and statistics credits. Then the English test: IELTS Academic or the TOEFL iBT, which is accepted well beyond the US.
Many universities also want a VPD, a preliminary review of your documents that uni-assist issues for the universities that use it. If your university is not on uni-assist’s list, ask its admissions office what to do instead; DAAD’s website explains each route. Watch this part from 16:09.
How do APS and the new dMAT fit in?
APS India verifies your academic documents before you apply. Check first that your institution is listed as H+ in the anabin database, then send the physical documents on APS India’s checklist, including every semester mark sheet, your Class 12 board marks and your English test score.
The dMAT is the change. According to APS India, it is now a required part of APS for master’s applicants whose bachelor’s is in engineering, commerce, accounting, finance, economics, or business and management, for the summer semester 2027 intake onward. You are exempt if you registered for APS online, or shipped your APS documents, before 29 June 2026. The first dMAT ran on 26 September 2026 with certificates from 12 October; the next date had not been announced when this page was published. You can send your APS documents before your dMAT result, but APS India issues the certificate only once it has the dMAT certificate. Our guide to dMAT and APS covers fees, test centres and exemptions in detail.
APS itself can take more than a month. “Always give yourself three months before the university application deadline,” she said. In the live poll, 60% of attendees had heard of APS and dMAT but did not know the details, 30% were hearing of them for the first time, and only 10% knew both. Watch this part from 23:25.
What does it really cost to study in Germany?
Most public universities charge international students no tuition, only a semester contribution, but there are exceptions. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 a semester (as of October 2026, source: Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science), and TU Munich has charged new non-EU master’s students €4,000 or €6,000 a semester since winter 2024/25, so check the fee page of every programme on your list. Private universities charge tuition, which Shanthi Mohan put at around €9,000 to €15,000 a year.
Living costs are where the money goes. For a student visa, the German Missions in India require €11,904 in a blocked account, of which you can withdraw no more than €992 a month. A sponsor living in Germany can give a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) instead; an Indian affidavit of support is not accepted in its place. Research assistant roles and part-time work can bring in a stipend, but she warned against counting on them: “Never overestimate what you’re going to get there. Make sure that you always have enough to cover yourself.” More on budgets in our guide to the cost of studying in Germany. Watch this part from 36:09.
What does a 2027 timeline look like?
Answering a student’s question, Shanthi Mohan split an 18-month plan for a four-year degree, starting in the fifth or sixth semester. The first six months go on research: countries, universities, costs and scholarships, tracked in a spreadsheet. Finish your tests a year before you apply. Use the next six months for documents and your motivation letter, apply in November or December, and expect decisions by March or April. The visa takes three to four months, so apply early enough to arrive before orientation, and look for accommodation as soon as you have an admit, because it fills quickly. Our step-by-step guide to the German student visa covers that stage. Watch this part from 1:03:13.
What got three Galvanize students into German universities?
Shanthi Mohan shared three admits, and the thread through all of them was strong academics plus a programme that fits the profile:
- Electrical engineering to data science, LMU Munich. An IIT Madras graduate moved fields by showing a clear transition to data science in their profile, backed by strong academics and test scores.
- Mechanical engineering to physics. An IIT graduate with a 9.1 CGPA and some research work was admitted with an IELTS score of 6.0, because the record showed a real turn toward physics and the motivation letter explained it.
- Mechatronics to autonomous systems, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. A natural progression, with a strong technical base and an IELTS score of 8.
Her point about fit applies to every applicant: when what the programme expects and what you bring match closely, “your admission becomes, I would say, a natural result.” Watch this part from 49:26.
For the full picture of the country, start with our study in Germany guide. If you want to know where your own profile stands for a German master’s, book a free admissions consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start planning a master's in Germany?
Start 18 to 24 months before you want to begin. Shanthi Mohan’s reason is research: choosing a country, programme and university from India can take six or seven months on its own, and APS, the dMAT, applications and the visa each add months after that.
How should I split an 18-month plan for a German master's?
Spend the first six months researching countries, universities, costs and scholarships, and track it in a spreadsheet. Finish your English test a year before you apply. Use the next six months for documents and your motivation letter, apply in November or December, and expect decisions by March or April.
Do German universities accept the TOEFL, or only IELTS?
Both. English-taught programmes in Germany accept IELTS Academic or the TOEFL iBT, so the TOEFL is not only for the US. Take the academic version of either test and check each programme’s minimum. The TOEFL iBT has taken under two hours since July 2023. From January 2026 it is shorter again, about 90 minutes, and scores are reported on a new 1 to 6 scale, with a comparable 0 to 120 score during a two-year transition.
Can I study a master's in Germany without knowing German?
Yes, on an English-taught programme. Shanthi Mohan noted that English-taught master’s programmes have grown so much that German is no longer the default requirement. The competition has moved to English scores instead, so applicants in the top ranges of IELTS or TOEFL are the stronger candidates.
Should I skip a German university that is not in the world rankings?
No. Third-party rankings include only the universities that take part, and they weight research output, while many German universities focus on applied, hands-on teaching. Check the programme itself, and write to the university’s international or admissions office with your questions before you decide.
What marks do German universities expect from Indian applicants?
It varies by university. Shanthi Mohan said some programmes take only applicants above 85%, and the most competitive look for 90 to 95%. Programmes also check your coursework: a data science master’s run by a statistics department expects strong mathematics and statistics credits from your bachelor’s.
What is the VPD from uni-assist?
The VPD is a preliminary review of your academic documents that uni-assist issues for the German universities that use it. If a university on your list does not work with uni-assist, ask its admissions office what it needs instead. DAAD’s website explains the steps for each route.
What is APS, and how long does it take?
APS India verifies that your academic documents are genuine and your degree is recognised, and its certificate is required for a German student visa. Check first that your institution is listed as H+ in the anabin database. APS can take more than a month, so start at least three months before your first deadline.
Does the dMAT apply to me?
It applies if you are applying for a master’s from the summer semester 2027 onward and your bachelor’s is in engineering, commerce, accounting, finance, economics, or business and management. You are exempt if you registered for APS online, or shipped your APS documents, before 29 June 2026. Our dMAT and APS guide has the details.
Can I apply to a German master's with a three-year bachelor's degree?
Often, yes, if your credits meet the programme’s requirement. German universities count ECTS credits, and how your Indian credits convert depends on your university, your programme and whether it was an honours degree. Check each programme’s credit requirement and APS India’s rules before you apply.
How much money do I need in a German blocked account?
The German Missions in India require €11,904 for a year, of which you can withdraw no more than €992 a month. Instead of a blocked account, a sponsor living in Germany can give a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung). An Indian affidavit of support is not accepted in its place.
Can a part-time job pay for my studies in Germany?
Not fully, and you should not plan as if it will. Shanthi Mohan pointed out that research assistant roles and part-time work can bring in a stipend, but rarely cover rent and living costs. Budget so your own funds cover the whole year even if no job comes through.
