How To Apply For DAAD Scholarships

Do you want to study, do research, or learn German in Germany? Are you seeking funding? Every year, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) assists well over 100,000 German and foreign students and researchers worldwide, making it the world's biggest financial organization of its kind. Learn more about our scholarship opportunities by reading this article.

Scholarship Overview

Graduates, doctorate students, and postdocs are the primary recipients of DAAD scholarships, which are provided for study and research trips to German universities and non-university research institutes. Internships are also paid for in some courses.

The DAAD scholarship is one of the best scholarships one can get as it covers everything necessary throughout your stay in school. If you look forward to studying in Germany, this is a great opportunity for you.

This scholarship allows you to study a master's or PhD at one of Germany's best universities. DAAD scholarships include a monthly payment of 934 euros for graduates and 1,300 euros for doctorate candidates.

Professionals with extensive training who have connections with foreign partners are crucial to their nations' long-term growth. They are the best assurance of a brighter future with less poverty, greater education, and improved health for everybody. The DAAD encourages the training of experts from established and newly industrialized nations through development-oriented postgraduate study programs.

DAAD offers different funding and scholarships which include;

DAAD provides one-year research grants to PhD candidates from several nations.F
unding for a full PhD program in Germany is largely available to applicants from developing and threshold countries.
Scholarships for a Master's degree in Germany are available, particularly for students from industrialized nations.

1. About One-year research Grant for PhD Candidates

Objective

This particular programme allows you to do research primarily as part of doctoral programs in Germany and the scholarships are supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Who may apply?

To be eligible for financing, you must have finished a Master's, diploma, and Bachelor's degree at the start of the funding term, or be currently pursuing a doctorate.

Postdocs may not be eligible to apply.

What can be funded?

Funding is provided under the program for a research project or ongoing academic training at a non-university research institute or a state or state-recognized higher education institution in Germany, provided that the arrangement is followed.

Scholarship Value

Doctoral candidates receive a monthly income of up to 1,300 euros, depending on their academic level.
Payments for health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage.
Travel allowance, unless the costs are reimbursed by the home nation or another source of support.
One-time research allowance (if you are from a DAC nation, you will receive € 460; for all other countries, the award is € 260).
Under some conditions, you can seek for the following additional advantages once funding begins:

Monthly rental subsidy
A monthly payment for accompanying family members.

DAAD provides the following aids to help you study German ahead of your stay in Germany:

Pay course costs for online language courses after receiving the Scholarship Award Letter.
If necessary; language training (2, 4, or 6 months) prior to the commencement of the research stay in Germany; the DAAD chooses whether to pay the grant holder's participation and for how long, based on language abilities and project.
If a language course scholarship is awarded and German is the working language at the host institute, attendance is mandatory.
Allowance for a privately selected German language course throughout the financing period.

Scholarship Selection Criteria

The DAAD scholarship applications are reviewed by an impartial selection committee made up of professional scientists.

The selection criteria are:

1. Qualification:

Academic accomplishments (grade point average and grade progression)
Academic advancement.
Knowing the language(s) of teaching or working language(s)
If appropriate, scholarly accomplishments following graduation (e.g., publications, talks, conference papers).

2. Quality of the research project

The originality, topicality, and relevance of the project, the selection of the host institution, and the initial interactions) of the research proposal and its development.
Efficiency and coherence of the study schedule and plan.
Incorporating the project into the overall doctorate (in terms of content and duration), if applicable.

3. Potential of the candidate

Career prospects: importance of the research project and stay in Germany for further academic, professional, and personal growth.
Motivation: intellectual and personal reasons for wishing to visit Germany; German language abilities (if different from working language).
Non-study activities: Civic participation, non-study-related knowledge and abilities.

The selection committee also considers equal opportunities; you can provide relevant information in your application form.

2. Fully funded Masters and PhD Programme

The scholarships allow foreign graduates from newly industrialized countries and developed in all disciplines to pursue a postgraduate or Master's degree at a state or state-recognized German university, or in exceptional cases, a doctoral degree and a university qualification (Master's/PhD) in Germany.

DAAD Scholarship Coverage

Benefits awarded to the recipient of the DAAD Scholarship 2026 for Masters and PhD in Germany include:

Monthly compensation ranges from 934 euros for graduates to 1,300 euros for doctorate students, depending on their academic level.
Travel allowance, unless these expenditures get covered by your home nation or another source of support.
Payments for health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage.
One-time study allowance.
Under certain conditions, scholarship recipients may obtain the following additional benefits:
Monthly rental subsidy.
A monthly stipend for accompanying family members

DAAD Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

Required languages: English or German.
English is the primary language of instruction in international programs. You are normally needed to present an English language certificate, such as IELTS or TOEFL.
If your program uses German as their language of teaching. You are normally needed to produce a German language certificate, such as DSH or TestDaF.
Eligible countries: Click here for a list of qualified developing nations.
Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree (typically a four-year program) or a Master's degree in a relevant field.
Candidates have a minimum of two years of professional experience.
Candidates can demonstrate that their motivation is development-related, and they will be required to take on social responsibility as well as initiate and support change processes in their personal and professional environments following their training/scholarship.

How to apply for the DAAD Scholarship

If you want to apply for the DAAD Scholarship, below are the right steps to take;

Before starting, its important to note that you can apply for more than one course. This should be done in order of priority in the application form (you can apply for up to 3 courses).

Step-by-Step Application and Selection Process for the DAAD Scholarship

Choose courses that interest you. (You can apply for up to three courses.)
Apply to institutions that offer the courses you want.
You submit your full application (with the documents listed below) directly to the colleges.
A selection committee recommends applicants for a DAAD scholarship.
DAAD will contact the suggested applicants and request that they upload their entire applications to the DAAD Portal. (DAAD will be providing a link to the DAAD Portal via email.)
The selection process will be completed, and the recommended applicants will be notified appropriately.

Documents needed for the Scholarship Application

Signed and updated DAAD application form
Personally signed CV (please use the example europass form at http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/), with the current date
With the current date, write a personally signed Letter of Motivation (concerning your present profession and your preferred postgraduate program(s), two pages maximum.
Note: If you are applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum of three), you must submit a single motivation letter describing why you are applying for these specific courses and why you have chosen that priority.
Letter of recommendation from your present employer; the letter must contain letterhead, a signature, an official stamp, and be current (not in a sealed envelope).
Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) demonstrating a minimum of two years of relevant working experience (after completing a bachelor's degree) at the time of application, as well as a promise of re-employment from your present employer upon return home.
Language Skills Proof: English - IELTS or TOEFL (Note: Institutional TOEFL is not approved).
German - Required for courses taught in German.
Copies of academic degrees
Copies of academic transcripts, including the grading system.
Applicants from the People's Republic of China are required to provide an APS Certificate with their application.

$ads={1}

Scholarship Summary

Level: PhD and Masters

Scholarship Type: Full scholarship

Country of Study: Germany

Courses offered: View the list

Duration of study: 12-36 months depending on the duration your chosen program

Deadline: Scholarship Application deadline