1.1 About DAAD Scholarship
1.2 Scholarship Benefits
1.3 Required Documents
1.4 Important Scholarship Tips
1.5 Eligibility Criteria
1.6 Selection Criteria
1.7 Method of Application
1.8 Application Deadline
About DAAD Scholarship
The DAAD supports the education and specialization of professionals from developing and newly industrialized nations through its comprehensive range of postgraduate programs. The aim is to foster well-trained local experts who can collaborate with international partners to drive sustainable development in their respective countries. These individuals represent the most promising prospects for creating a brighter future, characterized by reduced poverty and improved access to education and healthcare for all. The scholarships provided by the DAAD enable qualified graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries, regardless of their field of study, to pursue postgraduate or Master’s degrees at German universities recognized by the state. In exceptional cases, the scholarships may also cover doctoral programs, allowing recipients to obtain a higher education qualification (Master’s/PhD) in Germany.
Scholarship Benefits
The DAAD Scholarship covers:
- Full tuition fee
- Monthly payments of 934 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates
- Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
- Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding
Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:
- Monthly rent subsidy
- Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family
Required Documents
To apply for DAAD scholarship, ensure you have the following documents ready (in the following order):
- Completed and signed checklist
- DAAD application “Application for a research/study scholarship” (please type your answers or make sure they are easy to read)
- A curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order without any unexplained gaps (please use the europass template including exact information about your studies, and on practical experience
- One Letter of Motivation with detailed reference to academic, professional and personal reasons for applying for the program.
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IMPORTANT: When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), please also give detailed reasons for your choice of courses and prioritization in the letter of motivation. Please submit a uniform letter of motivation to all postgraduate degree program of your choice.
- [listLetter of recommendation from your current employer; the letter must include official letterhead, signature and official stamp and must be of current date (not in a sealed envelope)]
- Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) showing at least two years of relevant work experience after the Bachelor’s degree up to the time of application and if possible, a guarantee of re-employment from your current employer upon returning home. The certificate of employment from the current employer should, if possible, include a guarantee of re-employment after returning to the home country.
- Recent proof of Language Skills:
i. English – IELTS or TOEFL (Note: The institutional TOEFL is not accepted)
ii. German – required for courses taught in German
- Copies of your higher education degree certificates. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English, and make sure these are clearly legible.
- Copy of your full set of transcript of records. Please provide an explanation of the grading system if this is not part of the transcript.
- Applicants from the People’s Republic of China are asked to submit an APS Certificate with their application documents
Note: Some courses may require additional documents. For detailed information, please see the relevant course description in the Brochure and on the respective websites.
Important Scholarship Tips
- To ensure consideration, applicants must submit their complete applications in either English or German.
- Incomplete applications will not be taken into account during the evaluation process.
- If applying for multiple postgraduate courses (up to a maximum of 3), candidates are required to include a motivation letter that clearly outlines the reasons for selecting those specific courses and the priority assigned to each choice. Failure to provide this information may result in the application being disregarded or the withdrawal of an already awarded scholarship.
- It is advisable to verify the specific requirements of the respective university to determine if certified copies of documents are necessary.
- Apply directly to the chosen study program
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the DAAD Scholarship:
- The individual should be employed by a public authority, state institution, or private company within a developing country and actively contributes to the formulation and implementation of directives and projects, with a particular focus on development policies impacting technological, economic, or social domains.
- The candidate possesses a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, typically completed within a four-year timeframe.
- The candidate has attained exceptional academic achievements (ranking in the upper third) in their previous degree, and at the time of application, has accumulated at least two years of professional experience directly relevant to their field after obtaining their Bachelor’s degree.
- The candidate’s academic qualifications should generally be obtained within the last six years, ensuring currency and relevance.
- Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered
Language Skill
- Regarding study programs conducted in German (including a 6-month preparatory language course in Germany), it is mandatory for applicants to successfully pass either the DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 language examination prior to commencing their study program. Therefore, it is essential to have a minimum language proficiency level of B1 at the time of application, which must be verified by providing a current language certificate.
- Please note that it is not feasible to pass the required German language courses (DSH or TestDaF) without prior basic knowledge of the German language, even with the preceding intensive course in Germany. Obtaining a passing score in the language test is a formal requirement for enrollment at the respective German university.
- For study programs conducted in English, applicants are required to submit an IELTS certificate with a minimum band score of 6 or a TOEFL certificate with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 80 (internet-based).
- It’s important to note that certain courses may have specific language proficiency requirements, so for more detailed information, please refer to the relevant course description provided on the subsequent pages.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria are considered in the DAAD Scholarship selection process:
- Applicants must have the essential academic prerequisites and demonstrate the potential to successfully undertake a study program in Germany (outstanding performance in their initial academic examination, ranking among the top performers, and language proficiency).
- Applicants hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, typically completed within a four-year duration.
- Applicants possess a minimum of two years of professional experience.
- Applicants can substantiate their dedication to development-oriented pursuits and exhibit a strong inclination towards assuming social responsibility. They are also anticipated to actively instigate and support transformative processes in their personal and professional spheres following their training or scholarship.
Method of Application
- Applicants are advised to exclusively submit their applications directly to the specific course they are interested in. It is important to consult the respective course’s website for detailed information regarding the application process, including any online application procedures, application deadlines, and the required documents.
- Please note that applications sent to the DAAD will not be forwarded to the corresponding course or university.
- Candidates have the option to apply for up to three different courses. If applying for multiple courses, it is crucial to indicate the order of priority for each course in the DAAD application forms (refer to section 7: Choice of host university/institution in Germany). It is essential to maintain the same priorities in the corresponding application forms for each course and refrain from altering them.
Important Links
List of all Postgraduate courses with application deadlines 2024/25
Application Deadline
The deadline varies for different course of study. Please check scholarship brochure or the website of your chosen study program.
