This specialized DAAD program offers German Studies Research Grants to highly-qualified undergraduate and graduate students who are nominated by the professor supervising their research project. The grant may be used for short-term research (one to two months) in Germany. The program is designed to encourage research and promote the study of cultural, political, historical, economic and social aspects of modern and contemporary German affairs from an inter- and multidisciplinary perspective.
Table of Content
Summary
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Benefits
A contribution towards travel and accommodation expenses of from 2,000 to 3,000 USD depending on length of stay.
Requirements
- Undergraduates with at least junior (third-year) standing pursuing a German Studies track or minor may be nominated for the grant by the professor supervising their research project.
- Master’s level graduate students in the humanities and social sciences earning a certificate or working on a project in German Studies may be nominated for the grant by the professor supervising their research project.
- PhD students in the humanities and social science disciplines in the process of preparing their dissertation proposals on modern German topics may be nominated for the grant by their principal advisor. Students whose dissertation proposals have already been formally accepted one year or more before the application deadline are not eligible for nomination. The intent of the program is to provide an opportunity for short-term exploratory research to determine the viability or to delimit the scope of their proposed dissertations. The program is not intended to supplement or substitute for regular dissertation field work abroad which should lag the short-term research stay by at least one semester.
- All applicants are expected to have completed two years of college-level German language studies and a minimum of three courses in German Studies (literature, history, politics or other fields) at the time of nomination.
* Advanced doctoral students are advised to consider DAAD’s Research Grants instead.
* Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the US and Canada who are enrolled full-time at the US or Canadian college or university that nominates them, or, in the case of international students, must be enrolled in a degree program at a US or Canadian college or university and living in the US or Canada for a minimum of six months by the time of the application deadline.
Application Documents
- Completed DAAD application form
- Curriculum vitae (résumé)
- Detailed description of the research project or the pre-dissertation proposal, including a research plan, timeline, and itinerary with specific start and end dates
- Budget statement
- List of German language and German Studies courses taken
- Two letters of recommendation, including one from the professor supervising the German Studies research project or curriculum. Please ask your reviewers to send a scan of the signed letter to grandeldaad.de.
- DAAD language evaluation form (“Sprachzeugnis”). The language evaluation form is a mandatory part of the application form, and must be completed and signed by a faculty member of the German Department at the applicant’s institution.
- Master’s level graduate students and PhD students: Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work completed
- Undergraduates: Official transcripts of all undergraduate work completed
- Optional: an applicant may also choose to include a host invitation letter from a contact/advisor in Germany where their research will be conducted, if preferred to strengthen their application, though this is not required and will not be considered against an applicant if not included
Application Deadline
November 1, 2025How To Apply
All applications must be handed in 1) via regular mail to daad.newyorkdaad.de and 2) via email to grandeldaad.de in a single pdf-file.
In order for your application to be complete, you must hand in an electronic and a paper version of your application.
All applications must be sent to:
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
German Studies Research Grant
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Download Application Documents:
Inquiries:
For more information, kindly visit DAAD scholarship portal.
