The programme is aimed at early career researchers as well as established academics and scientists from countries on the OECD DAC list in Sub Saharan Africa:Latin America and Asia are additionally envisaged as target regions. It funds short research stays in Germany as well as preparatory and cooperation visits to support the implementation of development related research projects and the establishment of international scientific collaborations.
Scholarship holders will deepen their subject specific, methodological and analytical skills, expand their scientific networks and increase their visibility in the international research context. After completion of the funding period, they will apply the knowledge and contacts gained at their home institutions and contribute there to research, teaching, knowledge transfer and institutional development.
The programme is financed by funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Funding Contingency
The implementation of the scholarship programme and the awarding of scholarships are subject to the approval of the requested funding by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Until a legally binding grant notification has been issued by the BMZ, there is no entitlement to funding. No legal claims can be derived from the application or any selection decision, in particular no claims to the conclusion of a scholarship agreement or the payment of scholarship funds.
What can be funded?
The programme is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide an internationally recognised framework for addressing global challenges in areas such as health, education, climate, governance, social inclusion and innovation systems.
Both programme lines support research and cooperation projects that have a clear reference to at least one SDG and are expected to yield concrete development related benefits. The SDG reference serves as a substantive orientation for evaluating proposals and underscores the programme’s aim to support development relevant and transfer oriented research.
The programme includes two programme lines:
- Programme Line 1: Preparatory and Cooperation Visits
Funding is provided for stays at a public or state recognised university or non university research institution in Germany, aimed at identifying and developing joint research topics/projects (including the development of joint publication ideas and third party funding proposals) with high development relevance and establishing international cooperation and networks.
- Programme Line 2: Research Stays
Funding is provided for research stays to carry out an independent research project (with high development relevance and a clear transfer concept for implementing results in the home region) at a public or state recognised university or non university research institution in Germany, in coordination with the host academic supervisor. These stays may also include preparatory and cooperation elements as needed.
Travel for attending conferences or giving presentations is not funded in either programme line.
Duration of the funding
- Programme Line 1:
Preparatory and cooperation visits: 1 to 2 months
- Programme Line 2:
Research stays: 2 to 6 months
The funding period in both programme lines cannot be split into multiple segments. Stays conducted in different countries outside Germany are not eligible for funding. Please indicate your desired funding period in the application form. The funding period will be determined by the selection committee during the selection process, taking your work schedule into account.
The period of funding must begin in 2026 (in July/August - depends on the programme region) and be completed by 31 January 2027. Funding or extension beyond 31 January 2027 is not possible.
Scholarships cannot be extended.
Table of Content
Summary
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Benefits
- Monthly scholarship payments of 1.400 euros for doctoral candidates and postdocs, 2.000 euros for assistant professors and lecturers, and 2.150 euros for full professors
(* Definition of postdoctoral researchers: the PhD must have been completed no more than four years before the application deadline)
- Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
- Travel allowance
Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after start of funding:
- In case of a disability or chronic illness: on application, a subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs incurred abroad that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and that are not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent a subsidy will be paid, will be reviewed and determined on an individual basis.
Benefits from third parties are partially credited towards the DAAD scholarship.
Requirements
- Applications are open to doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, university teachers and established academics and scientists from countries on the OECD DAC list—primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, but also in Latin America and Asia, who are employed at a university or a research institute.
- Women, socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals and persons from disadvantaged regions or groups are especially encouraged to apply.
- You are not eligible to apply if you are already in Germany at the time of application or are conducting your entire doctoral or postdoctoral research at a German higher education institution.
Selection Process
An independent selection committee consisting of specialist scientists reviews the applications.
Selection Criteria – Programme Line 1: Preparatory and Cooperation Visits
Academic Qualification
- specific academic achievements relevant to the project, to be demonstrated in the CV
Quality and Development Relevance of the Proposal
- quality of the proposal and development relevance (To what extent does the project have a clear link to development challenges in the region of origin and to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?)
- plausibility of the choice of host institutions in Germany
- extent of academic coordination and prior contact
- consistency, feasibility and appropriateness of the work and time plan
Potential and Sustainability
- potential to effectively integrate results into the academic and institutional context of the home country
- contribution to establishing or deepening scientific networks and partnerships between the home region and Germany, and likelihood of continuation beyond the funding period
- contribution to capacity building and sustainable knowledge transfer in the home region, with expected multiplier effects
Selection Criteria – Programme Line 2: Research Stays
Academic Qualification:
- for doctoral candidates and postdocs: academic grades (Master’s and PhD)
- scientific achievements (e.g. publications, presentations)
Quality of the research proposal:
- quality, originality, currency and development relevance of the research proposal, including the choice of host institution and prior contact
- clear, realistic transfer concept outlining concrete measures for implementing results in the home region
- feasibility and consistency of the work and time plan
- for doctoral students: integration of the research project into the overall doctoral project (in terms of content/time)
Potential of the applicant:
- career prospects: significance of the research and stay in Germany for academic and professional development
- motivation: academic and personal reasons for the stay, and relevance of the project for institutional capacity building in the home country
- extracurricular engagement: additional skills and societal commitment
The selection committee also gives due consideration to equal opportunities; you can provide relevant information in the application form.
Application Documents
Certificates, proof of credits, certifications and translations may be scanned in non-certified form and uploaded to the DAAD portal. The DAAD reserves the right to request certified copies of the documents.
If you submit documents in your national language, please include German or English translations.
Documents to be uploaded to the DAAD portal:
Programme Line 1: Preparatory and Cooperation Visits
- online application form
- curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages): complete, in tabular form
- detailed description of the project justifying the purpose and objectives of the stay (max. 1–2 pages): Please outline the objectives pursued with the preparatory/cooperation visit and explain how the results achieved and the cooperations initiated are expected, after your return, to contribute to the strengthening of scientific structures and to the promotion of early-career researchers in your region of origin. Please also refer to the specific development challenges in your home region addressed by the project (including reference to the relevant Sustainable Development Goal(s) (SDGs).
- clearly structured time schedule and itinerary (host institutions / academic hosts) of the planned research stay (to be uploaded in the portal under “Schedule”)
- written confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must explicitly refer to your project (including the working language) and confirm that a workplace will be provided by the host institution in Germany
- proof of affiliation with a higher education institution (e.g. proof of employment, admission to doctoral studies, certificate of enrolment, etc.)
- Declaration from the scientific supervisor or host in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project. Please upload the document in addition to the confirmation from the academic host in the portal under ‘Scientific ethics/research safety ‘.
Programme Line 2: Research Stays
- online application form
- curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages): complete, in tabular form
- list of publications (max. 2 pages) of your most important published work
- letter of motivation (max. 1 page): statement about the academic and personal reasons for the planned research project in Germany, taking account of the following question: What do you hope to gain from your project in Germany (personally, professionally, for your career)? Please upload the letter of motivation under 'study project/motivation' in the DAAD portal.
- Proposal including a transfer concept (total max. 5 pages): Please submit a detailed and precise description (independently prepared and written by yourself) of your research project, which has been coordinated with the academic host in Germany. Please explain the relevance of the project to specific development challenges (including reference to the relevant SDG(s)) addressed by the project. Furthermore, please describe, by means of concrete measures, how you will use the knowledge and contacts gained after your return to contribute to scientific and institutional capacity building in your country of origin (transfer concept). Please also read our important scholarship information / section B, point 2. Please upload the proposal under 'research project' in the DAAD portal.
- time schedule of planned research work (informal)
- confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must refer to your project and guarantee that the host institute in Germany will provide you with a workplace. Also read our important scholarship information / section C, point 3. Please upload the confirmation from the academic host under 'acceptance of host institution' in the DAAD portal.
- Declaration from the scientific supervisor or host in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project. Please upload the document in addition to the confirmation from the academic host in the portal under ‘Scientific ethics/research safety ‘.
Doctoral Candidates and Postdoctoral Researchers must additionally submit:
- university degree certificates (e.g. Master's, doctorate) stating your final grade(s); please submit only the most recent degree certificate. If you do not have your most recent degree certificate (doctoral candidates: Master's; postdocs: doctorate) at the time of application, you must submit it before the start of your scholarship. Please upload your certificate(s) under 'university degree certificates' in the DAAD portal.
- Proof of admission to doctoral studies / enrolment in a doctoral programme / letter of supervision from a faculty member at the home university (doctoral candidates only). Please upload the document in the portal under “Admission”
- One recent supporting letter of recommendation (on a DAAD-form) from a university teacher (for doctoral students, from the supervisor of your doctoral thesis) which provides information about your qualifications. Please regard the instructions given on the tab 'Submitting an application'.
Applications must be submitted online via the DAAD Portal.
Please note that the access to the application portal only appears while the current application period is running. After the application deadline has expired, the portal for this programme is not available until the next application period.
Please note
- Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents to the DAAD portal by the application deadline.
- The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. (CET or CEST) on the last application day. If possible, please do not send your application on the final date in case technical problems occur.
- Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are complete.
- The application documents remain with the DAAD. Data relating to applicants is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act and with the EU Data Protection Regulation insofar as this data is needed to process the application.
Check also:
2026 Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship
2026 Konrad Adenauer Foundation Scholarship
Application Deadline
April 30, 2026How To Apply
1. Register in the DAAD portal
- GROW – Global Research Opportunities for the South Programm Line 1
- GROW – Global Research Opportunities for the South Programme Line 2
2. Request recommendation form
- You can generate the recommendation form in the DAAD Portal as a writable PDF under 'Request recommendation form'. It can only be generated during the application period. Please send it to your university teacher and ask him or her to complete the form in full. When you have received it back, upload it in the portal under 'Letter of Recommendation'.
3. Applying online in the DAAD portal
- Download and complete the online application form
- Prepare application documents
- If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
- Scan paper documents and save in PDF format. Please note that you can only upload PDF files to the portal.
- Upload the completed application form and the other application documents to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.
- Submit the uploaded application documents online.
Please note:
If you have any technical questions or problems your local information and advice centres could not help you with, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] via e-mail.
You can also call the technical portal hotline on weekdays from 9-12 and 14-16 (CET/CEST) on +49 (0) 228 882-8888.
Please consider possible processing times of your request when you are planning your application.
For more information, kindly visit DAAD scholarship portal.
