This scholarship programme offers you the opportunity to continue your academic education in Germany with a postgraduate course of study. The scholarships are funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Table of Content
Summary
- Application DeadlineNovember 16, 2025
- Study LevelMasters
- SponsorDAAD
- Eligible CountryAll Countries
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Benefits
Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after start of funding:
- Monthly rent subsidy (please read the important scholarship information / section F, point 9)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 3
- 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 (see important information for scholarship applicants, section F, point 8)
- Green Mobility Top Up (Support for climate-friendly travel) or reimbursement of carbon offset payments for air travel
To allow you to improve your language skills in preparation for your stay in Germany, the DAAD offers the following benefits:
- Payment of course fees for an online language course after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter
- if necessary: German language course (2, 4 or 6 months) before the start of the study visit in Germany; the DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long depending on German language skills and project. Participation in a language course is compulsory if the study programme is taught in German.
- Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the scholarship period
- Reimbursement of the fee for a TestDaF or DSH test, which you can take either in your home country after you have received your Letter of Award or in Germany during your funding period.
Please note that the DAAD does not cover tuition fees (important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 7).]
Requirements
- As a rule, your university degree should not date back more than 6 years at the time of the application deadline. Please read our important information for scholarship applicants / Section A, point 2.
- You yourself are responsible for ensuring your application for admission to the German university for your chosen study programme is submitted by the due date. It is therefore important that you find out about admission requirements, application and enrolment deadlines at your host university and regulations regarding entry into Germany in good time. If you have not yet received notification of admission at the time of application, you must submit this before the funding period begins. A Scholarship Award Letter from the DAAD is only valid if you have been admitted to study at the host university named in your application.
- If the degree programme includes a period of study or work placement outside Germany lasting several months, this period abroad is usually only funded under the following conditions:
- The study visit is essential for achievement of the scholarship objective,
- the visit does not take place in the home country, and
- it is no longer than a quarter of the scholarship period (for joint and double-degree programmes up to 50%, if this is specified in the study regulations). Longer periods cannot be funded, not even partially.
- Your application cannot be considered, if you have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline.
Language skills:
The language of instruction for study programmes in Germany is German. In international programmes, the language of instruction is English, or German and English.
When you apply to the DAAD for a scholarship, you must provide proof of your level of proficiency in the language of instruction (German, English, or German and English) in your chosen study programme.
- If the language of instruction is German, the following certificates are usually eligible: TestDaF, DSH, Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (DSD), Goethe-Zertifikat, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom, telc Deutsch and onSET Deutsch.
- If the language of instruction is English, the following certificates can be submitted, for example: Cambridge English, Cambridge Business, IELTS, ISE, TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, TOEIC, PTE Academic and onSET English.
In the section 'Application procedure' under 'Application documents', find out whether specific certification is required for your country of origin.
Interview Dates and Process
An independent selection committee consisting of specialist scientists reviews applications.
The Selection criteria are:
Academic qualification
- Academic achievements
- School leaving certificate, if applicable
- Course of studies
- Knowledge of the language(s) of instruction or working language(s)
- If applicable, relevant internships, work experience
Quality of the study project
- Quality of the study project and of the preparation (preliminary information, choice of degree programme, host university and establishment of contacts)
- Integration of the project into the academic career path
Potential of the applicant
- Motivation: academic and personal reasons for the stay in Germany, German language skills (if different from the working language);
- Prospects: Significance of the stay in Germany for further academic, professional and personal development.
- Extracurricular commitment: extracurricular knowledge and skills, social commitment.
In addition, the selection committee will give due consideration to aspects of equal opportunities, on which you can provide information in the application form.
For further information on the selection procedure, please refer to the Important Scholarship Information / Section E.
Application Documents
- Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)
- Statement about academic and personal reasons for the planned study project in Germany (letter of motivation; 1 - 3 pages). Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants / Section B, Point 1. Please upload the letter of motivation under 'study project/motivation' in the DAAD portal.
- Letter of admission to the study programme at the host university in Germany. If you have not yet received notification of admission at the time of application, you must submit this before the funding period begins.
- If you are planning to do a second degree or Master’s programme in Germany, you must submit the form 'Information about your preferred master programmes'. Please upload the form duly completed under 'course profile' in the DAAD portal.
- If you are planning to spend time studying in Germany as part of a second or Master's degree programme abroad, you must submit proof that credits acquired in Germany will be recognised by your home university.
- Current overview of grades/ transcript of records with individual grades (to be uploaded under 'university degree certificates' in the DAAD portal)
- University degree certificate indicating final grade(s): the certificate must be subsequently submitted by the time funding starts if you have not yet completed your programme at the time of application. Please upload your certificate under 'university degree certificates' in the DAAD portal.
- Proof of knowledge of language(s) of instruction in the chosen study programme (should be no older than 2 years). Please refer to 'Application requirements' to find out which proofs can generally be submitted. Depending on the country, specific documents may be required, which are listed below, if applicable. Please submit certificates via the DAAD portal even if the university does not require proof of language skills.
- One recent, supporting letter of recommendation from a university teacher which provides information about your qualifications. Please regard the instructions given on the tab 'Submitting an application'.
Optional:
- Other documents you think might be of relevance to your application (e.g. certificates of employment, proof of extracurricular engagement)
Application Deadline
November 16, 2025How To Apply
Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to
DAAD on mydaad.b2clogin.com to apply
Applications for this scholarship programme are possible in the period June until the stated application deadline.
Click on 'Application portal' at the bottom of the page to go to the DAAD portal. There you will be provided with an online application form to enter your application data.
This is what you have to do:
1. Register in the DAAD portal (Read notes about registering in the portal >>)
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 (Read notes on applying in the portal >>)
- Prepare application documents
- If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
- Scan paper documents and save in PDF format. You can only upload PDF files to the portal.
- Fill out the application form and upload the 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 application 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 webpage.
