With its postgraduate study programs focused on development, DAAD encourages the education of specialists from emerging and newly industrialized nations. These well-prepared local experts, connected with international partners, play a crucial role in the sustainable advancement of their countries. They are essential for ensuring a future with reduced poverty, enhanced education, and better health for all. DAAD scholarships offer foreign graduates from emerging and newly industrialized nations, from all academic disciplines, with a minimum of two years of professional experience, the opportunity to pursue postgraduate or master’s degrees at a state or state-recognized German university, and in exceptional cases, to complete a doctoral degree, enabling them to obtain a university qualification (Master’s/PhD) in Germany.
Benefits
Depending on the academic level, scholarship recipients receive monthly payments of 934 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates. Coverage for health, accident, and personal liability insurance. A travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding. Under certain circumstances, scholarship recipients may receive the following additional benefits: Monthly rent subsidy. Monthly allowance for accompanying family members.
Requirements
The typical scholarship holder:
- Works for a public authority or a state or private company in a developing country, and is engaged in the planning and execution of directives and projects focusing on development policies with implications for technological, economic, or social areas.
- Holds a Bachelor’s degree (typically four years) in a related subject.
- Has achieved an academic degree with results significantly above average (upper third) and possesses at least two years of related professional experience after obtaining the first degree (bachelor) at the time of application.
- The academic degrees should typically not be more than six years old. Applicants who have been residing in Germany for more than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.
Language Skills
- For study programs in German (the scholarship includes a preparatory 6-month German language course in Germany): Successful completion of the DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 language examination before the start of the study program. Therefore, a minimum German language level of B1 at the time of application is a requirement and must be demonstrated by providing a current certificate.
Please be aware that successfully completing the mandatory German language courses (DSH or TestDaF) without prior basic knowledge of the German language (at least B1 Level) is not feasible, even with the preceding six-month intensive course in Germany. It is essential to pass the language test as a formal prerequisite for enrollment at the respective German university.
- For courses conducted in English, the required language proficiency is an IELTS (Band 6) certificate or a TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 80 (internet-based). Please note that certain courses may necessitate a different level of English language proficiency. For comprehensive information, refer to the relevant course descriptions in the following pages.
Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree and have a minimum of two years of professional experience in eligible countries.
Selection Candidates
- must meet the required academic criteria and demonstrate their ability to successfully complete a study program in Germany (outstanding results for the first academic exam, top performance third, language skills).
- Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree (typically a four-year program) in a suitable field. Candidates should have at least two years of professional experience.
- Candidates must provide evidence of their motivation for development-related endeavors and be capable of assuming social responsibility, as well as initiating and supporting processes of change in their personal and professional environments after completing their training or scholarship.
Application Documents Required
The subsequent documents are required for your application:
- A completed and signed checklist.
- DAAD application form for a research / study scholarship (please type or ensure the answers are legible).
- A curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order without unexplained gaps (please use the Europass template, providing precise information about your studies and practical experience).
- A Letter of Motivation detailing academic, professional, and personal reasons for applying to the program. Important: If applying to more than one postgraduate course (up to three courses maximum), please include detailed reasons for your choice of courses and prioritization in the Letter of Motivation. A single Letter of Motivation should be submitted for all postgraduate degree programs of your choice.
Letter of recommendation from your current employer, with official letterhead, signature, official stamp, and a recent date (not in a sealed envelope).
- Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) confirming at least two years of relevant work experience after obtaining your Bachelor’s degree up to the time of application, and, if possible, a guarantee of re-employment by your current employer upon your return to your home country. The employment certificate from your current employer should ideally include a commitment to re-employment after your return home.
- Recent evidence of Language Skills:
- English: IELTS or TOEFL (Please note that the institutional TOEFL is not accepted)
- German: Mandatory for courses conducted in German.
- Duplicates of your higher education degree diplomas.
- Please provide a certified translation if the original documents are not in German or English, and ensure they are clearly legible.
- A complete set of transcripts of records Please include an explanation of the grading system if it is not part.
Application Procedure
Click Here to Access the Application Portal
- Directly submit your complete application(s) to the respective postgraduate course.
- A selection committee will identify potential candidates for a DAAD scholarship.
- The suggested candidates will receive communication from DAAD to upload their comprehensive applications to the DAAD Portal.
- The selection process will be concluded, and the recommended candidates will be notified accordingly.
Please note:
Ensure that you have readily available copies of all your application documents in PDF format, as these documents will need to be uploaded to the DAAD Portal if you are nominated for a DAAD scholarship.
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