Key highlights
- The DAAD scholarships are for foreign graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries from all disciplines to obtain a university qualification (Master’s/Ph.D.) in Germany.
- The applicant must have at least two years of professional experience before being given the chance to take a postgraduate or Master’s degree at a state or state-recognized German university, and in exceptional cases to take a doctoral degree.
- The scholarships include monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates; payments towards health, travel, and other expenses
Scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are available to foreign graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries in all disciplines to pursue a university qualification (Master’s/Ph.D.) in Germany.
Before being considered for a postgraduate or Master’s degree at a state or state-recognized German university, the applicant must have at least two years of professional experience, and in exceptional cases, a doctoral degree.
Field(s) of Study:
Masters or Ph.D. courses in Economic Sciences/Business Administration/Political Economics; Development Cooperation; Engineering and Related Sciences; Mathematics; Regional and Urban Planning; Agricultural and Forest Sciences; Natural and Environmental Sciences; Medicine and Public Health; Social Sciences, Education and Law; and Media Studies.
Eligibility Criteria
The scholarships include monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates and 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates, as well as payments for health, accident, and personal liability insurance and travel allowances unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding.
The scholarship period for a Master’s is 12 to 24 months (depending on the institution) and 42 months for Ph.D.
The typical scholarship holder must:
- Currently be employed by a public authority, a state, or a private company in a developing country, where they are responsible for planning and carrying out projects and directives with a focus on development policies affecting technological, economic, or social fields.
- Possesses a Bachelor’s degree (typically earned over four years) in a related field.
- Have earned a bachelor’s degree at the time of application, with significantly above-average grades and at least two years of relevant professional experience.
- His or her academic credentials shouldn’t be older than six years.
- Before starting a study course in German, the applicant must have passed the language test DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 with a passing grade. The scholarship includes a 6-month German language course. As a result, applicants must have at least a B1 level of German at the time of application, and this requirement must be supported by a certificate.
- For English-language courses: Evidence of sufficient language proficiency in accordance with the requirements of the relevant courses
Application instructions:
Applications must be made directly to the respective course. The respective course websites have information on the application procedure, the application deadline, and the documents that need to be submitted. The deadline varies depending on the course but falls around August-October 2023.
It is important to read the FAQs and the 2024/2025 brochure and visit the official website to access the application form and for complete information on how to apply for this scholarship.
Apply here before the deadline.
The deadline depends on the chosen study program; so please check the scholarship brochure or the website of your chosen study program. The deadline is usually between August to October every year.
About DAAD
Through its development-oriented postgraduate study programs, the DAAD promotes the training of specialists from developing and newly industrialized countries.
Local experts who are well-trained and networked with international partners play an important role in their countries’ long-term development because they are the best guarantee for a better future with less poverty, more education, and better health for all.
