DAAD : Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - Doctoral Programmes Scholarship 2026 in Germany

Would you like to study, carry out research or learn German in Germany and are you looking for funding? Every year, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) supports well over 100,000 German and international students and researchers around the globe – making it the world's largest funding organisation of its kind. Learn more about our scholarship options.

Objective

This scholarship programme offers you the opportunity to complete your doctoral degree in Germany. The scholarships are funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you have above-average qualifications and you completed your Master's degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a Bachelor's degree, at the latest by the time the funding period begins.

What can be funded?

The programme provides funding for a doctoral project at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany. This can be either:

• an individual project supervised by a university teacher (doctoral supervisor), or

• participation in a structured doctoral study programme

Research phases outside Germany can also be funded if these are critical for the successful completion of your doctoral degree. Another requirement is that the visits should constitute no more than one quarter of the anticipated total funding period. You must provide details about the planned visits in your study plan and time schedule in your application documents.

Duration of the funding

• Funding is provided for a maximum of four years; the length of the funding period is decided by a selection committee and depends on your project and study plan.

• Grants are initially awarded for a maximum of three years. Your academic achievements will be assessed once a year. If this shows that you will successfully complete your doctorate within a reasonable period of time, the scholarship will continue as planned. You can apply for an extension of the scholarship for a possible fourth year of funding.

• Funding must begin in 2026.

Value

• Monthly payments of 1,400 euros

• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover (see also our important information for scholarship applicants in website www.daad.de)

• Travel allowance

• annual research allowance of € 460

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after start of funding:

• monthly rent subsidy (please read the important scholarship information in website www.daad.de)

• monthly allowance for accompanying family members. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants in website www.daad.de.

• 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 in website www.daad.de)

To enable you to improve your language skills in preparation for your stay in Germany, DAAD offers the following services:

• Payment of course fees for an online language course after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter

• if necessary: Language course (2, 4 or 6 months) before the start of the research stay in Germany; the DAAD decides whether to fund the grant holder's participation and for how long depending on language skills and project. If a language course scholarship is granted and the working language at the host institute is German, participation is compulsory.

• Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the grant 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 Scholarship Award Letter or in Germany during your funding period.

Benefits from third parties are partially credited towards the DAAD scholarship. Information on this can be found in the important scholarship information in website www.daad.de.

Selection

An independent selection committee consisting of specialist scientists reviews applications.

The selection criteria are:

1. Qualification

• Academic achievements (grade point average, development of grades)

• Academic progress

• Knowledge of the language(s) of instruction or working language(s)

• If applicable, scholarly achievements after graduation, (e.g. publications, lectures, conference papers)

2. Quality of research project

• Quality of research proposal and preparation (originality, topicality and relevance of the project, choice of host institution and first contacts)

• Feasibility and consistency of study plan and schedule

• Incorporation of project within the overall doctorate (in terms of content and time), if relevant

3. Potential of applicant

• Career prospects: significance of the research project and stay in Germany for further academic, professional and personal development

• Motivation: academic and personal reasons for wanting to visit Germany, German language skills (if different from working language)

• Non-study-related activities: non-study-related knowledge and skills, civic engagement

The selection committee also gives due consideration to equal opportunities; you can provide relevant information in the application form.

For more information on the selection procedure, go to Important Scholarship Information in website www.daad.de.

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DAAD Scholarships 2022-2023 (fully funded) - Master's/PhD in Germany

With its development-oriented postgraduate study programmes, the DAAD promotes the training of specialists from development and newly industrialised countries. Well-trained local experts, who are networked with international partners, play an important part in the sustainable development of their countries. They are the best guarantee for a better future with less poverty, more education and health for all. The scholarships offer foreign graduates from development and newly industrialised countries from all disciplines and with at least two years' professional experience the chance to take a postgraduate or Master's degree at a state or state-recognised German university, and in exceptional cases to take a doctoral degree, and to obtain a university qualification (Master's/PhD) in Germany.

Duration of the funding

12 to 42 months (dependent on study programme)

Value

• Depending on academic level, monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
• Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding

Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:

• Monthly rent subsidy
• Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family

Selection

• Candidates fulfil the necessary academic requirements and can be expected to successfully complete a study programme in Germany (above-average result for first academic exam – top performance third, language skills)

• Candidates have a Bachelor degree (usually a four-year course) in an appropriate subject

• Candidates have at least two years' professional experience

• Candidates can prove their motivation is development-related and be expected to take on social responsibility and initiate and support processes of change in their personal and professional environment after their training/scholarship

What requirements must be met?

The Typical Scholarship Holder:

• Works either for a public authority or a state or private company in a developing country and, as such, is engaged in the planning and execution of directives and projects with emphasis on development policies having a bearing on technological, economic or social areas.

• Holds a Bachelor’s degree (normally four years) in a related subject.

• Has completed an academic degree with far above average results (upper third) and at least two years of related professional experience after the first degree (bachelor) at the time of application.

• His/her academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old.

Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered

Language skills

For study courses in German (scholarship includes a preparatory 6-month German language course in Germany): Successful passing of the language examination DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the start of the study course. Therefore, a minimum German language level of B1 at the time of application is a requirement, that needs to be proofed by providing a current certificate.

Note: It is not possible to pass the required German language courses (DSH or TestDaF) without any previous basic knowledge in the German language (at least B1 Level), even with the preceding six-month intensive course in Germany. Passing the language test is a formal prerequisite for matriculation at the respective German university.

For courses in English: IELTS (Band 6) certificate or TOEFL (minimum score: 550 paper based, 213 computer based, 80 internet based)

Note: Some courses may expect a different level. For detailed information see the relevant course description on the following pages.

Application documents

Applications have only to be sent to the respective course directly! Please refer to their respective websites for the application procedure (e.g. online application), for the application deadline and the documents to be submitted.

Applications sent to the DAAD will not be forwarded to the respective course/university.

You can apply for up to three courses. If applying to more than one course, please list courses in order of priority in the DAAD application forms (see 7. Choice of host university/institution in Germany) and do not change the priorities in the according application form!

Application documents

Required documents (in the following order):

• Signed DAAD application form with current date

• Personally signed CV (please use the sample europass form at http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/) with current date

• Personally signed Letter of Motivation (with reference to current occupation and choice of postgraduate programme(s), two pages maximum) with current date.

IMPORTANT: When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), you have to submit one motivation letter explaining why you are applying for these specific courses and why you chose that priority.

• Letter of recommendation from your current employer; the letter must have letterhead, a signature and official stamp and must be of current date (not in a sealed envelope)

• Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) that proof a minimum of two years of relevant working experience (after the bachelor degree) at the time of application and if possible, a guarantee of re-employment from your current employer upon returning home.

• Proof of Language Skills:

o English – IELTS or TOEFL (Note: The institutional TOEFL is not accepted)

o German – required for courses taught in German

• Copies of Academic Degrees (certified translation if necessary)

• Copies of Academic Transcripts, incl. grading-scale (certified translation if necessary)

• Applicants from the People’s Republic of China are asked to submit an APS Certificate with their application documents.

Note: Some courses may require additional documents. For detailed information, please see the relevant course description in the Brochure and on the respective websites.

IMPORTANT:

The complete applications have to be submitted in English or German to be considered.

Incomplete applications cannot be considered.

If applying to more than one course, please list courses in order of priority in the DAAD application forms and do not change these priorities in the respective application.

When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), you have to submit one motivation letter explaining why you are applying for these specific courses and why you chose that priority. If this information is ignored, the application cannot be considered or an already awarded scholarship might be withdrawn.

Please check with the requirements of the according University whether certified copies are required.

Application deadline

Depending on chosen study programme; please check scholarship brochure or the website of your chosen study programme.

Application location

Apply directly to the chosen study programme

Application and Selection Procedure

Step 1: You send your complete application(s) directly to the according postgraduate course.

Step 2: A selection committee suggests potential candidates for a DAAD scholarship.

Step 3: The suggested candidates will be contacted by DAAD to upload their complete application to the DAAD Portal.

Step 4: The selection process will be finalized, and the suggested candidates will be informed accordingly.

IMPORTANT:

Make sure that you have a copy of each document of your application ready, as those documents (as PDF files) have to be uploaded to the DAAD Portal in case you are suggested for a DAAD scholarship!

More information (download brochure) :

https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?status=3&origin=190&subjectGrps=F&daad=&intention=&q=&page=1&detail=50076777

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