Scholarships for Undergraduates and Postgraduates
DAAD scholarships for active Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students taking courses in all subjects wishing to improve their German proficiency and cultural knowledge of Germany.
Requirements:
- Enrolled at a university in one of the programme-related countries outside of Germany for the duration of the scholarship period. Undergraduates must have completed at least two years of university study by the scholarship start period.
- German language proficiency (minimum B1)
Benefits:
- Language course coverage
- Accommodation by course provider
- One-time allowance of 450 Euros
- Country-specific travel allowance
- Helth and liability insurance
Duration:
- at least 18 days
- Courses take place between June and September
Application Periods: 01 September – 30 October every year
More information: Overview and Application Procedures
IAESTE arranges internships for international students of the natural sciences, engineering and agriculture and forestry.
Requirements:
- Student of Natural and Technical Sciences, Agriculture and Forestry in member countries.
- Enrolled at a university for the duration of the internship period. Internships are exclusively offered through the respective IAESTE national committee. No individual applicants outside of this procedure are supported.
- English language proficiency, with German language proficiency dependent on employer.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 934 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
Please note DAAD cannot contribute towards travel expenses.
Duration:
- 2-3 months. Internship provider determines the actual duration, in some cases it can be longer.
Application Periods: Applications must be submitted to the IAESTE committee in the country in which the students are enrolled. The responsible national IAESTE committee carries out a selection procedure on a national level and nominates the most qualified applicants. The internship provider decides which applicants to accept.
More information: IAESTE website
The programme offers the opportunity for young academics and future professionals to continue their academic and professional career in innovation-driving STEM fields in Germany with a Master’s degree in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and engineering.
The scholarship programme is aimed at high-achieving students from developing and emerging countries who would like to complete a Master’s degree in the STEM subjects at a German university.
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in appropriate subject.
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
- Do not already have a Master’s degree.
- Above-average academic performance.
- Proof of language proficiency according to the language of instruction for the desired study programme.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance (upon application only)
- Annual study allowance: 460 Euros
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable under certain circumstances)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable under certain circumstances)
- Disability or chronic illness subsidy (where applicable under certain circumstances)
Please note that DAAD does not cover tuition fees. The desired study programme must be a tuition-free Master’s degree programme.
Duration:
- 10 to 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application deadline: 30 September 2026.
More information: DAAD STEM Disciplines
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in appropriate subject with above average result (minimum upper third or equivalent).
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
- At least two years of professional experience with emphasis on development policies.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros (graduates); 1,400 Euros (doctoral candidates)
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Duration:
- 12 to 42 months, dependent on study programme.
Application Periods: Consult list of all postgraduate courses supported for application deadlines.
More information: DAAD EPOS
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in appropriate subject with above average result (minimum upper third or equivalent).
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
- Have not spent more than the past 15 months in a non-eligible country.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- Study and research grant
- Preceding German language course
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Duration:
- up to 24 months.
Application Periods: 1 June – 31 July every year.
More information: DAAD PPGG
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in appropriate subject (Architecture, Interior Design, Monument Conservation and Building in Existing Contexts/Reconditioning of Old Buildings, Urban Planning/Urban Development, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Planning).
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- One-off study allowance
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Please note that DAAD does not cover tuition fees.
Duration:
- 10 to 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application deadline: 23 September 2026.
More information: Study Scholarships – Architecture
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in the field of arts.
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- One-off study allowance
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Please note that DAAD does not cover tuition fees.
Duration:
- 10 to 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application deadline: 15 October 2026.
More information: Study Scholarships – Fine Art, Design, Visual Communication and Film
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in the field of Music.
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- One-off study allowance
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Please note that DAAD does not cover tuition fees.
Duration:
- 10 to 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application deadline: 24 September 2026.
More information: Study Scholarships – Music
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in the field of Performing Arts.
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 992 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- One-off study allowance
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Please note that DAAD does not cover tuition fees.
Duration:
- 10 to 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application deadline: 15 October 2026.
More information: Study Scholarships – Performing Arts
- Aeronautics
- Space
- Energy
- Transportation
- Digitalisation
- Security
Please note that within the DLR-DAAD programme, you can apply only for a DLR institute, not for a university or any other institution.
Requirements:
- Graduates, doctoral and postdoctoral students as well as senior scientists who fall under the following types:
- Type A: applicants have completed a first qualifying degree (Bachelor’s, Diploma, equivalent) and must be enrolled in a Master’s programme at a foreign or German university,
- Type B: have completed their studies or research with a university degree not more than six years ago,
- Type C: have completed their studies with a doctorate/PhD/Candidate (Russia) not more than two years ago,
- Type D: applicants must be working in higher education or at a research institute; positions are open to outstandingly qualified academics and scientists who should generally hold a doctorate/ Ph.D., additional prerequisites may differ and are stated in the fellowship offers
Benefits:
- Type A – Graduate Students (Research in Germany): monthly instalment of 992 euros; plus e.g. flat-rate travel allowance, rent subsidy, health insurance, family allowances
- Type B – Doctoral Students (Doctorate in Germany): monthly instalment of 1,760 euros; e.g. flat-rate travel allowance, health insurance, family allowances
- Type C – Postdoctoral Students (Research in Germany): 2,400 euros per month
- Type D – Senior Scientists (Research in Germany): 2,760 euros per month
Duration:
- Type A – Graduate Students: 9 months
- Type B – Doctoral Students: 36 months
- Type C – Postdoctoral Students: 6 to 24 months
- Type D – Senior Scientists: 1 to 3 months
Application deadline: If an application deadline exists, it is mentioned in the current offers.
More information: DAAD DLR
Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in appropriate subject with above average result.
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance
- Study and research allowance
- Thesis publishing costs
- Tuition fees
- Health insurance (only for In-Region candidates)
- Travel allowance (only for In-Region candidates)
Duration:
- 24 months, dependent on study programme.
Application period: Please review the call for application document for each individual programme on the scholarship page for their deadlines.
More information: In-Country/In-Region Scholarship Programme
Requirements:
- Master degree with above-average qualifications (second class upper and above).
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
- For francophone countries: A Licence or Maitrise degree of “assez bien” level and a DEA/DESS degree or a Master corresponding to the LMD system are required.
For fields of human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry, other regulations applicable. Please refer to www.daad.de/extrainfo.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 1,400 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- Annual research allowance: 460 Euros
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Duration:
- up to 48 months, at the discretion of the selection committee.
Application deadline: 30 September 2026.
More information: Doctoral Programme in Germany
Requirements:
- Master degree with above-average qualifications (second class upper and above).
- Last university degree should not be older than six years.
- If on a doctorate, the start of the course should not be longer than three years ago.
For fields of human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry, other regulations applicable. Please refer to www.daad.de/extrainfo.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 1,400 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- Annual research allowance: 460 Euros
- Travel and accommodation expenses for supervising university teachers for one trip of up to 10 days
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Duration:
- 7 to 24 months, at the discretion of the selection committee.
Application deadline: 30 October 2026.
More information: Bi-nationally supervised doctoral programme in Germany
Requirements:
- Doctoral students: The start of your doctorate should not be more than 3 years ago at the application deadline.
- Postdocs: You should not have completed your doctorate more than 4 years before the application deadline.
For fields of human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry, other regulations applicable. Please refer to www.daad.de/extrainfo.
Benefits:
- Monthly allowance: 1,400 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
- Annual research allowance: 460 Euros
- Preceding German language course (if necessary)
- Rent subsidy (where applicable)
- Monthly allowance for accompanying family members (where applicable)
Duration:
- 2 to 12 months for doctorate students; 2 to 6 months for postdoc.
Application deadline: 24 September 2026 for May 2027 start. 17 March 2027 for September 2027 start.
More information: Research grants in Germany
The programme provides funding for a research stay in Artificial Intelligence or related fields at eligible host institutions in Heilbronn.
The Heilbronn AI Fellowship attracts international PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers who obtained a PhD/doctorate no more than five years ago. PhD candidates should be in the final year before their dissertation defense. Applicants should have a strong academic background in Artificial Intelligence or a related field, be affiliated with a university or non-university research institution, and plan to undertake a research project at an eligible host institution in Bildungscampus Heilbronn.
Requirements:
- Applicants should generally have obtained their PhD/doctorate no more than five years before the application deadline. PhD candidates must be in the final year before their dissertation defense at the time of application.
- Applicants must have been residing outside Germany throughout the 15 months prior to submitting their application.
- The letter of invitation from the host institution in Germany must also address the language requirements for the realization of the planned project and confirm that the applicant’s language skills meet these requirements.
Benefits:
- Monthly fellowship instalment: 2,800 Euros
- Health and liability insurance
- A lump sum towards international travel costs
Duration:
- Funding is provided for research stays from 1 to 12 months. The Fellowship cannot be extended. Special circumstances may be considered on an individual basis.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and may be submitted at any time.
To allow sufficient time for the review and selection process, applications should generally be submitted at least four months before the intended start of the fellowship.
More information: Heilbronn AI Fellowships
The programme 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.
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.
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).
What can be funded:
- 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.
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.
Requirements:
- Applicants should generally have obtained their PhD/doctorate no more than five years before the application deadline. PhD candidates must be in the final year before their dissertation defense at the time of application.
- Applicants must have been residing outside Germany throughout the 15 months prior to submitting their application.
- The letter of invitation from the host institution in Germany must also address the language requirements for the realization of the planned project and confirm that the applicant’s language skills meet these requirements.
Benefits:
- Monthly scholarship payments: 1.400 Euros for doctoral candidates and postdocs; 2.000 Euros for assistant professors and lecturers; 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) - Health and liability insurance
- Travel allowance
Duration:
- 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.
Application deadline: 30.04.2026
Selection decision in June 2026. Funding starts in August 2026
More information: GROW
