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DAAD
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General information for scholarship applicants
The Scholarship Database
[http://www.daad.de/deutschland/foerderung/stipendiendatenbank/00462.en.html]contains
details on the programmes offered by the DAAD and by other scholarship awarding organisations for foreign students,
academics and researchers interested in finding sources of funding to complete study or research stays in Germany.
Besides the programmes listed here, a number of more specialised funding programmes are also available for specific
countries or regions which are not mentioned in the database. Information on these can be obtained from the DAAD
Regional Offices [http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html], the German
Missions Abroad [http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/03-
WebseitenAV/Uebersicht_node.html](Embassies and Consulates General) or from the relevant offices at
universities [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] abroad, for example, the International
Office.
The scholarships offered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are awarded to younger university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] graduates (and in exceptions, also to advanced
students) from all academic disciplines as well as from the fields of music, art, and performing arts. Funding is also
available for young and early-stage researchers, university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teachers and groups of students completing study
visits under the guidance of a university [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teacher.
This support is largely financed by the Federal Foreign Office from public funds made available to it.
The DAAD policy on awarding scholarships is as follows: the DAAD aims to fund and support foreign students,
graduates, doctoral students, and young and early-stage researchers whose previous research and academic
achievements place them at least in the top third of their age group and who can additionally be expected in the future to
become key players and top performers in their career fields combined with an awareness for the social responsibility
which this involves.
Funding is available for stays at state (public) or state-recognised universities
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] and at non-university research institutes in
Germany.
As a rule, the minimum age for applications is 18. At the time of application, generally no more than six years should
have passed since the graduate gained the last degree; in the case of doctoral students, no more than three years
should have passed since starting the doctoral process; and in the case of postdocs, no more than two years should
have passed since gaining the doctorate. In the case of postdocs who are applying for a short stay (of up to six months),
no more than four years should have passed since gaining the doctorate. Depending on the country of origin of
applicants, for example, special conditions prevailing in the home country education system, etc., exceptions are
possible. Further country-specific information is available on the DAAD website: www.daad.de/stipendien
[http://www.daad.de/stipendien/en/index.html].
Application papers and deadlines
Information on the application papers to be submitted can be found in the application form ("Antrag auf ein
Forschungs-/Studienstipendium" / "Application for a Research Grant/Study Scholarship), which is available on the
DAAD website (www.daad.de/en/form) [http://www.daad.de/deutschland/download/03118.en.html]
or can be obtained direct from the German Missions Abroad (Embassies and Consulates General)
Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst
German Academic Exchange Service
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[http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/03-
WebseitenAV/Uebersicht_node.html], from the DAAD Lektors, the DAAD Regional Offices
[http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html], and the DAAD Information
Centres (ICs) [http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html], as well as from
partner organisations. Applications for some countries and programmes require that the application form is completed
online. Information on this can be found in the country-specific information published on the DAAD Homepage (
www.daad.de/stipendien [http://www.daad.de/stipendien]) or on the websites of the DAAD Regional
Offices [http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html] or the DAAD
Information Centres (ICs) [http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html], from
where the application forms can be accessed. Applications can only be processed when they have been submitted
in full, including all required papers and documents. Most programmes require applications to be submitted in
multiple. Incomplete applications (including missing papers or documents) cannot be processed by the DAAD and will
result in the applicant's exclusion from the selection process.
You can find information on the precise deadlines for the submission of applications and on the address to which
applications must be submitted as well as additional country-specific information by going to the DAAD website:
www.daad/de/stipendien [http://www.daad.de/stipendien/en/index.html]. You can also obtain this
information direct from the DAAD Regional Offices
[http://www.daad.de/portrait/kontakt/adressen/08965.en.html] or from the German Mission
(Embassy or Consulate General) [http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/03-
WebseitenAV/Uebersicht_node.html] in your home country.
Selection process and selection criteria
As a rule, a pre-selection round or an assessment of incoming applications is carried out by a pre-selection
committee. The pre-selection committee may be made up of local university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teachers (with special consideration given to
former DAAD scholarship holders and former Alexander von Humboldt Foundation scholars), of DAAD-placed
German university [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teachers and Lektors,
Goethe Institute [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Institut--53] lecturers, representatives of the
relevant ministries, representatives of partner organisations of the DAAD, or of representatives from the relevant
DAAD Regional Office. The final decision is generally made by a Selection Committee of German university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teachers on which staff members from DAAD
Head Office in Bonn also s.t. [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/sine-tempore--91] However, the
latter only sit on the committee in a non-voting capacity.
The Selection Committee for the final decision is appointed by the DAAD Executive Committee on the basis of
academic and regional factors. The Selection Committee members review the submitted applications, in general, and
then judge
the reasons given for the application on the basis of their knowledge of the general and academic circumstances
in the applicant's country of origin and in Germany,
the plausibility and feasibility of the project,
the status of preparations for the stay in Germany,
how the stay is integrated into the applicant's study pathway or academic career,
the applicant's academic qualifications and language skills.
Where necessary, the Selection Committee may request additional reports, references or recommendations from
representatives of the subject in question.
The applicant's academic qualifications and personal suitability are the decisive factors in all scholarship award
decisions. The DAAD Selection Committees will above all base their decision
on the proof of academic achievements which students submit (credits, certificates, etc.),
on reports, references or letters of recommendation submitted by university
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on reports, references or letters of recommendation submitted by university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teachers, and
on a description of the study or research project in question.
Specifically, the following selection criteria will be taken into consideration:
Previous academic achievements and examination results as well as the applicant's particular knowledge in his or
her academic field.
Letter from a German university [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] teacher
confirming the provision of academic supervision for the applicant; proof of contacts between the applicant's
home and host institutions.
Where appropriate, proof of German language proficiency.
General questions of character and personality which are of significance to the success of a stay abroad.
Where appropriate, the development policy significance of the proposed project for the home country.
The extent to which the applicant will be able to apply the experience gained in Germany back in the home
country (prospects for career re-integration, particularly relevant in the case of scholarship award decisions for
applicants from developing countries).
Once the application has been reviewed, it will be rated on the basis of a points system. This is then used to produce
a ranking list and finally to award the scholarships in accordance with the number of available places. Decisions are
documented in writing at DAAD Head Office. Applicants are advised of the results of the selection process. The
diversity of assessment elements, their weighting in relation to each other and the assurance of absolute
confidentiality of the decision-making process in the Selection Committee mean that applicants are not advised of
the reasons for decisions.
German language proficiency
The level of German language proficiency which applicants are required to have is primarily dependent on the planned
study or research project. Foreign students wishing to matriculate
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Einschreibung--8] at a German university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] must, as a rule, present proof of adequate
proficiency in the German language.
Students can prove their German language skills by presenting one of the following language proficiency certificates:
the "Deutsche Sprachpr fung f r den Hochschulzugang (DSH)" or the "Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache
(TestDaF)". However, students who gained the "Abitur" school leaving certificate at a German school abroad or who
hold one of the following language certificates "Sprachdiplom der KMK (Stufe 2)", "Kleines Deutsche Sprachdiplom"
or "Gro es Deutsche Sprachdiplom" of the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, or the "Zentrale Oberstufenpr
fung" of the Goethe-Institute will also be exempted from this requirement.
The DSH and TestDaF (TDN) certificates are each made up of three stages or levels: DSH-1, DSH-2, DSH-3 and
TDN 3, TDN 4, TDN 5. An adequate knowledge of German is considered to have been proven when applicants pass
the DSH with at least a grade point average score of DSH-2 or when applicants achieve at least TDN 4 level
language skills in all TestDaF examination sections. In the case of lower scores (i.e. DSH-1 or TDN 3), the
university [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] in question is responsible for deciding
on admission.
You can find detailed information on the TestDaF here [http://www.daad.de/deutschland/deutsch-
lernen/wo-deutsch-lernen/13874.en.html]on the DAAD website or direct from http://www.testdaf.de/
[http://www.testdaf.de/]. You can sit the TestDaF at numerous test centres in Germany and abroad. For the
addresses of the test centres, just go to the above website.
The DSH can be taken at universities [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] in
Germany and at some foreign universities. You can find further information on the DSH here
[http://www.daad.de/deutschland/deutsch-lernen/wie-deutsch-lernen/00573.en.html] on the
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DAAD website or on the website of the Professional Association of German as a Foreign Language (Fachverband
Deutsch als Fremdsprache FaDaF) at the website: http://www.fadaf.de/ [http://www.fadaf.de/].
Many universities [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] offer free-of-charge
language courses to prepare students for the DSH or TestDaF. However, the number of universities
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] that charge fees for these courses is increasing.
This means that the number of free-of-charge places on such courses is very limited. Courses offered by (private)
language schools outside the university [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] sector
will certainly charge fees.
Although the DAAD does place a greater emphasis on the academic qualifications which applicants hold than on their
German language skills, applicants will nevertheless be expected to take every opportunity to gain and improve their
knowledge of German while they are still in their home country. When it awards a scholarship, the DAAD reserves the
right to make it a condition that the applicant provides proof of adequate language skills in the form of a language
proficiency certificate before leaving for Germany. In any case, we strongly advise all applicants who are nominated
for a scholarship to make use of every opportunity open to them to improve their knowledge of the German language
in the time between submitting their application and leaving for Germany.
Scholarship value and other payments
The DAAD essentially differentiates between individual scholarships and group programmes. Besides a monthly
payment, which the DAAD s.t. [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/sine-tempore--91] on the basis of
the scholarship holder's academic level, individual scholarships generally include other payments as well, such as
travel expenses, health insurance, accident insurance, and personal/private liability insurance. Details can be found
in the individual programme descriptions.
Equivalency
Even very well qualified foreign applicants may find integration into the German academic system difficult to manage
due to the differences in the structures of the various higher education and general education and training systems.
Only the host faculty [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Fakultaet--41] at the German university
[http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Universitaet--100] of your choice is responsible for deciding on the
equivalency, level and placement [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Praktikum--75] of any academic
qualifications that you gained in your home country, and, in particular, of any final degrees you hold. For their part,
the faculties [http://www.daad.de/glossar/en/Fakultaet--41] base their decision on
recommendations issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education Zentralstelle fr das auslndische
Bildungswesen (ZAB) [http://www.kmk.org/zab/home.htm], which is a unit of the Standing Conference of
the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Stndige Konferenz der Kultusminister in der Bundesrepublik
Deutschland (KMK) [http://www.kmk.org/].
Please take particular note
Applicants, who have been resident in Germany for longer than one year at the time of application, cannot be
considered.
You must not draw funding from other German scholarship-awarding organisations or from other German public
authorities at the same time as you are receiving your DAAD scholarship. Any other foreign support or additional
income from secondary employment will be partly offset against (i.e. deducted) from your scholarship. Scholarship
holders must not take up any secondary employment until they have gained appropriate written approval from the
DAAD.