DAAD

The DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) is Germany's national academic exchange organisation and a major source of funding for study in Germany. It runs dozens of programmes under the one name, each with its own eligibility rules, portal and deadline.

Programmes

• Study Scholarships for Foreign Graduates (all disciplines)
• EPOS: Development-Related Postgraduate Courses
• Helmut-Schmidt Programme (public policy and good governance)
• Research Grants for doctoral candidates and postdocs
• In-Country / In-Region scholarships for Sub-Saharan Africa

When it opens

Deadlines are set per programme and per country, and commonly fall in the second half of the year (often mid-to-late October) for study starting the following autumn. DAAD updates them annually, usually around mid-year.

Who qualifies

This depends heavily on the programme. Some are open to graduates from any country and select on academic results; EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt are for professionals from developing countries with work experience. Read the call for the specific programme before anything else.

What it pays for

Most DAAD scholarships cover a monthly stipend, health insurance and travel, and many add tuition or research allowances. Figures are revised each year.

How the application works

Find the programme in the DAAD scholarship database, read its call for applications, and apply through the DAAD portal for that programme and country. Applying to the wrong programme is a common mistake and an avoidable one.

Where applications go wrong

• Assuming "DAAD" is one scholarship with one deadline
• Reading the general rules and missing the ones for your country or programme
• A motivation letter with no concrete study plan behind it
• Not checking the language requirement for the specific course

Fake calls and fees

DAAD does not charge to apply and works through daad.de and official country offices. Be wary of any site or agent charging fees to submit a DAAD application on your behalf.