Quick Information
| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| Degree Level | Master's/PhD |
| Funding Type | Fully Funded |
| Scholarship Value | No tuition at public universities + €992/month for Master's students, €1,300/month for doctoral candidates (rising to €1,400 from February 2026) |
| Last Verified Date | November 11, 2026 |
| Official Source | https://www.daad.de/en/ |
Overview
DAAD is Germany’s national academic exchange service. It runs a set of separate scholarship programmes rather than a single award, covering bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, post-doctoral and faculty levels. DAAD runs regional offices around the world. Applicants apply through the DAAD office responsible for their country of residence, or directly through the DAAD scholarship database at daad.de — the same programme rules apply everywhere. Most routes aimed at international applicants are for postgraduate study and research.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants need a degree one level below the course they want to take, usually completed no more than six years earlier, with above-average marks. Language proof must match the language of the course — for English-taught master’s programmes that is typically IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 98–100 iBT, and for doctoral programmes often TOEFL 90 or IELTS 7. An admission offer or a supervisor’s letter is needed before funding can start. Work experience is required only for selected programmes such as EPOS.
Available Fields
DAAD programmes cover the full range of subjects taught at German universities. Applicants shortlist a programme in the DAAD scholarship database and check that programme’s own call for the fields it covers.
Scholarship Benefits
The package pays €992 a month for Master’s students; €1,300 a month for doctoral candidates, rising to €1,400 from February 2026 (EPOS and research grants), plus a flat-rate travel allowance and health, accident and personal-liability insurance. Some programmes add a one-off research allowance, family benefits or language-course funding. Public universities in Germany charge no tuition, so the main remaining costs are the semester contribution of roughly €100–€350 and living expenses.
Required Documents
The exact list depends on the programme, but applicants should expect to provide academic transcripts and degree certificates, a CV, a motivation letter, language test results and, for research routes, a supervisor’s acceptance letter.
Application Process
Shortlist a programme in the DAAD scholarship database, read that programme’s call carefully, contact the university or supervisor for admission or acceptance where required, then register and complete the online form on the DAAD portal and upload the documents. Submit early — the portal closes at midnight Central European time on the final day. EPOS is the exception: applications go directly to the German university running the course.
Important Dates
There is no single DAAD deadline — deadlines vary by programme, so check the programme page in the DAAD scholarship database.
FAQs
Does DAAD cover tuition? Public universities charge no tuition; the stipend, travel allowance and insurance cover the main costs, with a semester contribution of about €100–€350 still payable.
Who can apply? DAAD runs regional offices around the world. Applicants apply through the DAAD office responsible for their country of residence, or directly through the DAAD scholarship database at daad.de.
Is work experience required? Only for selected programmes such as EPOS; research grants and study scholarships usually do not ask for it.