Here is an opportunity for you to further your postgraduate studies in Germany. Applications are ongoing for the 2023 DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship. The DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Postgraduate Scholarship in Germany is the world’s largest funding organisation for international students from developing countries.
It is settled that well-trained local experts, who are networked with international partners, play important roles in the sustainable development of their countries. These well-trained locals are the best guarantee for a better future with less poverty, more education and health for all. The DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship in Germany offers foreign graduates from developing 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 any state or state-recognised German university. In exceptional cases, the scholarship includes the opportunity to take a doctoral degree, and to obtain a university qualification (Master’s/PhD) in Germany.
Learn how to write a good scholarship application letter.
Host institutions
All German universities offering development-related postgraduate courses.
Eligible programs for DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship
Eligible programs for this scholarship are Masters or PhD courses in Development Cooperation; Media Studies; Economic Sciences/Business Administration/Political Economics; Medicine and Public Health; Social Sciences, Education and Law; Engineering and Related Sciences; Regional and Urban Planning; Agricultural and Forest Sciences; Natural and Environmental Sciences; and Mathematics.
See complete list of development-related postgraduate courses for the scholarship.
Eligible countries
The DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship is available for citizens of the following developing countries: Albania, Comoros, Sierra Leone, Panama, Near and Middle East Cambodia, Belarus, Congo, Somalia, St. Lucia, Iraq, China, Bosnia Herzegovina, Congo, Dem. Rep., South Africa, St. Vincent, Iran, Indonesia, Croatia, Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan the Grenadines, Jordan, Korea, DPR, Macedonia, Djibouti, St. Helena, Lebanon, Laos, Moldova Rep., Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Palestine, Malaysia,
Montenegro, Eritrea, Tanzania, Argentina, Syria, Mongolia, Serbia1, Eswatini, Togo, Bolivia, Yemen, Philippines, Turkey, Ethiopia, Uganda, Brazil, Thailand, Ukraine, Gabon, Zambia, Columbia, South and Central Asia, Timor-Leste, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Ecuador, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Ghana, Guyana, Armenia, Guinea, Paraguay, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Guinea-Bissau, Peru, Bangladesh, Fiji, Egypt, Kenya, Suriname, Bhutan, Kiribati, Libya, Lesotho, Belize, Venezuela, Georgia, Marshall Islands, Morocco, Liberia, Costa Rica, India, Micronesia, Tunisia, Madagascar, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nauru, Malawi, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Niue, Mali, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Angola, Mauritania, El Salvador, Myanmar, Samoa, Benin, Mauritius, Grenada, Nepal, Solomon Islands, Botswana, Mozambique, Guatemala, Pakistan, Tokelau, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Haiti, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Burundi, Niger, Honduras, Tajikistan, Tuvalu, Cameroon, Nigeria, Jamaica, Turkmenistan, Vanuatu, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna, Central African Republic, Sâo Tomé and Principe, Montserrat, Chad, Senegal, and Nicaragua.
Scholarship benefits
The DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship is not a fully-funded tuition fee scholarship but beneficiaries will receive support for living expenses, health insurance, as well as some travel expenses. See the listing below:
- Postgraduate students will be given a monthly stipend of 850 Euros
- Doctoral degree course students will be given 1,200 Euros
- Postgraduate and Doctoral students will receive insurance and health coverage
- Postgraduate and Doctoral students might receive a travel grant
- Free accommodation in the university dorms will be part of the DAAD scholarship
Scholarship duration
Between 1 and 2 years, depending on the preferred course of each student.
Know the most asked scholarship interview questions and their suggested answers.
Eligibility criteria for 2023 DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship
To be eligible for the scholarship, you must:
- Be a citizen of one of the eligible countries listed above.
- Be currently working 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.
- Have 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.
- Be a holder of a Bachelor’s degree (normally four years) in a related subject.
- Have an academic degree that is not more than six years old.
- Have successfully passed the language examination DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the start of the study course (for study courses in German). A 6-month German language course is added for this purpose. It means that a minimum German language level of B1 at the time of application is a requirement, that needs to be proofed by providing a certificate to that effect.
- For courses in English, have an IELTS (Band 6) certificate or TOEFL with minimum score: 550 paper based, 213 computer based, and 80 internet based.
Application guidelines
Your application must be sent directly to your preferred course. Please note this because applications sent to the DAAD will not be forwarded to the respective course/university.
Learn more about each course including the documents to be attached to your application. Download your application form here.
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 and do not change the priorities in accordance with the application form.
Read more on the official website provided below.
Application deadline
Depending on the course of choice, the deadline ranges between August and October 2022. Check here for specific deadlines.
Scholarship official website
https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?detail=50076777