If you are looking to study in Germany with a scholarship then this is a great opportunity for you. In this article, we will explain in detail about DAAD scholarship, its benefits, and the step-by-step application procedure.

DAAD Scholarship 2025-2026 is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is available to pursue masters or PhD at the top German Universities. DAAD scholarships cover monthly payments of 992 euros for graduates or 1,400 euros for doctoral candidates.

Well-trained experts, who are networked with international partners, play an important part in the sustainable development of their countries. They are the best guarantee for a better future with less poverty, more education, and health for all. With its development-oriented postgraduate study programs, the DAAD promotes the training of specialists from developed and newly industrialized countries.

The scholarships offer foreign graduates from developed and newly industrialized countries from all disciplines the chance to take a postgraduate or Master’s degree at a state or state-recognized German university, and in exceptional cases to take a doctoral degree, and to obtain a university qualification (Master’s/PhD) in Germany.

DAAD Scholarship 2026 Summary

• Level of Study: Doctoral (PhD) / Masters

• Institution: DAAD

• Study in: Germany

• Courses Offered:

  • Economic Sciences, Law

  • Agricultural and Forest Sciences

  • Art, Design

  • Engineering and Natural Sciences

  • Humanities and Social Sciences

  • Language and Cultural Studies

  • Mathematics, Natural Sciences

  • Medicine, Health Sciences

  • You can also see the complete list of available Postgraduate Courses.

• Program Period: Between 12 and 36 months depending on the length of the chosen study program.

• DAAD Scholarship Deadline: Depending on the chosen study program; please check deadlines here.

DAAD Scholarship Coverage

DAAD Scholarship 2026 for Masters and PhD Germany provides the recipient with the following benefits:

• Depending on academic level, monthly payments of 992 euros for graduates or 1,400 euros for doctoral candidates.

• Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding

• Payments towards health, accident, and personal liability insurance cover.

• One-off study allowance.

Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:

• Monthly rent subsidy

• Monthly allowance for accompanying members of the family

Eligibility Criteria for DAAD Scholarship 2026

To be eligible for DAAD Scholarship 2026 for Masters and PhD Germany, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Required Languages: English or German.

  • For international programs, the language of instruction is English. You are usually required to submit an English language certificate e.g. TOEFL or IELTS.

  • For other programs, the language of instruction is German. You are usually required to submit a German language certificate e.g. DSH or TestDaF.

• Eligible Countries: Click here for a list of eligible developing countries.

• Candidates have a Bachelor’s degree (usually a four-year course) or Master’s degree in an appropriate subject.

• Candidates have at least two years of professional experience.

• Candidates can prove their motivation is development-related and be expected to take on social responsibility and initiate and support processes of change in their personal and professional environment after their training/scholarship.

How to Apply for the DAAD Scholarship 2026?

To apply for the DAAD Scholarship for a Master and PhD in Germany please follow the following step-by-step application procedure:

Can you Apply for more than one course under the DAAD scholarship?

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 (see 7. Choice of host university/institution in Germany), and do not change the priorities in the application form!

Required Documents for DAAD Scholarship 2026

• Signed DAAD application form with current date

• Personally signed CV (please use the sample europass form at http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/) with the current date

• Personally signed 

  Letter of Motivation (concerning current occupation and choice of postgraduate program(s), two pages maximum) with the current date.
  IMPORTANT: When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), you have to submit one motivation letter explaining why you are applying for these specific courses and why you chose that priority.

• Letter of recommendation from your current employer; the letter must have letterhead, a signature, and an official stamp and must be of current date (not in a sealed envelope)

• Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) that proves a minimum of two years of relevant working experience (after the bachelor’s degree) at the time of application and if possible, a guarantee of re-employment from your current employer upon returning home.

• Proof of Language Skills:

  • English – IELTS or TOEFL (Note: The institutional TOEFL is not accepted)

  • German – Required for courses taught in German

• Copies of Academic Degrees (certified translation if necessary)

• Copies of Academic Transcripts, including grading scale (certified translation if necessary)

• Applicants from the People’s Republic of China are asked to submit an APS Certificate with their application documents.

Note: Some courses may require additional documents. For detailed information, please see the relevant course description in the Brochure and on the respective websites. The complete applications have to be submitted in English or German to be considered.

Step-by-Step Application and Selection Procedure for DAAD Scholarship

1. Choose suitable courses of your interest. (You can apply for a maximum of three courses)

2. Apply to universities offering those courses.

3. You send your complete application(s) (with the above documents) directly to the universities.

4. A selection committee suggests potential candidates for a DAAD scholarship.

5. The suggested candidates will be contacted by DAAD to upload their complete application to the DAAD Portal. (The link to the DAAD Portal will be provided by DAAD through email)

6. The selection process will be finalized, and the suggested candidates will be informed accordingly.

Important Note:Make sure that you have a copy of each document of your application ready, as those documents (as PDF files) have to be uploaded to the DAAD Portal in case you are suggested for a DAAD scholarship!

Website

To learn more about DAAD Scholarship for Masters and PhD Germany, please visit the official website:

Official Website