DAAD Scholarships

Study Abroad Content Specialist

Each year, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides support to over 100,000 students and researchers from Germany and around the world. Indian students can get a chance to pursue their masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral studies at minimum cost. Recipients of DAAD scholarships for masters get a monthly allowance of at least 992 EUR (88,467 INR) while the Phd recipients get 1,300 EUR (1,15,935 INR), for the duration of their studies in Germany.

Indian students are eligible for 20 DAAD scholarships to study in 2025.
Eligible applicants must have completed their prior degree with a minimum aggregate of 85%.
Each candidate must have at least 2 years of work experience, be it in terms of field research, employment, or graduate assistantship.
Payments for health insurance and travel expenses are also covered for all the recipients of DAAD scholarships.
Applicants must receive an invitation letter from their supervisors at eligible German universities.

While the in-depth benefits, requirements, and selection criteria vary for each DAAD scholarship program, the overall minimum eligibility and application guidelines remain the same.

Benefits of DAAD Scholarships for Indian students:

Flat-rate travel allowance
Health insurance
Accident and personal liability insurance
Research Allowance
Family benefits
Subsidy for monthly rent
Funds for preparatory language course

Note: Considering 1 EUR = 89.18 INR as of December 12, 2024.

Highlights

Scholarship Type	Merit-Based
Offered by	Government bodies
Organization	N/A
Application Deadline	Nov 05 ,2024
Number of Scholarships	100000
Amount	₹80,959 ($934)
Renewability	Yes, Yearly
International Student Eligible	Yes
Scholarship Website Link	https://static.daad.de/media/daad de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/in-deutschland-studieren-forschen-lehren/2022_daad_stipendienprogramme_en_web.pdf

Eligibility Criteria

With over 100 scholarship programs available for international students, the eligibility criteria for each program can widely vary. However, applicants for DAAD Scholarships must meet the following essential requirements:

Language Skills: Proficiency in English with a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5. While knowledge of the German language is not mandatory, it is highly recommended.
Academic Grades: A minimum of 8.5 CGPA or 85% (or equivalent, depending on the degree being pursued) is required.
No Objection Certificate (NOC): Applicants for exchange or short-term research programs must obtain a NOC from their home institution.
Work Experience: A minimum of 2 years of work experience, which can include research, teaching, or graduate assistantship roles.
Research Proposal/SOP: Submission of a 500-1000 word research proposal or Statement of Purpose (SOP) for Germany. In some cases, a CV may suffice.

Note: Applicants must also provide proof of accommodation for visa insurance purposes as part of the application process.

Application Process

The DAAD application process for most scholarship programs takes place in two steps:

Complete the online application form and upload the documents.
Send a copy of the application form summy to the DAAD office via post.

Lets’ discuss these steps in detail.

STEP I

Beginning with the online application process, it is simple, direct, and takes about 30 minutes. Applications are to be made via DAAD Portal which opens around 6 weeks before the scholarship application deadline(s). Once you have completed the application form, upload the following supplementary documents:

Online Application Form
Curriculum Vitae
No Objection Certificate filled in and stamped by the previous institution
Invitation letter of German Supervisor
University Degree & Certificates

Note: The first and the last name in the application form should be identical to the name in the applicant’s passport.

STEP II

After submitting the form and uploading the supporting documents, candidates will be directed to another page, wherein they can verify their application package and download a PDF file. Mail the following documents to your nearest DAAD office:

One copy of the Application Summary which is generated in the portal (PDF)
Recent reference from Previous University Teacher

Indian students must post their application package for DAAD scholarships to the regional address mentioned below:

Regional Office New Delhi
c/o DLTA Complex, R.K. Khanna Stadium, 1 Africa Avenue
110029 New Delhi
Telephone: +91 (11) 6646-5500
Fax: +91 (11) 6646-5555
E-mail: info.newdelhi@daad.de

Selection Process

Each DAAD scholarship has its own selection committee responsible for thoroughly evaluating applications. These committees may be based locally (for example, in India for Indian applicants) or in Germany, depending on the specific scholarship program. The selection process primarily considers the following factors:

Project Quality
Academic Performance
Duration of Research/Fieldwork
Research Proposal/Work Experience

Although formal interviews are not conducted, some programs may require you to provide a personal introduction. This will depend on the scholarship type and your location.

Grant Details

The DAAD Scholarships are for students who have an excellent academic record and skills to pursue higher studies in German institutions but do not have the required finances to support their education. Presently, Indian students are eligible for 25 DAAD scholarship programs, a few of which are mentioned in the following table:

Name of Scholarship	Benefits	Eligibility Criteria	Award Duration	Deadlines for Awards
Graduate School Scholarship Program	Monthy allowance: 1,300 EUR; Health and travel expenses; Annual research allowance: 460 EUR	Being nominated while commencing any PhD Project structured at German university	up to 4 years	N/A
Bilateral Exchange of Academics	Outward and return journey cost \| Disability or chronic illness \| 2,150 EUR for professors \| 2,000 EUR for assistant professors, assistant teachers, and lecturers	Travelling to German institution for a short-term research stay	14 day to 3 months	October 7, 2024 (Next deadline to be updated)
Development-Related Postgraduate Course	Monthly allowance: 992 EUR (Master’s); 1300 EUR (Doctoral); Monthly rent; Health and travel expenses	Beginning PG-level course in the field of development; Minimum 2 years of work experience	12 to 36 months	Course-specific
DLR-DAAD Research Fellowship Program	Early Career: 2400 EUR per month \| Established Researcher: 2,760 EUR per month	Doctoral/postdoctoral students working in the field of Aeronautics, Space, Transportation, and Energy	up to 36 months	To be declared

In addition to DAAD scholarships, several other grant programs funded by DAAD are available to Indian students. These include the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme, IIT Master Sandwich Scholarships, and Semester Scholarships for Students of Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). Other notable programs are the Study Scholarship for Foreign Graduates in Performing Arts and study visits for groups of foreign students to Germany.