DAAD Scholarships for Doctoral Study in Germany: Who Can Apply

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) runs one of the largest scholarship programmes for international doctoral students who want to study in Germany. Its main scheme for this purpose is called Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany. This guide explains who can apply, what the grant pays, and how to apply.

Who can apply

The programme is open to graduates and doctoral candidates of any nationality who want to do a full doctorate in Germany, either as an individual research project under a supervisor or as part of a structured doctoral programme, at a state or state-recognised German university or non-university research institute.

According to DAAD's own eligibility rules:

• You hold, or will hold by the start of funding, an above-average Bachelor's/Master's degree or Diplom (a Bachelor's degree only counts in exceptional cases).
• Your most recent university degree was obtained, as a rule, no more than six years before the application deadline.
• If you have already started your doctorate, you started it no more than three years before you apply.
• You must have a confirmed doctoral project and, in most cases, a host supervisor or institution in Germany before you apply. DAAD does not place you with a supervisor.

DAAD also runs a separate, shorter Research Grants scheme for people who are already enrolled in a doctorate outside Germany and want to spend part of it in Germany, and a Cotutelle / bi-nationally supervised option for a doctorate split between your home country and Germany.

Check the DAAD scholarship database to confirm which scheme fits your situation, since eligibility and length differ between them.

Tip: Check the current call page for your own country on DAAD's site, since some calls run through regional offices with extra local rules.

What it pays

For the current call, the Doctoral Programmes in Germany scholarship provides, according to DAAD's scholarship database:

• A monthly stipend (DAAD's listed rate is 1,400 euro per month for doctoral candidates).
• An annual research allowance of 460 euro.
• A contribution towards health, accident and personal liability insurance.
• In some cases, a travel allowance and a monthly rent subsidy if you bring family.

Funding runs for up to four years in total. DAAD normally grants funding for up to three years first, then applicants can ask for a one-year extension after an assessment of their academic progress.

Tip: Amounts and allowances change from one call to the next. Always check the exact figures on the current DAAD call page before you plan your budget.

Deadlines and timeline

DAAD publishes a new call every year. For the intake that starts in the winter semester of 2027/28, DAAD lists these dates:

If you plan for a different start date, do not reuse these dates. Check the current call on DAAD's scholarship database, since the deadline and the start date move each year.

Documents you need

DAAD asks for a complete set of documents in one application. Based on DAAD's own list for this programme:

• A full CV in tabular form (maximum 3 pages).
• A list of your publications (maximum 10 pages), if you have any.
• A letter of motivation that explains your academic and personal reasons for the project (1-2 pages).
• A short research proposal describing your planned project and previous research work.
• One recent letter of recommendation from a university teacher, written on DAAD's own recommendation form. If you already started your doctorate, this comes from your doctoral supervisor.
• Certificates for every university degree you hold, showing your final grades.
• Proof of language ability if the doctorate will be completed in English or German. DAAD does not set one single test or score for every call, so check the exact test and minimum score on your specific call page.

Tip: Requirements can differ slightly by subject and by host institution. Confirm the exact document list on your specific call page before you submit.

How to apply, step by step

1. Find a project and a supervisor first. Contact professors or institutes in your field in Germany and ask if they can host your doctoral project.
2. Pick the right DAAD scheme. Confirm whether Doctoral Programmes in Germany, Research Grants, or the Cotutelle option fits your plan.
3. Register in DAAD's online portal and start your application well before the deadline.
4. Collect your documents, including the recommendation letter on DAAD's own form.
5. Prepare your language proof, if your doctorate will be in English or German.
6. Submit your application before the published deadline for your call.
7. Wait for the selection decision and respond quickly to any request for an interview or extra documents.

Common mistakes

• Applying before you have a confirmed project or host institution in Germany.
• Using a general recommendation letter instead of DAAD's own form.
• Assuming the same language test score applies to every DAAD call, instead of checking the current one.
• Confusing the Doctoral Programmes scheme with the shorter Research Grants scheme, which has different rules and a different length.
• Waiting until close to the deadline to request the recommendation letter, which can take weeks to arrange.

Where to find more funding and open positions

DAAD is one option among several ways to fund a PhD in Germany. Many German positions also come with their own salary, paid under a university or institute contract, rather than through a scholarship.

Browse current funded PhD positions and PhD positions in Germany to compare paid positions with scholarship-funded ones. PhD Atlas matches open positions to your CV, so you spend less time searching DAAD's and university sites separately.