This is a scholarship program run by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) aimed at professionals from developing and newly industrialized nations. It funds postgraduate study in Germany, mainly at Master's level, with PhD funding available in select cases. The goal is to build up expertise that recipients can bring back to support development work in their home countries.
Scholarship Programs / Field of Study
Funding covers a broad range of disciplines connected to development work, including:
- Economics, business, and political economy
- Development cooperation
- Engineering and related technical fields
- Mathematics
- Urban and regional planning
- Agriculture and forestry
- Environmental and natural sciences
- Medicine and public health
- Social sciences, education, and law
- Media studies
Because each participating university runs its own program, applicants need to check DAAD's official course list to see which specific degree programs qualify.
Benefits
Recipients get a monthly stipend — roughly €992 for Master's students and €1,300 for doctoral candidates — plus coverage for health, accident, and liability insurance, and a travel allowance (unless it's already covered elsewhere). Depending on the situation, some scholars may also qualify for a housing subsidy and a family allowance if dependents accompany them. Master's funding runs 12–24 months depending on the program, while PhD funding extends up to 42 months.
Requirements & Eligibility
Applicants are generally expected to:
- Be currently employed in the public sector or a company in a developing country, doing work tied to development planning or policy
- Hold a four-year (or equivalent) bachelor's degree in a relevant field
- Have graduated with strong academic results (top third of their class) and at least two years of relevant work experience gained after finishing their first degree
- Have earned that degree within roughly the last six years
- Be a citizen of a country on the OECD-DAC list (a few European/Balkan countries are excluded)
Meet the language requirement for their chosen course: B1-level German (with a recent certificate) for German-taught programs — DAAD provides a preparatory language course beforehand — or adequate proof of English proficiency for English-taught programs
Application Process & Deadlines
There's no single centralized application — candidates apply directly to the specific university course they're interested in, and each program sets its own procedure and required documents.
Deadlines vary by course but generally fall between August and October for programs starting in the following academic year. Applicants are encouraged to review DAAD's FAQ document and program brochure before applying.
How to apply
Applicants are encourage to apply online on the official website