Graduate Scholarships for Individual Study, Research or Advanced Training Measures

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Summary

Last update: 18 October 2011

Description

The scholarships provide graduates, doctoral candidates and postdoctoral candidates from all academic subject areas the opportunity to carry out individual study, research or advanced training measures in Germany at a state (public) or state-recognised university or at a non-university research institution. This scholarship can be used for the following purposes:

1. To carry out research projects at a German university with the aim of gaining a doctorate in the home country or in Germany; this refers especially to structured doctoral programmes such as Research Training Groups, Graduate Colleges, Doctoral Research Schools, International Postgraduate Programmes, Graduate Schools, Max Planck Research Schools etc. Please consult the following website for further information and details: www.daad.de/ipp
2. To carry out research or advanced training projects without wishing to gain a formal qualification or degree
3. To take a postgraduate course or Master's programme to gain an academic degree (Master's)

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Applications for a graduate scholarship are open to very well qualified university graduates who have completed their studies with a Bachelor's or Master's degree at the latest by the time the scholarship is started or who already hold a doctorate (postdoctoral candidates).
• At the time of applying, no more than two years must have passed since the applicant gained the degree with professional qualification.
• Candidates studying for a doctorate in their country of origin must have been admitted to an appropriate programme at their home university.
• Applicants who wish to stay at a German host university within the scope of an individually-agreed study or research project must include the following with their application: written confirmation by the host institute that academic supervision will be provided in Germany. This confirmation must specifically refer to the applicant's project and confirm that the host institute will provide a workplace for the applicant. If the applicant is planning to complete a doctorate at the German host university, the letter of confirmation must come from the academic supervisor (Doktorvater or Doktormutter).
• Applicants wishing to gain a degree within the scope of a structured Master's or doctoral programme are required to present a letter of admission from the degree programme or at least proof that they are being considered for admission. The letter of admission by the German host university for the desired degree programme must have been presented at latest by the time the scholarship is started.
• Besides previous academic achievements, the most important selection criterion is a convincing statement of the applicant's academic and personal reasons for the planned study project or a well-founded, detailed work schedule for research and advanced training projects as agreed with the academic supervisor at the planned German host institution.
• German language skills are generally expected, although the required level also depends on the applicant's project and subject as well as on the available opportunities in the home country for learning German. In natural sciences and engineering subjects, in particular, and when English is spoken at the host institute, proof of good English language skills may also be accepted. The DAAD decides on a case-by-case basis whether the applicant can attend a German language course (free of charge for the award holder) before beginning the graduate scholarship. This option is only available if the scholarship is expected to last for more than six months. The country-specific information on the DAAD website will tell you which language skills are required by applicants from your home country.
• At the time of application, generally no more than six years should have passed since the graduate gained the last degree; in the case of doctoral students, no more than three years should have passed since starting the doctoral process; and in the case of postdocs, no more than two years should have passed since gaining the doctorate.
• Applicants for a short term grant (up to 6 months) who hold a doctoral degree: no more than four years should have passed since gaining the doctorate.
• Applicants who have been resident in Germany for more than one year at the time of application cannot be considered.
• Special information for medical students: The DAAD does not fund specialist medical training in Germany. Award holders who wish to practise the medical profession in Germany or who have contacts with patients need to obtain "Permission to temporarily practise the medical profession in Germany" (Erlaubnis zur vorübergehenden Ausübung des ärztlichen Berufs) from the relevant regional council (Regierungspräsidiums) in the federal state in which their host university is located. Applicants with a project that involves working with patients must consequently not only meet the general application conditions but must, as a rule, also meet the following requirements. They must
  
  1. have completed at least 7 years of medical training with an academic degree;
  2. hold an unconditional licence to practise the medical profession in the home country.
  All award holders requiring a licence to practise medicine will receive further information and possibly forms as well from the DAAD in good time before the scholarship starts.

Duration

The length of funding is set by the scholarship commission during the selection session. Depending on the project in question and on the applicant's work schedule, scholarships are generally provided for between 1 and 36 months. All longer-term scholarships are initially awarded for one academic year and can, subject to good performance, be extended to cover the length of the project in question. Short projects lasting between 1 and 6 months cannot be extended.

This listing is made possible as part of our cooperation with DAAD. The information about this scholarship originates from Stipendiendatenbank Ausland or Stipendiendatenbank Deutschland.