FAQ: DAAD Study Scholarship and Research Grants

No, as German universities’ admission deadlines are later than our deadline, it’s often impossible and therefore not necessary to be admitted to a German university at the time of application.

Applicants should be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. Foreign nationals who live in the USA or in Canada by the time of application deadline are eligible. You must fulfill the following requirements:

• Applicants for Research Grants: you have gained your last degree in the US or Canada or will be gaining it before taking up your scholarship and are currently living in the United States or Canada
• Applicants for Study Scholarship: Foreign nationals who are studying or living in the US/ Canada at the time of the application deadline are eligible. If you have returned to your home country or moved to Germany since completing your last degree in the US or Canada, you must still have permanent residence in the US/Canada to be eligible.

German language ability is not a requirement for this grant, however students should demonstrate language skills commensurate with their study and research needs.

No.

No.

No, DAAD does not support online courses.

This depends on which DAAD scholarship you’ve received previously:

• Study Scholarships for Graduates of All Disciplines: No.
• Research Grants – One-Year Grants: No.
• Research Grants – Short-Term Grants: Yes. You can receive one grant per 12-month period.

Yes, as a matter of fact, German universities offer a lot of Master degree programs that are taught in English, and you are eligible to apply for those programs to receive a grant.

We may consider it for funding if the study abroad part (i.e. outside of Germany) is less than 25% of the total award period. The stay abroad will be only permitted if it is a required part of the curriculum in the curriculum of the study program. It should not be conducted in the home country.

The application is submitted online through the DAAD portal. Reference forms may now be uploaded directly to the application portal by the applicant. References may also be sent directly to the DAAD New York office by post.

Please note that there are separate guidelines for the visual/performing arts.

For specific program information, see the Study Scholarship and Research Grant pages.

If sent by post, the reference must be postmarked by the following Monday/business day. However, please note that application materials must be submitted to the online MOVE portal by the deadline, regardless of what day of the week it is.

The project description will differ from scholarship to scholarship. You can find an indication of the suggested length in the Applicant Checklist for your scholarship available here or by referring to the guidelines on the daad.de website.

We recommend that referees fill out the DAAD reference form. One signed reference form from a university professor in your major field may be either submitted by post or uploaded directly to the application portal by the applicant.

The reference form is available on the DAAD Portal on daad.de also called referee’s report.

Yes.

We prefer letters from North American professors. If it is absolutely impossible, you may submit a letter from an employer or non-academic person.

Submit/Upload all post-secondary transcripts. We request transcripts from ALL university studies.

We do not have specific format requirements. Double or single line spacing is up to your personal preference. Our general guideline is to be considerate toward the reviewer – i.e. a font that’s not too small (min 10 point, 12 pt is usually the most comfortable) and of a basic, non-fancy, easy to read style; make sure there are some margins on the side for them to make notes. If you feel you have explained things well and clearly in less space, going under the limit is always okay.

Those who are applying to begin a full degree course of study at a German university do not need to submit proof of contact in their scholarship application. Later, if you are awarded the scholarship, you must prove that you have been admitted before your departure.