Scholarship Database

Here you can find information on various kinds of DAAD funding for students, graduates and postdocs as well as on funding offered by other selected organizations.

Back to the search result

University Summer Courses offered in Germany for Foreign Students and Graduates • DAAD

Objective

This programme aims to deepen knowledge of the German language (general language, technical language) and regional studies.

Who can apply?

Students in undergraduate (e.g. bachelor's) and master's programmes in all disciplines are eligible to apply.
Undergraduate students must have completed at least two years of university study by the time the scholarship period begins.

What can be funded?

Funding is provided for participation in language and cultural studies courses as well as technical language courses based on the course offerings listed below.
The specific course offerings, including dates, language levels, course focus areas, etc., can be found here: Course list (Excel).
If you have any difficulties opening the link, please use an alternative browser or open the PDF version of the course list: Course list (PDF).
[list|The courses are taught exclusively in German.
Participation takes place exclusively in presence. Attendance in person is mandatory. Remote participation is not possible.

Duration of the funding

The courses have a duration of at least 18 teaching days (max. 5 days/week, excluding arrival and departure days) with at least 25 teaching hours per week each.
The grants are not extendable.
The courses take place between the months of June and September.

Value

The scholarship includes:

coverage of the costs for the language course
provision of accommodation by the course provider for the duration of the course (accommodation in a single room, e.g. student dormitory, shared apartment or private household)
a one-time allowance of 450 EUR
Payment of a country-specific travel allowance for selected countries. You see the subsidies for travel expenses in 2026 here.
Health, accident and personal liability insurance benefits

Please note:
The one-time allowance, as well as any applicable travel allowance, will not be transferred abroad. The DAAD will transfer the funds to the course provider, who will disburse the amount in cash to the scholarship holders on site.

Selection

A selection committee will review all applications
Key selection criteria are:
- Previous academic achievements
- Convincing letter of motivation for choice of study programme and future academic project

Further information

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the University Summer Courses programme can be found here: FAQs (in German).
The specific course offerings, including dates, language levels, course focus areas, etc., can be found here: Course list (Excel).
If you have any difficulties opening the link, please use an alternative browser or open the PDF version of the course list: Course list (PDF).

What requirements must be met?

The grant holder must be at least 18 years old when starting the language course.
Applicants must be enrolled at a university in one of the programme-related countries (except Germany) both at the time of application and throughout the entire scholarship period.
Funding from the programme can only be claimed once.
Unless stated otherwise, foreign nationals may be eligible if they have been full-time students/scholars in a degree program at an accredited Canadian or US university for more than one year at the time of application.

Students are eligible to apply in North America if they have finished their first year at the time of the application.

In addition to the bachelor's and master's programs, doctoral candidates can apply for this country.

Applicants commit themselves to deal sensitively with the issue of sustainability.

Language skills

Applicants must be able to follow lectures in German and participate in group work.

German language skills must be proven at the time of application.

The following language certificates are accepted: onSET-Deutsch, TestDaF, Goethe Institut Zertifikat, DSD, DSH, telc Deutsch, ÖSD-Zertifikat, baccalaureate (for specialised language courses only).
The language certificate cannot be older than one year at the time of application (this also applies to DSH). Language certificates from B2 or TDN4 in all examination parts of the exam may be up to two years old.
Applicants must provide proof of a minimum language level of A2.
Additionally, the DAAD Certification of German Language can be accepted.: https://www.daad.org/files/2022/09/Sprachnachweis_Formular.pdf

Application deadline

30 October of each year, 23:59 (Central European Time).
Applications are possible from 01 September each year

Application documents

Certificates, transcripts, attestations and translations can be submitted in uncertified form. The DAAD Head Office in Bonn reserves the right to request additional certified copies of the documents submitted.

Please ensure that you have uploaded all the required documents to the DAAD portal by the application deadline, as incomplete applications cannot be considered in the further selection process.

The following documents must be submitted for a complete application:

Online application form
Complete curriculum vitae in tabular form (in German)
Letter of motivation (in German)
Transcripts of all university examinations taken in the last two years, with individual grades (with German or English translation)
If, at the time of application, no transtript of records for the past two years is available due to a study period of less than two years, proof of academic achievements from the current period of study must be submitted.
For undergraduate students: school leaving certificate with grades (with German or English translation)
For graduate students in postgraduate studies: last university degree certificate with final grade/s (with German or English translation)
Language certificates (with German or English translation, if applicable)
Other documents that you consider important for your application, if necessary with German or English translation (e.g. proof of internships, certificates of employment).
Applicants from this country with A2 grades can upload their letter of motivation and CV in German or English. Letter of motivation and CVs of candidates from B1 onwards must be in German.

Application location

Regional Office New York
German Academic Exchange Service
871 United Nations Plaza
10017 New York, N.Y.
United States of America
Tel.: +1 (212) /758-3223
Fax.: +1 (212)/755-5780
E-Mail.: daad.newyork@daad.de
WWW.: http://www.daad.org

Please note

On the application form, you are asked to indicate three course preferences. Your course preferences will be taken into account by the DAAD in the final placement, if possible. Important: The capacity for each course is limited. Therefore, the DAAD reserves the right to assign you to a different course than one of the preferred ones.
Once your application has been received, it is no longer possible to change your course preferences or switch courses.
Only complete applications submitted by the deadline can be considered.
The application documents remain with the DAAD. Your personal data is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act and with the EU Data Protection Regulation insofar as it is needed to process the application.

Information and advisory centres

North America Regional Office
DAAD New York Office
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017

Telefon: (212) 758-3223
Fax: (212) 755-5780
Email: daad.newyork@daad.de

Canada
DAAD Information Centre Toronto
c/o Munk School of Global Affairs
North Side, Room 207
University of Toronto
1 Devonshire Place
Toronto, ON M5S 3K7

Telefon: + 1 416 946 8116
Email: ip.toronto@daad-net.de

United States (West Coast)
DAAD Information Center San Francisco
Hanni Geist
c/o German Hub
101 Montgomery St. #1900
San Francisco, CA 94104

Telefon: (415) 986-2021
Email: ip.sanfrancisco@daad.de

More detailed information

For more general information on language certificates, please visit the DAAD website at: https://www.daad.de/de/studieren-und-forschen-in-deutschland/studium-planen/die-deutsche-sprache/.

Further information

Please check the DAAD New York Website for more information:
Außenstelle New York

General information on the application via DAAD portal

Applications for this scholarship programme are possible in the period 1st of September until 30th of October.
Click on 'Application portal' at the bottom of the page to go to the DAAD portal. There you will be provided with an online application form to enter your application data.

This is what you have to do:

1. Register in the DAAD portal (Read notes about registering in the portal >>)

2. Applying online in the DAAD portal (Read notes on applying in the portal >>)

Download and complete the online application form
Prepare application documents
If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
Scan paper documents (except references) and save in PDF format. Please note that you can only upload PDF files to the portal.
Upload the completed application form and the other application documents to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.
Submit the uploaded application documents online.

Please note:
If you have any technical questions or problems your local information and advice centres could not help you with, please do not hesitate to contact portal@daad.de via e-mail.
You can also call the technical portal hotline on weekdays from 9-12 and 14-16 (CET/CEST) on +49 (0) 228 882-8888.
Please consider possible processing times of your request when you are planning your application.