Looking for complete info on how to apply for DAAD Scholarship for Masters Degree in Germany? You just found it.
In this article, we will explain all you need to know about one of the world’s largest scholarship organizations known as DAAD. So far, more than 1.9 million students have benefitted from the scholarship program.
We will start by giving you a brief overview of how DAAD started and where it currently is.
We will also walk you through the process of applying for a DAAD scholarship, researching and applying to German universities, applying for a visa, and finally, a comprehensive list of all Master’s programs supported by DAAD, with some details for each. Everything is covered in great detail and you should get the complete guide you need from this single article.
This article is mostly oriented toward those interested in the DAAD Scholarships for Masters.
Table of Contents
In 1992, a student of Social and Political Studies at Heidelberg University in Germany visited the United States of America. His name was Carl Joachim Friedrich. Carl in collaboration with the Institute of International Education in New York organized Scholarships for 13 German students of Social and Political Studies. As a result, a Political Studies Exchange Office was opened in Heidelberg on 1st January 1925.
The office would be affiliated to the University’s Institute of Social and Political Studies, and named AAD. Its function was limited to providing scholarship to students of Social and Political Science in Germany. After some time the office transferred its operations headquarters to Berlin. AAD revised its charter and declared its mission to organize student and academic exchange across all fields of study. AAD will later become DAAD and its mission expanding to include international students.
DAAD is an acronym in German for Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Dienst. It is translated in English as, German Academic Exchange Service. Still headquartered in Germany, DAAD has expanded into 15 branch offices and 50 information centers worldwide. Today it is the largest funding organization for exchange of students and researchers on a global scale. More than 1.9 million scholars and student worldwide have benefited from DAAD, a good number of them coming from Africa.
DAAD comprises of German higher institutions and student bodies. Apart from awarding scholarship, DAAD also supports the internationalization of German universities, i.e. making it easier for international students like those from Africa gain admission into German Higher Institutions. It also helps advise third-world countries with the best practices for establishing universities.
One of the strongest ambitions for DAAD is to provide international students from developing countries like those in Africa with opportunity to gain research and academic experience within Germany or abroad.
Most beneficiaries of these scholarships are masters or doctoral candidates from developing countries, with very few receiving scholarship awards for degree programs in German universities located within or abroad. The reason for this funding precedence is that graduate students would have proven their academic abilities and hence more likely to benefit from the program.
So how does DAAD get the money to run these scholarship programs? Certainly it must cost millions to finance education for thousands of students worldwide. As the world’s largest funding organization for the promotion of international exchange of students and researchers, DAAD had an operating budget of 522 million euros in 2017 alone.
The administrative budget for the same year was 34 million euros. 35% of the funding comes from the German Federal Foreign Office, 26% from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 10% from the Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development, and 21% from the EU. The administrative budget is funded by the Federal Foreign Office. The sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany are responsible for covering the tuition costs of the foreign scholarship holders. Other sponsors include foreign governments, companies, foundations and the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft.
In 2013 DAAD made public its strategy 2020 which outlines its most important goals by the year 2020. DAAD envisioned 50% of each year’s graduating class gaining substantial academic experience abroad during their studies. Furthermore, it aimed to increase the number of foreign students at German universities to 350,000 by the year 2020. In 2015 DAAD made it a lot easier for Syrian refugees to gain access into German universities by developing a four-year package of measure with funding from the BMBF.
The duration of funding is 12 to 36 months. This is how long you will be benefiting from the scholarship. If you fail to complete your program within this duration you will no longer receive the benefits of monthly stipend, allowances and insurance cover. This is to ensure that you are not going to Germany for any other reason but studies.
You know some people can seize this opportunity just because they would like to visit Germany, or find a German spouse, or employment, or even just brag to their friends about their foreign adventure. It’s no problem if you have any of these as a secondary motive for going to Germany. But generally, DAAD would be embarrassed to discover that the limited resources reserved to promote knowledge were instead used to fund some love affair or adventure travel.
The Best 10 Scholarships in Germany are selected in the video below. Watch now.
DAAD has separated application portal from its database. The database is where you get all the information about the DAAD program. Application portal is where you apply for the DAAD scholarship for masters. Help provisions on the application portal will mostly point you back to the database. Therefore you must first register an account on the portal before benefiting from this program. The most important point to note is that the bio data you fill in during registration must match your documents. Particularly, Name. Secondly, you must choose the appropriate language. If you take German as your language of choice, everything about DAAD scholarship for masters will be given to you in German. If you are not proficient in German and do not have any certification as proof, go for English.
STEP ONE (Register on DAAD portal)
The application process is straight forward. Head over to DAAD application portal and register a new account. Remember to fill in the name exactly as it is on your ID, and choose the appropriate language. Use a valid email, and your password combination must include at least two special characters like * and @. Password must be between eight and 20 characters long. After filling in the form, click “next” at the top left corner of the page.
The next page will display your details and request that you create a new password. Choose a password you can remember and click “continue” at the top left corner of the page. The next page displays a message of successful registration and directs you to activate your account.
Login to your email, find the activation email from the inbox or spam folder and click on the activation link. A new tab will open and show the activation is successful. You can return to the portal and login.
STEP TWO (Find a Funding Program)
Head over to the DAAD database to search for a Funding Program. To the left of the page is a search form. Under the search fields select “graduate”, then your “country”, “subject” and “intention”. Check the box which says “DAAD funding programmes only” and click “Refine your selection”. Selecting “graduate” will pull options about the DAAD scholarship for master. Undergraduate and doctoral candidates should make their selections accordingly.
The page refines and displays the right, scholarship funding options available to you. Read through the options and click on one that interests you. Read through the overview, application requirements, and procedure. The overview will always have important information like the organization that will be funding you, requirements, and others. Note the full title of the sponsor(s) because that is the funding option you will choose when filling the online application form at the portal. Pay attention to the application procedure. Sometimes applications need to be sent to DAAD through email and not the online portal, or even both.
If the application is currently open for the DAAD masters scholarship Funding Program you clicked on, you will see a green tab that says “Submit an Application”. If you cannot see this green tab on the page, it means you cannot apply at the moment and need to either go back and choose a different funding program or check back some other time.
If you find an option that is open for application, copy the full title of the funding organization. It is in bold-blue from the search page. Or you can view on the next page after clicking on it.
Now it is time to find a course of study. Refer to the list of supported DAAD masters Scholarship programs at the end of this article. Not all programs are supported by DAAD so you have to find out if your course is eligible for scholarship.
The next thing is to find a university that offers that course in Germany. Use Google search to find a suitable university for your course. Take note of the language of study for that university, and other things that will be covered as we proceed. Read carefully the criteria for selecting a university.
STEP
THREE (Find a suitable German university)
It is time now to look for a university of your choice. You should find out if they are currently accepting application. You need to know their requirement and any admission criteria to determine if you qualify to study there. Different universities can offer the same course, but have different requirements or criteria. So if you do not meet the requirement or criteria for one university, try another one. You may be lucky to one that’s just perfect for what you have.
How and where to apply depends on certain conditions. Before applying for any Master’s program in Germany, you must take note of the following:
1. Admission restrictions for your field of study. For some Masters courses in Germany, there are more applicants than study places. As a result, people applying for these courses are made to go through an Admission Procedure usually in the form of aptitude tests, letter of motivation, selection interviews etc., before being granted admission. This does not apply to every single course. It is meant for highly competitive courses like medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry, sport sciences, etc. There are two types of Admission Restriction: Local and Nationwide restrictions.
2. If there is any restrictions for your subject, determine if it only applies locally (in specific Universities) or Nationwide (for all universities). Information about restrictions can be found on the university’s website and other databases like the brochure provided by DAAD. If restrictions are placed only for a specific institution, then you can simply change your choice of University. If restriction applies nationwide, then it’s up to your confidence to go through the weeding process. Having determined these possible barriers, you can then proceed with the application to the university.
3. To apply for a master’s degree, you must have an undergraduate degree qualification equivalent to a German undergraduate degree in a relevant field, and the university you graduated from must be a recognized one in Germany. To see if your university is recognized or if your qualification is equivalent to the ones in Germany, visit the anabin website. The page is in German, so you will have to use Google translate.
4. Most master’s courses are offered in German. There are English universities too. But if you apply to a university that teaches in German, it becomes mandatory to be proficient in German before you are admitted. Many universities provide preparatory German Language courses, mostly within six months. You will need to contact the University for Information on requirements and criteria.
5. Most universities require officially certified copies of your proofs of language proficiency to be sent by post whether directly to them or to “uni-assist”. For English, non-certified copies of TestDaF and IELTS are enough as they can be verified online. Educational certificates, certified copies and official translation, and other certificates may be required by the host university. All information regarding documents is available on the uni-assist website. So how do you apply to a German university you like?
STEP FOUR (Applying to a university)
THE THREE METHODS OF APPLICATION
There are three ways a foreign student can apply to any German university.
The first method is available to only EU member countries and applicants who studied at a German university within Germany or abroad.
Take the second option if you are neither from an EU country, nor have you a degree from a German institution, and your UNIVERSITY OF CHOICE IS NOT A MEMBER OF UNI-ASSIST.
The third option is the most popular. There are 180 German universities in the uni-assist network. One of those should suit you no matter the course you want to study or the city you want to study in. but sometimes your country or entrance qualification will require that you apply directly to the university. This is a very rare case.
To know if your institution of choice is a member of uni-assit visits this link. Upon confirmation you can start your application at the uni-assist portal.
At the uni-assist homepage, click on apply online. On the next page under ADVANTAGES click on “to the online portal”. This will open the online application portal for you. On the left side of this portal click on REGISTRATION. A form will be displayed. You are allowed to register only one account. You will be given an applicant number which you can use for any future applications.
Fill in the form with a new username, email and other information. Forename means your own name, and username is your father’s name. Forename and birth name are the same if you haven’t changed your name. At the end of the form, check the small box to accept terms and conditions, and click “REGISTER WITH US”. A success page will display and an account activation mail sent to your email.
Open your email and click on the link to activate your account. Upon activation a page opens where you can proceed with the application. Alternatively, you can login to continue with the next steps. After filling in every form, click “continue” at the bottom right of the page until you finally submit your application having uploaded the required documents. Name your documents accordingly and upload only once.
Uni-assit recommends that you send in your application early, preferably 8 weeks before deadline. This way, they will have time to notify you of any changes you need to make or any additional documents you should submit. You can always send in your application as soon as the university activates applications on the uni-assit application portal.
Note that you will be expected to pay some handling fees.
To apply directly to the university, you will need to locate the application portal for that university via search. For example, you can type in Google: “university name” + “online application”. This should take you to the application portal for that institution. Follow the on-page instructions to complete your application. Contact them for any questions or visit the FAQs page.
STEP FIVE (Forwarding an application for scholarship)
THESE ARE THE DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO HAVE READY.
Note: it is allowed to apply for up to three master’s program at once. However, you must write just one motivation letter covering all three choices you made. One DAAD form has spaces for three choices.
Remember the title of the funding organization you jotted down from step two? This is where it will be useful.
Upon login you will be taken directly to the “Personal Funding” tab. Under the “Personal Funding” tab are several sub-tabs. Having read the information on this page, click on the “Application” sub-tab. This will take you to the application page. There are five tabs on this page, located towards the top left. The page you are currently looking at is under “Program selection”. This page comprises of Funding Program, country selection, and Applicant status.
“Funding Program” shows you the current scholarship funding program for your country. This had been automatically selected based on the country you selected during registration. The program name is written in a grey box. You can change to a different “Funding Program” by clicking on the two small boxes attached to the grey box. It drops a menu with several funding options. Not all DAAD masters scholarship will be available for your country. Whenever you select a funding program, the page updates to show which countries can be sponsored under that program and what status (qualification) the applicant must have.
Select the exact funding program you jotted down earlier. Select the right options in the remaining fields and then click “continue” on the left side of the screen.
On this page you will download the “Funding Application For”. You are advised to always save it on your computer first instead of opening it directly from your browse. They also say that you must use Adobe to open the form and fill it otherwise you may get an error opening it with a different reader. You are to fill this funding application form directly on Adobe Reader, then print and sign it. You will then scan this form and upload on the same page. If you logged out before coming back to upload the form, you are to login and click on “continue application” button. Note that you must click on continue button before the “choose file” option for upload will work. If you get an error uploading the form, verify that the form has been completely filled. Uploaded form is automatically checked on the portal. To upload the correct form, click on “return to previous step”. Upon successful upload, click on continue.
In the “Add Attachments” section, you can add the required attachments to your funding application. On the right side you will see all mandatory attachments for your funding programme, highlighted with a red exclamation mark. If you fail to add a single required document, the “continue” button will be greyed out. Once every document has been uploaded, click on continue. On the next page, you will be able to review and edit your application before submitting it. Check the agreement and acknowledgment boxes and then click “Send documents”. That’s it!
Logging off before submitting your application will lead to all uploads being lost. Get all necessary documents ready before starting application. You can only upload files in PDF format that are not encrypted. Uploaded files must not be more than 3MB and should be uploaded only once.
DAAD will contact you for any other information they need, particularly if you are successful and they want to have your admission letter or other documents. Login to your account to check any messages or keep an eye on your email.
If you have been awarded a scholarship, the next thing is to work on your visa.
Having gained acceptance by a German university, you are probably thinking about visa. That is not to say you must have been offered admission before you can start working on a visa. Visa can be obtained even by candidates yet to gain admission. Read on to know all about it.
Under German law (section 71 (2) of the Residence Act), visa-related issues will be handled by the missions of Germany – its embassies and consulates around the world. If there is one in your country, and I bet there is, unless if you live in North Korea or Iran, that is where you should go for anything visa.
International students from most countries require a visa to enter Germany. Exceptions are the EU member countries, USA, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The Germans have not given any reason as to why they exempt these countries. I was reading somewhere that they had some kind of agreement with a number of European countries. The article didn’t interest me so I read only a few lines and then closed the tab. Who cares about exemptions as long as there are other means to get to Germany?
Applicants from other countries will need to obtain a student visa. It is valid for 3 months. As soon as a student has found accommodation, they are to schedule an appointment with the Residents Registration Office in the same town or city as their university, to obtain a residence permit.
Normally, you start working on your visa as soon as you are given admission. Processing visas can take months to complete, and delaying the process might cost you a semester. It is best to make the application three months before the semester begins. This is about the duration you need to wait before the visa is ready.
If you are still awaiting letter of acceptance from a university or have to complete an entrance exams, you can apply for a “prospective student visa” which is also valid for 3 months. While in Germany you can have this visa extended to six months. If you gain admission into the university within this period or enroll in a foundation course or a preparatory German language course, you will then apply for a residence permit.
There are three types of student visa:
All visas have requirements. We will list the requirements and then have a detailed look at the complicated ones.
There are certain documents you must have before applying for a student visa, depending on the visa category. You may also be asked to present additional documents after a visa interview.
HEALTH INSURANCE CERTIFICATE
Students from the EU can use their statutory health insurance in Germany. The European Health Insurance Card EHIC is required in order for the insurance to be recognized by statutory health insurance providers in Germany.
For students of other nationals sometimes a private health insurance from their country is recognized although such students cannot switch to a statutory health insurance provider in Germany. In either case the student will need to have an insurance certificate before applying for a visa. They can also take out a health insurance while in Germany.
If you do not have a European or private health insurance recognized in Germany, you will have to take one when you arrive. The statutory insurance providers in Germany offer great discounts for students up to 30 years. But if you are on a scholarship like the ones facilitated by DAAD, you don’t need to worry about health insurance. Students sponsored by DAAD are automatically insured (See the letter of Award). Students going to Germany for preparatory language or foundation course will also need health insurance certificate and can take one upon arrival in Germany.
PROOF OF FUNDING
Although Germany is not as expensive as other European countries, you are required to estimate the cost of your study and provide proof of financial resources. This serves as assurance that you can afford to study in Germany. As from January 2020 you will be expected to demonstrate funds of at least 10,236 EUR. There are three acceptable forms of proof. Proof of parental income, proof of reserved funds in Sperrkonto (a German blocked account), or proof of scholarship award. DAAD beneficiaries need not worry about this.
HIGHER EDUCATION ENTRANCE QUALIFICATION (for prospective student’s visa)
The possibility of studying in Germany with a foreign school-leaving certificate depends on the requirements of a higher education entrance qualification. This will be proof that you graduated from secondary school and are qualified to study in Germany. You must check that your secondary school certificate is recognized in Germany before applying.
Applicants from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who have a school-leaving certificate eligible for higher education in their country will usually gain acceptance. If you are from another country, a couple of semester’s studies will likely suffice, depending on your country. For arts courses, applicants who demonstrate great talent can be accepted purely on that.
Recognition for your secondary school certificate or its equivalent can be verified at this website. Information is currently available in 134 countries. You will know if you qualify and what courses you qualify for. Just select your country from the dropdown menu and wait for the results to display. More detailed information can be found on “anabin”. Unfortunately, anabin is only in German. Another way to do this is to enquire from the International Office of the University you are applying to since they often are the ones who sets admission requirements and criteria.
The visa fee is 75 EUR. There will be no
refunds and payment must be through bank transfer. The money order must bear
the initials of the Embassy/Consulate in your home country and should be within
two months. Consult the website of your
home country for when the next visa interview will hold. You have to book a
visa interview via the online system (not by phone, e-mail, fax or in person).
On the day of the interview, you must appear in person and alone.
Please visit the website of a university for entry requirement and deadlines. These programs are offered at universities across Germany. The language of study depends on the university. There may also be other admission criteria for a University. Take care to find out. To be sure your degree qualifies you for a particular master’s program, contact the university directly. Clicking a link will take you directly to a university’s website. All university here offer these courses in English.
9. Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Mechanical Engineering, Textile Engineering, Textile Technology, Ready-Made Clothing Engineering, Ready-Made Clothing Technology, Textile Chemistry or Textile Finishing. It is a highly practical, research-oriented course. Emphasis will be on on-going research projects. Students will be drilled in mathematical, computer application, and engineering basics for textile and clothing technology.
10. M.Sc. WATVEN: it is an interdisciplinary course pulling subjects from Water Resources Management, Sanitary Engineering, Statistics and Informatics, Hydrological Modeling, Hydraulics, Ecology, Environmental Economics, Solid Waste Management, Environmental & Coastal Management, Environmental Data Analysis, Hydropower Engineering, etc. it is intended to provide students with qualifications to work in research agencies, engineering and consulting companies and other organizations.
11. Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics: it is an 18-month program. students are trained in the fields of photogrammetry, remote sensing and geoinformatics to work as decision makers and senior engineers of information and land management projects, national authorities for mapping, photogrammetry, land consolidation, cadastre, forestry, agriculture, rural and urban planning or environment monitoring.
12. Master’s in Infrastructure Planning: it is meant for urban planners, architects, civil engineers and graduates of related fields who wish to gain more understanding of Infrastructure Planning. Course duration is 24 months.
13. Master of Science in Natural Hazards and Risks in Structural Engineering: this tow-year course is for graduates of Civil and Structural Engineers and related fields
14. Master of Science in Urban Management: an 18-months program for professional in urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, administration, etc.
15. Master of Science in Regional or Urban Development Planning and Management: for practitioners in regional and urban development planning and administration in developing countries.
16. Master of Science in Regional Science (KIT): for postgraduates holding a university degree in a field related to spatial/planning science such as urban planning, geography, ecology, sociology, macroeconomics and other eligible specializations. Program duration is 24 months.
17. MSc. IUSD: open to graduates and young professionals from the fields of architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture and regional planning as well as to graduates with other Bachelor degrees and with relevant professional experience. The philosophy is based on transnational learning exchange between students with different regional backgrounds applied to a specific urban reality. Course duration is 24 months. A second option can be found here
18. Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Agriculture-related disciplines: for young, qualified professionals from government agencies, NGOs, private enterprises, and universities, presently working in agricultural/ environmental research and development or related fields.
19. Master of Science in Tropical Forestry Research: for graduates in forestry science or other related scientific disciplines (e.g., agriculture, biology, environment, and social sciences). Course duration is 24 months.
20. M.Sc. in Tropical and International Forestry: it is a two-year program open to graduates in forestry or other related disciplines like agriculture, biology etc.
21. M.Sc. in Economic Analysis and Quantitative Methods: open to outstanding students and professionals interested in international issues and pursuing a career in policy analysis related to agriculture, food, the environment and rural development.
22. Master of Science in International Horticulture: the target group for this course includes Young professionals in the field of horticulture, agriculture, biology, or related subjects including horticultural and agricultural economics. Course duration is 2 years.
23. M.Sc. Marine Biology: the program is Graduates with a strong interest in tropical ecology and the management of natural resources, desiring to work on applied issues, possibly in international multidisciplinary teams on a local, international or global level. The program lasts for two years.
24. M.Sc. Environmental Governance: this program focuses on the provision of methodological knowledge and skills for the context-sensitive design and management of environmental governance processes. The programme does not limit itself to a special regional context but focuses on environmental governance processes in a representative, worldwide perspective from local to international level. Its duration is two years and is open to students from a wide number of disciplines.
25. Master of Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation: a two-year program for those who want to pursue a career in conservation of natural resources.
26. M.Sc. programs for young professionals of various academic backgrounds: engineers, natural scientists and social scientists, who hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Also for Engineers, natural scientists and social scientists, hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have some working experience in the water sector, have high potential to deepen their knowledge in Integrated Water Resources Management and acquire management and leadership skills.
27. The ENREM Master program: designed for professional of different academic background. It has 24-month duration.
28. M.Sc. International Health, by tropEd: students from a variety of backgrounds are qualified for this program, particularly those related to health including: medical professionals, social scientists, health educators and health managers. An alternative choice institution can be found on this link
29. Master of Arts for students from different academic backgrounds. Another institution here
30. LL.M. (Master of Laws): duration for this program is 12 months. It is open to students who hold a previous degree in law, natural sciences, or engineering, and students of other disciplines with a keen interest in IP and Competition Law.
31. Master of Science (TropHEE): for Geoscientists, such as geologists, geoecologists, geophysicists, mineralogists, geographers, soil scientists and civil engineers who would like to acquire additional skills in hydrology, engineering geology and/or environmental management of tropical and subtropical regions.
32. M.Sc. in Renewable Energy courses with a 24-month duration.
And many more. Here’s a link to more DAAD Scholarships that you can apply for.
GOODLUCK!
This post was last modified on September 1, 2023 11:34 am