Apply Now for the DAAD Leadership for Africa scholarship for West and Central Africa

Do you have a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a master’s program in Germany? Are you a resident of Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, or Mauritania as a national or as a refugee? You have a chance with the DAAD Leadership for Africa scholarship program!

Who can apply?

1. Highly qualified refugees:

These are those who hold refugee status and fulfill the necessary qualifications for Master studies in Germany and the requirements in the call for applications.

Applicants must fulfill the following conditions:

• Holding refugee status in their host countries, being granted before April 3, 2023
• The country of asylum must be either Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast or Mauritania.
• Completed Bachelor’s degree

2. Highly qualified graduates:

These are graduates from Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, or Mauritania who fulfill the necessary qualifications for Master studies in Germany and the requirements in the call for applications.

Applicants must fulfill the following conditions:

• Citizenship of either Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, or Mauritania 
• Country of residence: Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, or Mauritania 
• Completed Bachelor’s degree

What is the value of the DAAD Leadership for Africa scholarship?

DAAD will offer you both financial and professional support while you study in Germany. You will receive information from seminars in advance about how to apply to Master’s degree programs at German universities. You will also receive pre-departure preparation, such as orientation seminars for your language course in Germany and seminars for when you arrive in Germany.

The scholarship includes:

• Language course (up to 6 months) in Germany before the start of the university studies
• Tuition-free M.A. or M.Sc. degree programme at a public or state-recognized university in Germany starting in the winter term of 2025 (September/October 2025)
• Additional mandatory training program: LEAD!

Note that specific information about the values is published in the call for application.

Features of the DAAD Leadership for Africa scholarship

The scholarship covers not only the sponsored Master’s program but also the required LEAD! supplementary training program. The recipient of the scholarship is free to select their course of study and can apply to any German Master’s program that meets their needs.

Once they are accepted into the scholarship program, they apply straight to the German Institutes of Higher Education for their intended study programs (see this page for more details on how to apply to German master’s programs and what requirements DAAD looks for in a master’s course profile).

Duration of the funding

The chosen individuals will typically enroll in a German language course as early as April 2025 and begin their studies at a German higher education institution by roughly October 1st, 2025. The length of funding depends on how long the program of choice typically takes to complete. Two years of full-time study are often required for admission to qualified Master’s programs.

Value of the DAAD Leadership for Africa scholarship

• German language course (up to 6 months) in Germany before the start of the study programme, including the coverage of the test fees for a German language certificate (TestDaF or DSH test), pocket money, and accommodation (only during the language course). The DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long, depending on German language skills and study requirements. Participation in a language course is compulsory.
• Monthly scholarship rate payments of 934 euros
• Adequate health, accident, and private/personal liability insurance in Germany
• Travel allowance
• Yearly study allowance
• Additional mandatory training programme LEAD!
• If applicable, a monthly rent subsidy and a monthly allowance for accompanying family members (spouses and/or children)
  Please note that family reunions may be time-delayed or even not be possible during the duration of the scholarship due to the duration of the visa processes for some home or host countries.

Selection

A pre-selection will take place based on the submitted application documents. Only complete applications with all mandatory documents will be considered. Preselected candidates will be invited to a (digital) interview with an independent selection committee of university professors.
In addition to previous achievements in university (Bachelor’s degree), language skills, and general motivation, the main selection criterion is a convincing description of the planned studies in Germany and the suitable choice of study programs in the DAAD form “Study course profile.”

To ensure equal opportunities, social criteria such as special life circumstances, migration background, or students from non-academic families can play a role. Criteria such as social engagement, about which you can provide information in the application form, are also taken into account.

For further information on the selection procedure, please refer to the Important Scholarship Information Section E.

Important deadlines and dates

Application period: April 2, 2024, until June 7, 2024

Answers to frequently asked questions can be found here.

Important information for scholarship applicants

Contact

DAAD Section ST32 – Africa
lfa@daad.de
Please direct all questions to this email address only!