Study In Germany with the DAAD Scholarship

Higher education in Germany is available for free, even for international students, with the vast majority of programs requiring no tuition fees. Students are only responsible for their accommodation and nominal semester fees, ranging from €300 to €750 per year. The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers scholarships that can fully cover these and other expenses, providing students with monthly stipends sufficient for a comfortable life in the country. In this article, we’ll explain what the DAAD scholarship covers and how to apply for it.

1. How the DAAD Scholarship Program works
2. DAAD Scholarship Amount
3. Who can get a scholarship
4. List of documents

Reasons to choose an education in Germany

1. German universities consistently occupy the first lines of the world educational rankings. The QS World University Rankings 2023 included 46 German universities.
2. Higher education in German is free for everyone, including foreign students.
3. With a diploma from a German university, you can get a prestigious job in any country.
4. German is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and the most widely spoken in Western Europe. It is the official language of business communication in the EU countries. 
5. German universities teach modern majors and are distinguished by an applied approach to education. Students apply the acquired knowledge in practice during their studies.
6. After graduation, graduates can apply for a work permit and stay in Germany for 1.5 years. At the same time, you can find a job in 3-4 months.
7. During their studies, students can work up to 20 hours a week and earn from €15 per hour.

Studying in Germany presents an opportunity to receive a prestigious and high-quality higher education either for free or with minimal financial investment.

How the DAAD scholarship program works

Scholarships are available for graduate and postgraduate students to support their studies and research activities. While undergraduate students are not eligible for these scholarships, both high school and undergraduate students can apply for study trips to Germany. Detailed information about these opportunities can be found on the official DAAD website.

Enrollment for master’s programs is divided into several tracks, allowing graduates from various disciplines to participate in the general competition. For certain majors (e.g., architecture, economics, creative industries), there are separate tracks where obtaining a scholarship may be easier.

Students are allowed to choose at least three programs at a university when applying for a scholarship.

What the DAAD scholarship covers

The DAAD grant is paid for two years and covers the student’s study and research expenses. There is also funding for short-term programs, summer courses and workshops lasting from a few weeks to several months.

The amount paid depends on the scholar’s academic achievements, the discipline chosen, the institution, and the research planned. On average, the student receives approximately €934  per month. Approximately €1500 is allocated for research activities. Since higher education in Germany is free, this money is spent on accommodation, food, clothing and other personal expenses.

The DAAD scholarship also covers:

• Tickets to Germany and back
• One-time payment of student allowance
• health and accident insurance
• 2-month German course awarded by the selection board
• In addition, you can count on bonuses:
• monthly rental subsidy
• additional monthly payments for accompanying persons – e.g. spouses and children

German programs and universities with free tuition

The DAAD provides a complete list of institutions in Germany that offer English-language and German-language programs for international students. In total, the database contains more than 20,000 programs.

Who can apply for a grant

Applications for free study in Germany are accepted from bachelors, specialists and masters who have completed the last stage of their higher education no earlier than 2017.

Applications from candidates who have lived in Germany for longer than 1 year and 3 months are not accepted.

The level of foreign language skills must meet the requirements of the university for each selected program. Skills are confirmed by international certificates: For example, TestDaF for German. Details about the required language level and the certificates accepted are available from the university administration.

List of documents 

• Online application form
• Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)
• Statement about academic and personal reasons for the planned study project in Germany (letter of motivation; 1 – 3 pages). 
• Letter of admission to the study programme at the host university in Germany. If you have not yet received notification of admission at the time of application, you must submit this before the funding period begins.
• Current overview of grades/ transcript of records with individual grades
• University degree certificate indicating final grade(s): the certificate must be subsequently submitted by the time funding starts if you have not yet completed your programme at the time of application.
• Proof of knowledge of language(s) of instruction in the chosen study programme (should be no older than 2 years). 
• Other documents you think might be of relevance to your application (e.g. certificates of employment, proof of extracurricular engagement)
• All university certificates on all annual examinations with individual grade(s), incl. explanation of grading system.

Applicants for grants for higher education in Germany must apply electronically through the DAAD online portal. You may also be asked to send one set of documents, along with a printed form, to the DAAD branch in your country.

What you need to know before applying for a grant

Keep in mind: Receiving a grant approval does not guarantee automatic admission to a German university. These are two separate processes, and the student is personally responsible for participating in each. As a result, applicants must independently apply to their chosen universities and secure admission to the program of study.

One particular aspect to be aware of is that different universities open their enrollment at varying times. The acceptance of documents may begin well before the start of the academic term or even before DAAD decides on grant allocations. If none of the chosen universities admit a student, the approved scholarship will be rescinded. However, being enrolled in a university at the time of applying for the DAAD scholarship significantly increases the chances of receiving a grant.

Another important factor pertains to international internships. If the chosen program includes extended study trips to other countries, DAAD may fund such internships, provided they meet the following criteria:

1. The internship does not take place in the student’s home country.
2. It is directly related to the educational objectives of the program and contributes to achieving them.
3. The duration of the internship abroad does not exceed a quarter of the grant period.

To summarize

Higher education in Germany for Americans is an affordable alternative to studying in their home country. Studying in most programs is free, including for foreign students. The DAAD scholarship provides living expenses starting at €934.

Any graduate of a bachelor’s degree and subsequent stages of higher education may apply for a grant. However, time is limited: today, graduates with diplomas from 2017 onwards are accepted for master’s degrees.