DAAD Bilateral Exchange of Academics (to Germany)
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
Application deadline
Check the official page
Overview
The Bilateral Exchange of Academics (to Germany) is a DAAD programme that pays for short research stays in Germany. DAAD is the German Academic Exchange Service. The programme is built on cultural and bilateral agreements between Germany and partner countries, and India is one of the listed countries.
It is aimed at university teachers and experienced academics and scientists. As a rule you should already have a doctorate and be working at a university or research institute in India. You should ideally already be in touch with the host institution in Germany. Because the exchange is meant to be equal in both directions, it helps a lot if you have a German exchange partner who is applying to visit your institute at the same time.
You can do a research stay at a state or state-recognised university, or at a non-university research institute, in Germany. Lecture tours and visits to conferences are not funded. The stay must last at least 14 days and not more than three months, and it cannot be extended.
The scholarship pays 2,000 euros a month for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers, and 2,150 euros a month for professors. Travel costs are usually paid by the sending country.
You apply online through the DAAD portal, which opens at least six weeks before the deadline. At the time of checking, applications were not open.
At a glance
| Who can apply | PhD |
|---|---|
| Streams | — |
| Category | All |
| Age | — |
| Income limit | — |
| Gender | — |
| States | All India |
| Benefit / amount | Monthly scholarship payment of 2,000 euros for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers, or 2,150 euros for professors. Travel costs to and from Germany are normally paid by the sending country unless a bilateral agreement says otherwise. Health insurance cover is compulsory in Germany; if you do not have your own home health insurance, DAAD insures you and deducts the cost from the scholarship. If you have a disability or chronic illness, you may apply for a subsidy towards justified extra costs, decided case by case. |
| Duration | At least 14 days (at least 7 days for applicants from EU countries) and up to a maximum of three months. The grant cannot be extended. Funding must begin in 2027. |
| Renewable | No |
| Last date | See official page |
| Opened | — |
Documents you'll need
- Application form (downloaded and completed from the DAAD portal)
- Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (maximum 3 pages)
- List of your academic publications (maximum 3 pages)
- Research proposal (maximum 10 pages)
- Time plan for the planned research visit, naming the host institute(s) and academic hosts
- Written confirmation (informal) from your host in Germany about the academic cooperation, referring to your proposal and guaranteeing a workplace at the host institute
How you're selected
An independent selection committee decides on the applications based on the documents submitted. The most important selection criteria are your academic achievements, as shown by your CV and list of publications, and a convincing, well-planned research project agreed with the host institution in Germany. All documents must be uploaded as PDFs to the DAAD portal; incomplete applications cannot be considered.
FAQs
Who can apply? University teachers and experienced academics and scientists. As a rule you should have a doctorate and be working at a university or research institute in India. You must also fix the dates and purpose of your stay in advance with a host institution in Germany that will give you a workplace.
How much money do I get? A monthly scholarship of 2,000 euros if you are an assistant teacher, assistant professor or lecturer, and 2,150 euros if you are a professor. Travel to and from Germany is normally paid by the sending country unless a bilateral agreement says something else. Health insurance is compulsory in Germany; if you have no home cover, DAAD insures you and deducts the cost from your scholarship.
How long is the research stay? At least 14 days and at most three months. The grant cannot be extended. DAAD states that funding must begin in 2027.
What is the last date to apply? No current last date is shown. DAAD says application deadlines are updated every year in the second quarter and are usually around the same time as the previous year. At the time we checked, the page said you cannot apply for this programme right now. Please check the official DAAD page for the current date before you plan anything.
How do I apply? Applications are made online through the DAAD portal. The portal opens at least six weeks before the deadline and closes at 24:00 hrs (CET or CEST) on the last day. Register in the portal, download and fill the application form, and upload all documents as PDF files. Incomplete applications are not considered.
What is not funded? Lecture tours and visits to congresses or conferences are not funded under this programme.