DAAD Research Grants in Germany (Doctoral and Postdoctoral)
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
Application deadline
Check the official page
Overview
DAAD Research Grants in Germany let Indian researchers spend a few months doing a research project at a German university or a non-university research institute. The grant is for people who are doing a PhD outside Germany, or who finished their PhD not more than 4 years ago (postdocs). You cannot apply if you are doing your whole doctorate at a German university.
The project must be agreed with a scientific supervisor in Germany, and that host must confirm in writing that you will get a workplace.
What you get: a monthly scholarship of 1,400 euros, payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance, and a travel allowance you can apply for if your funding runs longer than 6 months. Funding periods of more than six months also carry a research allowance of 460 euros, and extra help such as a rent subsidy, family allowance and German language course support.
How long: 2 to 12 months for doctoral students and 2 to 6 months for postdocs. The scholarship cannot be extended.
How to apply: everything is done online in the DAAD Portal. Register, generate the recommendation form for your teacher, fill in the application form and upload every document as a PDF. The portal opens at least 6 weeks before the deadline and closes at 24:00 (CET/CEST) on the last day. Incomplete applications are not considered.
At a glance
| Who can apply | PhD |
|---|---|
| Streams | — |
| Category | All |
| Age | — |
| Income limit | — |
| Gender | — |
| States | All India |
| Benefit / amount | Monthly scholarship of 1,400 euros, plus payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance. A travel allowance can be applied for if the funding period is longer than 6 months, and a research allowance of 460 euros is given for funding periods of more than six months. |
| Duration | Doctoral students: 2 to 12 months. Postdocs: 2 to 6 months. The scholarship cannot be extended. |
| Renewable | No |
| Last date | See official page |
| Opened | — |
Documents you'll need
- Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)
- List of your published publications (max. 10 pages); mandatory for postdocs
- Letter of motivation (1-2 pages)
- Research proposal (max. 10 pages), written by you and discussed with your academic adviser in Germany
- Time schedule of the planned research work
- Proof of admission to / enrolment for doctoral studies (for doctoral students)
- Confirmation from the academic host in Germany, guaranteeing a workplace at the host institute
- Declaration from the scientific supervisor in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project
- All university degree certificates already obtained (Bachelor's, Master's, doctorate) stating final grades
- Transcripts of Records (undergraduate and postgraduate) showing individual grades
- One recent letter of recommendation on a DAAD form from a university teacher (for doctoral students, from your PhD supervisor)
- German or English translations of any document in another language
How you're selected
An independent selection committee of specialist scientists reviews the applications. The criteria are academic qualification (grades, academic progress, language skills, publications/lectures), quality of the research project (originality, relevance, choice of host institution, feasibility and consistency of the schedule) and the potential of the applicant (career prospects, motivation, non-study-related activities and civic engagement). The committee also gives due consideration to equal opportunities. For the October deadline the selection is approximately in February; for the March deadline it is approximately in May.
FAQs
Who can apply? You can apply if you are doing your doctorate at a university or research institution outside Germany, or if you have already completed your doctorate up to 4 years ago (postdoc). Doctoral students should have started their PhD not more than 3 years before the application deadline. You cannot apply if you are doing your entire doctorate at a German university, or if you have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the application deadline.
How much money do I get? A monthly scholarship of 1,400 euros. DAAD also pays towards health, accident and personal liability insurance. You can apply for a travel allowance if your funding period is longer than 6 months, and funding periods of more than six months get a research allowance of 460 euros. Rent subsidy, family allowance and German language course support are possible for stays longer than six months.
How long does the funding last? 2 to 12 months for doctoral students and 2 to 6 months for postdocs. You cannot split the funding period, and the scholarship cannot be extended.
What is the last date to apply? For applicants from India the DAAD page lists two yearly rounds: 7 October (selection around February) and 4 March (selection around May). The page does not print the year, and DAAD says deadlines are updated every year in the second quarter, so please check the official notification for the exact current date before you apply. The DAAD portal closes at 24:00 (CET/CEST) on the last application day.
How do I apply? Apply online through the DAAD Portal. Register first, then generate the recommendation form in the portal and send it to your university teacher. Fill in the application form and upload all documents in PDF format, including your CV, letter of motivation, research proposal, time schedule, degree certificates, transcripts and the written confirmation from your academic host in Germany. Access to the portal opens at least 6 weeks before the deadline and disappears once the deadline has passed.
Who can I contact in India? The DAAD Regional Office New Delhi (c/o DLTA Complex, R.K. Khanna Stadium, 1 Africa Avenue, New Delhi 110029), phone +91 (11) 6646-5500, email info.newdelhi@daad.de, website www.daad.in.