DAAD Scholarships

Description: The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the German national agency for the support of international academic cooperation. They are an independent association of the German universities who elect its leadership. They represent the German higher education system abroad, promote Germany as an academic and research destination, and help build ties between institutions around the world. The New York office of the DAAD was founded in 1971 to support academic exchange between the US, Canada, and Germany. They offer a wide range of highly selective scholarships, grants, and fellowships in Germany for US and Canadian citizens, from undergraduate students to postdoctoral scholars as well as faculty and higher education professionals. They also administer fellowships and other programs for incoming students from Germany.
 
Dollar Value: Varies with each program.
 
Number of Scholarships: Scholarship provides financial support to over 55,000 individuals per year.
 
Eligibility:
  • The most important criteria for successful applicants are a history of academic excellence and clarity of vision for why they need to spend time in Germany. For most programs applicants need to be currently enrolled as a student and have plans to return to their home institution. The Graduate Scholarship for Study does not have this stipulation and can be used to fund either a temporary stay in Germany or a complete Master's degree there.
  • The New York office of DAAD administers funding programs for exceptional students in North America for research or study in Germany. Foreign nationals studying in North America may be eligible through this office or may need to apply through a different DAAD office.
  • Most programs have age limits. For example, undergraduate applicants should generally be younger than 32 at the start of the study abroad period. Some graduate funding programs also have an age limit of 32.
  • All eligibility requirements are listed for each program at www.daad.org
 
Application Procedures: Applicants must submit completed application form, supplemental form (for music, fine arts, dance only) CV/resume, study proposal, 2 letters of recommendation, evidence of contact with German institution, DAAD language evaluation form.
 
Deadline: The National Deadline varies with each program, but a majority of deadlines are in November. Consult the Web site linked above for deadline information on each specific program.
 
Contact:
DAAD New York Office
871 United Nations Plaza,
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 758-3223;
Fax: (212) 755-5780
Email: daadny@daad.org
 

Frequently asked questions

 
Do students need to speak German to receive DAAD scholarships?
There are DAAD programs for students at every level of German language ability, but for most programs, the requirement is that the language skills should be commensurate with the plans for study or research. They offer two summer programs in English for engineering and science students. (Research Internships in Science an Engineering and High Tech in German) as well as funding for language courses for graduate students. But regardless of program requirements, any experience in Germany is bound to be more fulfilling if the student has—or is willing to acquire—at least a basic level of German ability.
 
How can a student find an advisor in Germany for their project or study?
The best place to start is with faculty members, many of whom will already have contacts in Germany. Contact professors in the student's field of study as well as professors in the university's German department. If that doesn't work, the student can directly contact the international office (akademisches Auslandsamt) of the German university where the student wants to apply.
 
Where is a DAAD "Partnership University"?
For universities with many applicants to DAAD programs, DAAD has created the partner university program. This simply means that these universities have the option to have an internal selection process before sending applications on to us. Students at DAAD partner universities must apply through their university's representative. For the list of partners, visit www.daad.org/?n=partners. They are not currently accepting any additional partner universities.
 
What other services does DAAD offer?
Aside from administering its various exchange programs, DAAD's objectives is to answer all the questions students might have about studying and researching in Germany. The staff at DAAD's New York office is available every working day to provide information to students and advisors about any subject, from navigating the German university system to finding an apartment in a Germany city. And if for some reason we're not able to personally help, they WILL be able to refer you to who can.