DAAD Scholarship Guide: Study in Germany for Free

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is one of the world's largest funding organizations, supporting over 100,000 students and researchers yearly. Most DAAD postgraduate scholarships cover full tuition (German public universities charge little to none anyway), a monthly stipend of €934-€1,300, travel allowance and insurance.

Who can apply

Postgraduate (EPOS) scholarships: Bachelor's degree completed within the last 6 years, applying for a Master's or PhD in Germany. Requirements vary by country — check the DAAD database for your country's specific call.
Research grants: PhD candidates and postdocs for 7-12 month research stays.
You generally need to show above-average academic performance and a clear study plan connected to your future career.

The application

Find your program first. DAAD funds you to study a specific program — apply through the DAAD scholarship database filtered by your country and level.
Key documents: motivation letter (this is your SOP — tailor it to DAAD's development focus), CV in Europass format, recommendation letters, language certificates (many English-taught programs need IELTS/TOEFL, not German).
Deadlines are usually October-November for the following academic year. Start 4-6 months early.

Tips

DAAD cares about development relevance — explain how your studies will benefit your home country, not just your career. And learn basic German even for English programs; it massively improves daily life and part-time job options.

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