The DAAD Scholarship
A free live session on how a DAAD scholarship can fund a PhD in Germany — how it works, how to apply, and first-hand stories from DAAD scholars, for students applying from India.
This webinar has finished. The main points are written out below, and our next free session is on the webinars page.
Everything about one scholarship, from someone who held it
Four steps to a DAAD-funded PhD
The most common mistake is treating DAAD as a scholarship you apply to on your own. In practice, the professor comes first. This is the order it really happens in.
Find a research group in Germany that matches your work, and write a short, specific email about why their research and yours fit.
If they are interested, expect a conversation or an interview. Together you sketch the project you would do in their lab, after reading their recent papers.
DAAD wants to see that a supervisor in Germany will take you on. Without that letter, even a strong application is usually incomplete.
Submit your CV, motivation letter, research proposal and recommendation letters before the deadline for your country. DAAD updates its deadlines every year, so check the DAAD scholarship database rather than last year’s date.
What the scholarship pays, as DAAD lists it today: €1,300 a month for doctoral candidates, a yearly research allowance of €460, and contributions to health insurance. Amounts change — always check daad.de before you plan around them.
What registrants asked us to cover next
We also asked everyone what our next webinar should be about. The answers shaped the sessions that followed:
Your speaker
Deepak did his PhD at LMU Munich as a DAAD scholar after studying at IIT Bombay, and works as a research scientist in Munich. He founded Emerging Scholars Council to help students find funded PhD and Master’s places abroad, and today is also President of DAAD IndiAlumni, a registered non-profit association of Indian and German DAAD alumni.
Quick answers
Is DAAD the only way to fund a PhD in Germany?
No. Many PhDs in Germany are funded positions: the lab advertises the project and pays you on an employment contract. DAAD is one route, and especially useful when you want to bring your own project to a group.
Can I apply for DAAD without a supervisor?
For a doctoral scholarship you usually need a professor in Germany who agrees to supervise you. Finding that person is the first step, not the last.
When should I start?
Start looking for a supervisor well before the deadline for your country — several months ahead. The deadline is set by DAAD each year, so check the scholarship database.
We also mentor people through the whole thing
The webinars are free and always will be. If you would rather not apply alone, our PhD mentorship pairs you with a researcher in your field who stays with you until you have a funded offer.