GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE (DAAD) HILDE DOMIN PROGRAMME

Application Deadline: 15th April 2026

LOCATION: Germany

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) administers the scholarship programme “Hilde Domin Programme” with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA). The programme serves to support students and doctoral candidates from across the globe who are at risk of being formally or de facto denied educational or other rights in their country of origin and to provide these students and doctoral candidates with an opportunity to begin or complete a study or research degree at a higher education institution in Germany.

ELIGIBILITY:

Students aiming for a master’s degree and doctoral candidates worldwide* who are at risk of being formally or de facto denied educational rights and/or other rights in their country of origin due to their ethnic, sexual, gender, or religious identity and/or their political or civic engagement. By definition of the scholarship programme, political, civic, and similar engagement encompasses either the participation in groups or individual actions based on liberal and democratic principles aspiring to contribute to a positive social change in communities.

Students, aiming for a master’s degree, and doctoral candidates from all academic disciplines can be nominated, apart from human medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and law

who can prove or credibly demonstrate a threat to their personal well-being or safety (e.g. physical violence, arrest, denial of civil and educational rights, etc.) to the nominating institution

who are in possession of educational certificates that enable entrance to a higher education institution and warrant the pursuit of a desired higher education qualification according to the anabin database

who may not be already residing in Germany or the European Union at the time of nomination

Potential candidates cannot themselves apply for participation in the Hilde Domin Programme but are nominated by the management (presidiums/rectorates) of an institution or organisation which is a legal entity domiciled in Germany and which carries out an activity in the field of science, research, and teaching and/or the protection of human rights, the promotion of peace and democracy or the rule of law.

All nominations shall formally be made by the respective nominating institutions and organisations who are requested to fill in the nomination form online. As part of the nomination, a questionnaire on the nominee’s risk situation must be submitted. Nominating institutions will receive the link to the nomination form as well as the “Risk description form” upon request. 

Important to note: Nominations for the fields of visual arts, performing arts, design, visual communication, music, film, and architecture can be submitted only by accredited higher education institutions and require a letter by that institution confirming the academic ability of the candidate in the foreseen discipline and that the institution is willing to enroll the candidate in case of the award of a scholarship.

BENEFIT:

Funding of a scholarship encompasses

a monthly scholarship payment of currently 992 EUR for master students or 1,300 EUR for doctoral candidates

a health, accident and personal liability insurance cover

a travel allowance based on your country of origin resp. present residence

if applicable, participation in a preparatory German language course (of two, four or six months) according to the previously acquired and required language skills for the intended course of study or doctoral project

additional financial benefits

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