ELIGIBILITY:

Applications are open to doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, university teachers and established academics and scientists from countries on the OECD DAC list—primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, but also in Latin America and Asia—who are employed at a university or a research institute.

Women, socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, and persons from disadvantaged regions or groups are especially encouraged to apply.
You are not eligible to apply if you are already in Germany at the time of application or are conducting your entire doctoral or postdoctoral research at a German higher education institution.

The funding period in both programme lines cannot be split into multiple segments. Stays conducted in different countries outside Germany are not eligible for funding. Please indicate your desired funding period in the application form. The funding period will be determined by the selection committee during the selection process, taking your work schedule into account.

The period of funding must begin in 2026 (in July/August – depends on the programme region) and be completed by 31 January 2027. Funding or extension beyond 31 January 2027 is not possible.
Scholarships cannot be extended.

Funding Contingency
The implementation of the scholarship programme and the awarding of scholarships are subject to the approval of the requested funding by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Until a legally binding grant notification has been issued by the BMZ, there is no entitlement to funding. No legal claims can be derived from the application or any selection decision, in particular no claims to the conclusion of a scholarship agreement or the payment of scholarship funds.

BENEFIT:

Monthly scholarship payments of 1.400 euros for doctoral candidates and postdocs, 2.000 euros for assistant professors and lecturers, and 2.150 euros for full professors
(Definition of postdoctoral researchers: the PhD must have been completed no more than four years before the application deadline.)

Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover (see also our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 4)

Travel allowance

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after the start of funding:

In case of a disability or chronic illness: on application, a subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs incurred abroad that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and that are not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent a subsidy will be paid, will be reviewed and determined on an individual basis (see important information for scholarship applicants, section F, point 8)

Benefits from third parties are partially credited towards the DAAD scholarship. Information on this can be found in the important scholarship information in section F, point 6.