DAAD International Postgraduate Scholarship

DAAD International Postgraduate Scholarship supports postgraduate or complementary study in Germany in the fields of Fine Art, Design, Visual Communication and Film. DAAD states that the programme offers the opportunity to continue education in Germany and also promotes exchange of experience and networking among colleagues.

Applicants are eligible if they have gained a first university degree in the field of arts. The programme funds (a) a Master’s degree/postgraduate degree course leading to a final qualification at a state or state-recognised German university chosen by the applicant, or (b) complementary studies without a degree, such as a study year in Germany within the applicant’s home university programme or an independent project/complementary study course with a professor/instructor in Germany, where the connection to a German art university is mandatory and must be verified by confirmation of supervision.

Selection starts with uploading application documents to the DAAD portal, where DAAD conducts a formal check for meeting requirements and completeness. If this is fulfilled, applicants are asked to submit an artistic portfolio. A special DAAD committee of professors from German art, design and film schools makes the final decision based on the written application and artistic portfolio. Selection criteria include artistic qualification and artistic maturity (measured by study achievements and portfolio) and the quality of the project (measured by the study plan and letter of motivation). The committee also considers equal opportunities aspects provided in the application form.

For Master’s/postgraduate degree courses, DAAD states funding runs between 10 and 24 months depending on the chosen study programme length, awarded for the standard period of study for the chosen programme up to a maximum of 24 months. Complementary studies without a final qualification are funded for one academic year (usually 12 months). DAAD specifies that the scholarships are awarded for the scholarship duration; it also notes that DAAD does not cover tuition fees. Confirmation of a scholarship does not guarantee admission to a host university; the scholarship award letter is only valid if admission is granted to the host university named in the application. DAAD cannot cover entrance examination costs.

• First university degree required: applicants must have gained a first university degree in the field of arts.
• Eligible fields: Fine Art, Design, Visual Communication and Film (programme only funds projects in the artistic and creative area; other DAAD scholarship programmes are available for History of Art or Art Studies, Restauration).
• Degree recency: as a rule, the university degree should not date back more than 6 years at the time of the application deadline.
• Study format: prerequisite is full-time and attendance study. Extra-occupational or part-time study programmes and study programmes with a predominant share of e-learning cannot be taken into account.
• Residence restriction: application cannot be considered if the applicant has been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline.
• Language: applicants should have knowledge of the language of instruction required by the chosen university at the latest by the time they start the scholarship. If the language skills are not available at application time, the application should indicate the extent to which the applicant can reach the required level.

• Monthly payment: 992 euros.
• Travel allowance: upon application only.
• One-off study allowance.
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.
• Under certain circumstances: monthly rent subsidy.
• Under certain circumstances: monthly allowance for accompanying members of family.
• Under certain circumstances (disability or chronic illness): subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs incurred abroad that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent will be reviewed and determined individually.
• Under certain circumstances: Green Mobility Top Up (support for climate-friendly travel) or reimbursement of carbon offset payments for air travel.
• German language support services: payment of course fees for an online language course after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter; if necessary, a German language course before the start of the study visit (DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long), with participation compulsory if the language of instruction/working language is German at the host institution; allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the scholarship period; reimbursement of the fee for a TestDaF or DSH test.
• DAAD states it does not cover tuition fees.

1. Use the DAAD application portal to upload the application documents (DAAD notes that the usage of the application portal is possible only to a limited extent with mobile devices; use a desktop computer).
2. After upload, DAAD carries out a formal check to verify that application requirements are met and the application is complete.
3. If the formal check is successful, you will be asked to submit your artistic portfolio.
4. After selection, DAAD states there is a period of up to seven months between the submission of application materials and the notification regarding the selection committee’s decision.

• Application documents (uploaded to the DAAD portal).
• Artistic portfolio (submitted if the formal check is successful).