DAAD Scholarships & Research Grants in Germany 2026

These programmes are aimed at early career researchers, who aspire to pursue a PhD, and postdoctoral researchers, who want to carry out research in Germany.

Upcoming funding programmes in 2026 with their corresponding deadlines are listed below:

Doctoral Programmes in Germany

• This scholarship programme offers the opportunity to complete a doctoral degree in Germany.
• It is open to candidates with above-average qualifications and a completed Master’s degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree.
• Funding is provided for a maximum of four years and  must begin in 2027.
• Application deadline: 21.10.2026 | Learn more

Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees / Cotutelle (Sandwich Programme)

• This programme offers the opportunity to do a bi-national doctoral degree at one’s home university and at a university in Germany.
• Funding majorly covers research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany as part of their Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degree / Cotutelle.
• Funding is provided for between 7 and a maximum of 24 months and must begin in 2027.
• In case of Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees, it is open to applicants with a Master’s degree or Diplom (or in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree) at the latest at the start of the funding period. For ‘Cotutelle model’, it is open to candidates admitted to a doctoral programme at a home university which offers a doctoral degree jointly with a German university.
• Application deadline: 21.10.2026 | Learn more

Research Grants in Germany

• The research grant offers the opportunity to realise a research project in Germany. The programme supports research stays during a doctorate or in the early postdoc phase.
• Funding is provided for a period of 2 to 12 months for doctoral students and 2 to 6 months for postdocs.
• It is open to applicants pursuing a doctorate at a university or research institution outside Germany or have already completed their doctorate (post-doc, up to 4 years after completing a doctorate).
• Applications are accepted twice a year with the application deadlines – 7. October & 4. March | Learn more

In addition to the programme funding, to enable grant holders to learn German in preparation for their stay in Germany, DAAD offers the following services during these programmes based on the requirements and programme guidelines:

• Payment of course fees for an online language course after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter
• Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the funding period
• Reimbursement of the fee for a TestDaF or DSH test, which can be taken either in the home country after receiving the Letter of Award or in Germany during the funding period