DAAD Research Grants: Doctoral Programmes in Germany

EUR 1,400 per month, an annual research allowance of EUR 460, insurance contributions and a travel allowance on request. Possible rent subsidy and family allowance after the start. Up to four years.

Fields: Any field

Citizens of African countries

• You need above-average results and a master's degree or Diplom, or in exceptional cases a bachelor's, completed by the start of funding.
• Your latest degree should generally be no more than six years old at the deadline. If your doctorate has started, it should have begun no more than three years before you apply.
• You must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the deadline.
• Your country must be on the DAAD list. Nigeria appears in the DAAD database country selection.
• Doctorates in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine that lead to a practising licence follow different rules.

The portal opens each year on 1 June and closes at the deadline, which DAAD publishes in the second quarter. The current round (funding must begin in 2027) is closed and DAAD says you cannot apply now. One third-party listing gave 31 August 2026 for it, so confirm the date on the DAAD page when the next round opens.

Deadlines move a little every year and some close early. Confirm the date on the official page before you plan around it.

• CV in tabular form, maximum 3 pages, and a list of publications if you have any
• Motivation letter of 1 to 2 pages
• Research proposal and description of previous research, maximum 10 pages in total
• For an individual project: a schedule agreed with your supervisor and a letter confirming supervision. For a structured programme: module plan, proof of contact with the coordinator and an admission letter (can follow later)
• Declaration from the German supervisor on safety and ethical aspects
• Degree certificates with final grades and transcripts of records, with translations if not in German or English
• One recent letter of recommendation from a university teacher, created through the DAAD portal

1. 1

   Step 1: Find a supervisor or programme

   Contact a German professor or a structured doctoral programme and agree on your research plan. You will need a supervision letter or admission letter.
2. 2

   Step 2: Register on the DAAD portal

   Create your account once the call opens on 1 June. The portal only works during the application period.
3. 3

   Step 3: Request your recommendation

   Generate the recommendation form in the portal, send it to your university teacher and upload the completed letter.
4. 4

   Step 4: Complete the form and upload PDFs

   Fill in the online form and upload every document as a PDF. Incomplete applications are not considered.
5. 5

   Step 5: Submit before the deadline

   The portal closes at 24:00 Central European time on the last day. DAAD advises against submitting on the final day.

• Funding is awarded for up to three years first, with yearly academic review, and a fourth year can be requested. Research stays outside Germany may take up to one quarter of the funding period.
• Other income or grants are partly credited against the DAAD scholarship.

• Secure your German supervisor early. Writing to professors can take months and the supervision letter is central to your file.
• Book a German or English test early, because language skills are scored in the selection.
• Ask a referee who knows your research well and give them time. The recommendation is created through the portal and they must upload it before you can finish.
• Do not apply if you are already about to spend your whole doctorate in Germany without a clear plan. Read the rules about doctorate start date and residence in Germany first.

Winning the award does not include the visa. Plan your application with our guide for the host country.

• Germany student visa

Checked against these official pages on 17 Oct 2026.

• DAAD scholarship database: Doctoral Programmes in Germany (opens in a new tab)
• DAAD scholarships overview (opens in a new tab)