I. Objective

The research grant offers the opportunity to realise a research project in Germany. The programme sup-ports research stays during a doctorate or in the early postdoc phase.

II. Who can apply?

You can apply if you:

• are doing your doctorate at a university or research institution outside Germany or
• have already completed your doctorate (post-doc, up to 4 years after completing your doctorate)

You cannot apply if you are doing your entire doctorate at a German university.

III. What can be funded?

A research project at a state or state-recognised university or a non-university research institute in Germany, which is being carried out in agreement with a scientific supervisor in Germany.

IV. Duration of the funding

Funding is provided for a period of:

• doctoral students: 2 to 12 months
• postdocs: 2 to 6 months

Please indicate your desired funding period in the application form. The funding must begin in 2026. The funding period will be determined by the selection committee during the selection process, taking your work schedule into account.

V. Value

• monthly scholarship payments of 1.400 euros
• payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover (see also our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 4)
• travel allowance
• for a funding period of more than six months: research allowance of 460 euros

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

• monthly rent subsidy, only for a funding period of more than six months 
• monthly allowance for accompanying members of family, only for a funding period of more than six months
• 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
• Green Mobility Top Up (subsidy for climate-friendly travel) or reimbursement of carbon offset payments for air travel

To allow you to improve your language skills in preparation for your stay in Germany, the DAAD offers the following benefits (only for a funding period of more than six months):

• Payment of course fees for an online language course after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter
• if necessary: German language course in Germany before the start of the research project; the DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long depending on German language skills and project.
• Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the scholarship period
• Reimbursement of the fee for a TestDaF or DSH test, which you can take either in your home country after you have received your Letter of Award or in Germany during your funding period.

VI. Application deadline

September 3, 2025

Selection decision in February 2026. Funding starts in May 2026.

VII. Application documents

After registering on the DAAD portal, please complete the online application in full. Then upload the application documents listed below to the DAAD portal in the section ‘Attachments’. If you submit documents in your national language, please include German or English translations.

Documents to be submitted to the DAAD portal:

• full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)
• list of your published publications (max. 10 pages); mandatory for postdocs)
• letter of motivation, 1 - 2 pages: statement about the academic and personal reasons for the planned research project in Germany, taking account of the following question: What do you hope to gain from your project in Germany (personally, professionally, for your career)? Please upload the letter of motivation under 'study project/motivation' in the DAAD portal.
• proposal (max. 10 pages in total), prepared and formulated by yourself ; aproposal is an extensive and detailed description of the research project which has been discussed with the academic adviser in Germany. Please upload the proposal under 'research project' in the DAAD portal.
• ime schedule of planned research work
• proof of admission to doctoral studies/enrolment for doctoral studies (for doctoral students); please upload it in the portal under 'proof of admission'
• confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must refer to your project and guarantee that the host institute in Germany will provide you with a workplace. Please upload the confirmation from the academic host under 'acceptance of host institution' in the DAAD portal.
• Declaration from the scientific supervisor in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project. Please upload the document in the portal under ‘Scientific ethics/research safety‘.
• university degree certificates (e.g. Bachelor's, Master's, doctorate) stating your final grade(s); if you do not have your most recent degree certificate (doctoral candidates: Master's; postdocs: doctorate) at the time of application, you must submit it before the start of your scholarship. Please upload your certificate(s) under 'university degree certificates' in the DAAD portal.
• One recent supporting letter of recommendation (on a DAAD-form) from a university teacher (for doctoral students, from the supervisor of your doctoral thesis) which provides information about your qualifications. Please regard the instructions given on the tab 'Submitting an application'.
• All university certificates on all annual examinations with individual grade(s), incl. explanation of grading system.
• Proof of German / English language proficiency according to language of research.

Optional:

• Other documents you think might be of relevance to your application (e.g. certificates of employ-ment, proof of extracurricular engagement)

The application is made online through the DAAD portal.

VIII. Further Information

For more Information and to submit an application, please enter here.

IX. Contacts

• Interested students may contact o[email protected]
• Phone: 560-3201
• Attention in person at the International Relations Office from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.
• Find us on social networks as @dri_utp