The DAAD is Germany’s government-funded academic exchange service — and the world’s largest scholarship provider of its kind. For Indian students it can cover a Master’s, a PhD or a research internship in Germany, paying your monthly living costs on top of near-free public-university tuition. Here’s every programme, what it pays, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Guidance for Indian students · Master’s · PhD · WISE · In our India offices or online
For Indian students · YES Germany
| What it is | Germany's government-funded scholarship & academic-exchange programme (DAAD = German Academic Exchange Service) |
|---|---|
| Who funds it | The German government / Federal Foreign Office |
| Who it's for | Indian graduates and Master's, PhD and science/engineering-internship applicants |
| What it covers | Monthly living stipend, travel allowance, health insurance, study/research allowance |
| Master's stipend | Around €934–€992 per month (recently increased — confirm current rate) |
| PhD / research stipend | Around €1,300 per month (rising to ~€1,400 from Feb 2026) |
| WISE internship | Around €750 per month + travel subsidy + insurance |
| Tuition | Public universities are already near-free; DAAD covers your living costs |
| Full bachelor's? | No — no DAAD scholarship funds a full bachelor's for Indian students (only internships/summer courses) |
| When to apply | About 10–12 months ahead; deadlines vary by programme |
DAAD is not a single scholarship — it’s Germany’s national academic exchange service and a family of funding programmes. It supports well over 100,000 students and researchers worldwide each year, making it the largest funding organisation of its kind.
DAAD stands for Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, the German Academic Exchange Service. It is a publicly funded, self-governing association of German universities, founded in 1925, and it has run an office in New Delhi for decades. Rather than being a university itself, DAAD awards scholarships that you can take to eligible German institutions.
For Indian students, DAAD is the best-known route to studying in Germany on funding — most programmes are aimed at graduates, Master’s and PhD students, with a dedicated research-internship track (WISE) for undergraduates in science and engineering. You can browse every current programme and deadline in the official DAAD scholarship database on daad.de; this page explains the ones that matter most for India and how to apply.
DAAD runs many programmes; these are the ones Indian students apply to most. Amounts are indicative — confirm the current figure for your programme.
Working Internships in Science and Engineering. A summer research internship for science, life-sciences and engineering students enrolled at Indian institutions. ~€750/month + travel subsidy + insurance. Open to undergrad and postgrad students; the portal opens in September for the next summer.
The most popular route. A monthly stipend for a full Master’s in Germany across most disciplines, funded by the Federal Foreign Office. Needs a completed bachelor’s. ~€934–€992/month plus insurance, travel and a study allowance.
For doctoral research. Funds a PhD at a German university or research institute. Needs a Master’s, a clear research proposal and usually a confirmed German supervisor. ~€1,300/month (rising to ~€1,400 from Feb 2026).
Development-Related Postgraduate Courses. Master’s scholarships in fields like public policy, economics, engineering and management. Typically needs about two years of relevant work experience after your bachelor’s.
Public Policy and Good Governance. Federal Foreign Office Master’s scholarships for students from developing and emerging countries in public policy, social sciences and related fields.
No full bachelor’s funding. DAAD does not fund a complete bachelor’s degree for Indian students. Undergraduates instead apply to WISE or to university summer courses. Full scholarships begin at Master’s level.
Most DAAD degree scholarships are effectively fully funded. They pay your monthly living costs and add travel, insurance and a study allowance — and because public-university tuition is near-zero, the stipend covers your real expenses.
A Master’s scholar’s total package over two years can exceed €23,000 once stipend, allowances and insurance are added — confirm the current breakdown for your programme.
Yes, Indian students are eligible for several DAAD programmes. Selection is competitive and rewards a strong academic record plus a clear, specific application.
Recognition matters before you apply: we check your degree and target universities against the Anabin database so your qualification is accepted for both admission and the scholarship.
DAAD deadlines are strict and vary by programme, so the safe rule is to start early and work backwards from the exact date on daad.de.
Prepare ~10–12 months ahead. For an October (Winter) start, most applications are built the previous year — begin around the previous autumn.
The portal opens in September for the following summer. Start professor outreach months earlier, before the German summer break.
Allow extra time to finalise a research proposal and secure a supervising professor — that groundwork often decides the outcome.
Deadlines change each cycle — always confirm on daad.de. Aiming at next year’s intake? Profile-building and document prep should start now.
| Route | Best for | Typical support |
|---|---|---|
| DAAD scholarship | Strong graduates, Master's, PhD, science interns | Monthly stipend + travel + insurance; competitive |
| Deutschlandstipendium | High performers at a participating university | ~€300/month, jointly funded; applied via the university |
| Erasmus+ | Exchange periods within Europe | Mobility grant for a defined study period |
| University merit awards | Applicants to specific universities | Partial fee waivers or stipends; varies by university |
| Education loan | Anyone needing certain, on-time funding | Covers costs and the visa funds requirement |
Even without a scholarship, Germany is affordable: public universities are near-free, and most students combine an education loan with the funds shown through a blocked account for the visa. You can also explore other scholarships in Germany alongside DAAD.
DAAD is competitive — indicative figures put the Indian success rate at around one in ten. Most rejections come down to the wrong programme choice or a generic application, and that is exactly where guidance changes the result.
Applying for a Master’s or PhD anyway? We also handle admissions end to end — MS in Germany, bachelor’s, German language and IELTS — so your scholarship and your admission move together.
DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, the German Academic Exchange Service) is Germany’s government-funded academic exchange organisation and the world’s largest funding organisation of its kind, supporting well over 100,000 students and researchers a year. It is not one scholarship but a family of programmes that fund study and research in Germany, mostly for graduates, Master’s and PhD students.
Yes. Indian students are eligible for several DAAD programmes, including Study Scholarships for a Master’s, Research Grants for a PhD, and the WISE research-internship programme, which is open only to students enrolled in India. DAAD has run a New Delhi office for decades and funds a few hundred Indian scholars each year.
Most DAAD degree scholarships are effectively fully funded: they pay a monthly living stipend and add travel, health insurance and a study or research allowance. Because public universities in Germany charge only a small semester contribution instead of tuition, the stipend covers your actual living costs, which is why students describe it as studying for free.
As a guide, Master’s scholars receive roughly €934 to €992 per month, PhD and research scholars about €1,300 per month (rising to around €1,400 from February 2026), and WISE interns about €750 per month plus a travel subsidy. DAAD updates these rates, so confirm the current figure for your programme on daad.de.
There is no DAAD scholarship that funds a full bachelor’s degree in Germany for Indian students. Undergraduates can instead apply to non-degree DAAD options such as the WISE research internship (for science and engineering students) and university summer courses. Full DAAD scholarships begin at Master’s level.
Not for English-taught programmes, where an IELTS or TOEFL score is accepted. German-taught programmes require German proficiency such as TestDaF or DSH. Even for English-taught courses, basic German helps with daily life and part-time work, so many students start learning alongside the application.
DAAD is competitive — indicative figures put the success rate for Indian applicants at roughly one in ten. Selection rewards a strong academic record, a clear and specific motivation letter, and (for research grants) a well-defined proposal with a supervisor. Careful programme choice and a well-prepared application make a real difference.
At Germany’s public universities there is usually no tuition to cover — only a small semester contribution — so DAAD focuses on your living costs. Where a programme does carry fees, some DAAD scholarships also contribute towards them. Your counsellor confirms the exact package for your chosen programme.
Start about 10 to 12 months ahead. For a Master’s beginning in the October (Winter) intake, most applications are prepared the previous year. WISE opens its portal in September for the following summer. Deadlines vary by programme and change each cycle, so check the exact date on daad.de and work backwards.
Limited part-time work is generally possible within student visa rules, but the scholarship is meant to be your main support and DAAD programmes require full-time enrolment. Check your specific programme’s conditions, since some restrict additional paid work or other funding.
Get a free profile review, the programmes you qualify for, and a dated plan to the next deadline — in any of our India offices or online.
As the days pass by Germany is increasingly becoming the go-to dream destination for students aspiring to pursue their higher education abroad.
German Education Consultant
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