Below you will find a summary of the major DAAD scholarships and funding opportunities on offer for South African and Sub-Saharan African students, researchers and academics from Bachelor to Postdoc level. For more information on the application procedure, requirements and deadlines of the funding opportunities, please follow the links to the official DAAD database.

In Germany

Scholarship Qualification Level Target Group Description
University Winter Courses offered in Germany for Foreign Students and Graduates Short-Term Course Sub-Saharan African students in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in any field of study with a knowledge of German. Bachelor students must have completed at least two academic years at the start of the scholarship period. Intensive German language and cultural studies course at a German institution of higher learning.

Duration: 6 weeks
Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (Master’s Scholarships for Public Policy and Good Governance – PPGG)  Master or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates in the social sciences, political sciences, law and economics fields. Scholarships are awarded for selected Master courses in public policy, governance, law and economics fields at selected German institutions of higher learning.

Duration: 1 – 2 years
Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS)  Master or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates with at least two years’ post-degree professional experience in their field. Scholarships are awarded for selected Master courses in development-related fields at selected German Institutions of Higher Learning.

Duration: 12 – 42 months depending on programme
Scholarships for Artists and Architects

Architecture

Music

Performing Arts

Fine Arts / Visual / Film

  Master Sub-Saharan African graduates in the Architecture, Music, Performing Arts as well as Fine Art, Design/Visual Communication and Film fields. A first university degree in these fields is required. Funding is awarded for a postgraduate degree leading to a final qualification (Master degree), or further training that does not lead to a final qualification.

Duration: 1 – 2 years
Research Grants for Doctoral Candidates and Young Academics

Short-Term

One-Year

Full PhD

 PhD (for Short-Term, One-Year and Full PhDs)

Postdoctoral (only for One-Year)

 Sub-Saharan African graduates who hold a Master’s degree in any field of study. Funding is awarded for doctoral and postdoctoral research in Germany.

Funding is available for:

  • Short-Term research (1 – 6 months),
  • Long-Term research (7 – 12 months)
  • full PhD in Germany (1 – 4 years).
Research Grants – Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees  PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates who hold a Master’s degree in any field of study. A flexible, multi-phase funding system, doctoral candidates start their doctoral degree in their home country but subsequently spend research periods in Germany. The doctorate is completed in the home country under the supervision of the German academic adviser.

Duration: 1 – 2 years
Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists  Postdoctoral University teachers and established academics in South Africa and Africa who have usually completed a doctoral degree and are currently working at a university or research institute in their home country. Funding is awarded for a research project at a German institution of higher learning or research institution.

Duration: 1 – 3 months
Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders PhD or Postdoctoral Former holders of DAAD research grants or study scholarships Funding is awarded to enable former scholarship holders to carry out research and working projects in Germany and to maintain contacts as part of DAAD’s global alumni network.

Duration: 1 – 3 months

In South Africa

Scholarship Qualification Level Target Group Description
DAAD-NRF In-Country Scholarship Master and/or PhD South African citizens or Permanent South African Residency Holders who have obtained an Honours degree (for a Masters degree) or a Masters degree (for a PhD degree) in any field of study. Funding is awarded for a Master or Doctoral programme in any field of study at any South African university.

Duration of Master: 2 years

Duration of PhD: 3 years
In-Country/In-Region Scholarship Programme Master and/or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates in development-related fields. Funding is awarded for Master or Doctoral programmes in selected, development-related fields of study at selected Sub-Saharan African universities.

In Sub-Saharan Africa

Scholarship Qualification Level Target Group Description
In-Country/In-Region Scholarship Programme Master and/or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates in development-related fields. Funding is awarded for Master or Doctoral programmes in selected, development-related fields of study at selected Sub-Saharan African universities.
African-German Centres of Excellence Master and/or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates. Funding is awarded for Master and Doctoral programmes at African-German Centres of Excellence.
SDG Graduate Schools Master and/or PhD Sub-Saharan African graduates. Funding is awarded for Master and Doctoral Programmes at SDG Graduates Schools in Africa.