• Applications are open to students in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs, as well as PhD students, in any subject area.
• Bachelor students must have completed at least two academic years at the start of the scholarship period.

What requirements must be met?

• Unless stated otherwise, foreign nationals may be eligible if they have been full-time students/scholars in a degree program at an accredited Canadian or US university for more than one year at the time of application.
• The grant holder must be at least 18 years old when he/she starts the funded stay.
• Applicants must be registered at a university in their home country or in their country of permanent residence (except Germany) at the time their funded stay begins.
• An applicant may only be considered once in any three consecutive years for a University Summer Course Grant, i.e. there must be two years between two grants for a DAAD University Summer Course

• The programme funds attendance of language and area studies courses as well as special language / terminology courses that are offered by state or state-recognised German universities and by affiliated language schools.
• You can find out about course providers and programmes on the DAAD website under: www.daad.de/hsk-kursliste.
• The courses are taught exclusively in German.

• The courses run for at least 18 teaching days (max. 5 days/week, excluding days of arrival and departure) with a minimum of 25 hours of teaching a week.
• The grants are non-renewable.
• The courses usually take place in the period from June to November

Further Information

The courses are taught in German.
Course fees and accommodation expenses are usually deducted directly from scholarship payments by the language course provider so that the grant holder is paid only the remaining amount to which he/she may still be entitled in Germany.

For more information about the University Summer Course Grant, click here.

• One-off scholarship payment of 1,061 euros; scholarship holders from “Least Developed Countries” receive a scholarship of 1,236 euros.
• Payment of a country-specific travel allowance (exception: Western Europe), see: travel allowance.The overview valid for 2021 will be published soon.
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.
• Please note:
  Course fees and accommodation expenses are usually deducted directly from scholarship payments by the language course provider so that the grant holder is possibly paid only the difference to the full amount of the scholarship by the course provider.
  The above mentioned payments (including travel allowance) will not be transferred abroad.

• A selection committee reviews applications
• The most important selection criteria are:
  • previous academic achievements
  • convincing arguments for choice of study program and subject
  • knowledge of German

Applicants must be able to follow lectures and collaborate in teams. The required German language skills should be equivalent at least to level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

• Applicants must be able to follow lectures in German and collaborate in teams.
• Proof of German language skills must be provided with the application.
• The language certificate should be no more than two years old at the time of application.
• The following language certificates are generally accepted: onSET-Deutsch, TestDaF, Goethe Institut-Nachweis, DSD, DSH, telc Deutsch, ÖSD-Zertifikat, German Abitur (only for technical specialised language courses).– Due to the current pandemic situation it could possibly be that onSET- Deutsch exams can´t be performed in every country. In this case a language certificate by a DAAD-lecturer is exceptionally accepted. Please get further information at your application location.
• In principle, applicants must provide proof of a minimum language level of A1.
• Additionally, the DAAD Certification of German Language can be accepted. The language evaluation form can be downloaded here.

Please click here (US-applicants) and here (Canadian applicants) for details on the documents that need to be submitted for an online application. Applicants are advised to start the application process at least one week before the closing date.

To download the language evaluation form, please see the box to the right.

• The application is submitted online through the DAAD Portal. The portal will close automatically at 11 PM Central European Time (5 PM EST/4PM CST/3PM MTN/2PM PST) on the deadline date.
• Your application is only complete when we have received your complete electronic application via the online portal.
• The video below explains how to navigate the online portal.
• If you seek technical support with the online portal, please e-mail portal@daad.de.

Please note:

• Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
• Application materials will not be returned.
• No reasons for a decision will be given.

The application procedure occurs online through the DAAD Portal.

Application documents

Certificates, proof of credits, certifications and translations may be submitted in non-certified form. The DAAD Head Office in Bonn reserves the right to also request certified copies of the submitted documents.

Documents to be uploaded to the DAAD Portal:

• Online application form
• Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (in German)
• Letter of motivation (in German)
• Copy of school leaving certificate (for Bachelor students) or Bachelor degree certificate (for Master students), both with final grade(s), if available (with German or English translation)
• Proof of credits of the last two years (in German or in English)
• Language certificates (with German or English translation, if applicable)
• Other documents you think might be of relevance to your application with German or English translation, if applicable (e.g. certificates of employment, proof of placements).
  [list|By way of exception, applicants with A1 and A2 grades can upload their letter of motivation and CV in German or English. Letter of motivation and CVs of candidates from B1 onwards must be in German.

December 01 every year.

The Application will open on September 30, 2021.

Regional Office New York
German Academic Exchange Service
871 United Nations Plaza
10017 New York, N.Y.
United States of America
Tel.: +1 (212) /758-3223
Fax.: +1 (212)/755-5780
E-Mail.: daad.newyork@daad.de
WWW.: http://www.daad.org

• In the application form, applicants are asked to specify three courses they wish to take. They should fill in all spaces and indicate different course locations. The DAAD does its best to consider these preferences when it makes a final decision about allocating places. Important: There is only a limited number of available places, thus the DAAD reserves the right to allocate an alternative course.
• After receipt of your application, it is no longer possible to change your course preferences or to change course.
• Only applications that have been submitted on time and are complete can be considered.
• Ownership of the application documents including all appendices, samples, etc. shall pass to the DAAD without claim to payment. Documents are not returned to applicants. Data relating to applicants is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act and with the EU Data Protection Regulation insofar as this data is needed to process the application.
• In case participation in the language course on site is not possible due to the current pandemic situation (e.g. the language course gets cancelled, high occurrence of infection, official requirements), the DAAD has the right to withdraw the scholarship and to award it as an online language course. An entitlement for participation in an online language course does not occur in this case.

• You can find out about course providers and programs on the DAAD website.
• You will find more information about language certificates on the DAAD website.
• Answers to questions about the University Summer Courses program can be found here.