The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) funds doctoral students and early career postdocs from outside Germany to spend time carrying out a research project at a German university or research institute. It is one of the most accessible routes to a stint working in a German lab, and Germany is home to major dementia and neurodegeneration research centres, including the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE).
The scheme is open to all subjects. Deadlines depend on the country you are applying from. For applicants in the UK, the next rounds close on 1 October 2026 (for funding from April 2027) and 23 February 2027 (for funding from October 2027). Applicants in other countries should select their country on the DAAD page to see their own dates. The DAAD portal closes at midnight German time on the deadline day.
Who can apply
You can apply if you are:
- A doctoral student at a university or research institution outside Germany, who started their doctorate no more than three years before the deadline
- A postdoc who completed their doctorate no more than four years before the deadline
You cannot apply if you are doing your whole doctorate at a German university, or if you have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the deadline. Extra rules apply to applicants from human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry.
What it funds
A research project at a state or state-recognised university, or a non-university research institute, in Germany, agreed with a scientific supervisor there. Doctoral students can be funded for 2 to 12 months and postdocs for 2 to 6 months. The period cannot be split or extended, and research carried out in other countries is not covered.
Awards include a monthly scholarship, payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance, and a travel allowance. Stays of more than six months also attract a one-off research allowance, and can bring a rent subsidy, a family allowance and support with learning German, including online and in-country language courses and reimbursement of language test fees. Extra support is available on application for researchers with a disability or chronic illness, and a Green Mobility Top Up helps cover climate-friendly travel.
How applications are judged
An independent committee of subject specialists looks at three things:
- Academic record: grades, progress, language skills and any publications, talks or conference papers
- The project: originality and relevance, preparation and choice of host, and whether the work plan is realistic
- Your potential: what the stay will do for your career, your reasons for going to Germany, and wider skills and civic engagement
How to apply
Applications are made online through the DAAD portal. You will need:
- A CV (up to three pages) and, for postdocs, a publication list
- A one to two page motivation letter setting out what you hope to gain from the stay
- A research proposal of up to ten pages, discussed with your German host, plus a timetable for the work
- Written confirmation from your host that they will provide you with a workplace
- Degree certificates and, for doctoral students, proof of enrolment
- A letter of recommendation on the DAAD form from a university teacher (your doctoral supervisor if you are a PhD student)
The host confirmation and the recommendation take time to arrange, so start conversations with a German supervisor well ahead of the deadline you are aiming for. The recommendation form can only be generated in the portal while the application round is open.
Visit funding web page
(https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?detail=57742121)