Are you an outstanding international student with a strong academic background and a passion for research? The Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP), funded by DAAD, offers you the chance to complete a fully funded PhD at a top German university — within a structured graduate school.
This is a unique opportunity to advance your research career, gain international experience, and become part of an elite academic community in Germany.
🎯 Programme Objective
The GSSP is designed to:
- Attract talented international doctoral candidates to structured PhD programmes in Germany,
- Strengthen global academic networks, and
- Support the internationalization of German graduate schools.
✅ Who Can Apply?
You can apply after being nominated by a participating graduate school if you are:
- A highly qualified doctoral candidate,
- With a completed Master’s, Diplom, or (in some cases) Bachelor’s degree,
- And meet the admission criteria of the specific graduate school.
🛑 Important: You cannot apply directly to the DAAD for this scholarship. First, you must apply to a graduate school participating in the GSSP and be selected by them.
👉 Visit the list of eligible schools here: www.daad.de/gssp
🧪 What’s Funded?
The programme supports:
- A full PhD project at a structured graduate school in Germany
- Supervision, training, and networking opportunities within an interdisciplinary research environment
⏳ Duration of Funding
- The scholarship is awarded for up to 4 years, depending on the specific PhD programme.
💰 What’s Included?
- Monthly stipend of €1,300
- Health, accident, and personal liability insurance
- Travel allowance (varies by country)
- Annual research allowance of €460
Depending on your situation, you may also receive:
- A monthly rent subsidy
- Family allowances (e.g., approx. €200 per child, €275 for a spouse)
Bonus for Host Institutions: Graduate schools also receive an annual €1,000 allowance for materials and supervision support.
📝 How to Apply
Here’s how the application process works:
- Apply to a participating graduate school listed on the DAAD GSSP website.
- If selected, the graduate school will nominate you for a DAAD scholarship.
- Once nominated, you’ll receive instructions to submit your formal application via the DAAD portal.
📌 Note: Applications sent directly to DAAD without nomination will not be considered.
🌍 Why Choose GSSP?
The GSSP offers more than just funding. It’s your pathway to:
- Conduct cutting-edge research in your field,
- Collaborate with international scholars and mentors, and
- Build a career-ready profile in a globally respected academic system.
If you’re ready to take your research to the next level, a DAAD-funded PhD in Germany might be your perfect next step.