The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) administers the scholarship programme “Hilde Domin Programme” with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA). The programme serves to support students and doctoral candidates from across the globe, who are at risk of being formally or de facto denied educational or other rights in their country of origin, and to provide these students and doctoral candidates with an opportunity to begin or complete a study or research degree at a higher education institution in Germany. Students and doctoral candidates nominated and accepted under the programme will be enrolled in degree courses of any personal subject choice and according to individual qualifications and receive a scholarship sufficient to cover the necessary costs incurred in the course of their study resp. research stay.
The long-term goal of the scholarship programme is to enable students and doctoral candidates to complete their higher education studies resp. research project in a secure environment, in order to be able to contribute towards meaningful political, economic as well as social development in their countries of origin (respectively in Germany or third countries) upon completion of their studies in Germany. All beneficiaries of the scholarship programme will further be qualified in an accompanying interdisciplinary programme, in order to enhance the prospects of a free development of their personality and their contributions towards society.
Potential candidates cannot themselves apply for participation in the Hilde Domin Programme, but are nominated by the management (presidiums/rectorates) of an institution that is a legal entity domiciled in Germany. All nominations shall formally be made by respective nominating institutions and organisations who are requested to submit the Nomination Form given to them by the DAAD.
Thereafter, on the basis of an initial plausibility check, suitable candidates will be contacted by the DAAD and invited to apply via the DAAD online application portal. The application documents submitted by the candidates are then verified by the DAAD for completeness and formal correctness.
The final selection of candidates will be carried out by independent selection committees appointed by the DAAD. Both the status of risk and academic performance are assessed as part of the selection process.
Who?
Students and doctoral candidates worldwide* resp. with a recognised refugee status and/or an entitlement to asylum who are at risk of being formally or de facto denied educational rights in their country of origin, due to their ethnic, sexual, gender or religious identity and/or their political or civic engagement. By definition of the DAAD, political, civic and similar engagement encompasses either the participation in groups or individual actions based on liberal and democratic principles aspiring to contribute to a positive social change in communities.
*Except for the following countries: EU/EEA/EFTA countries as well as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the United Kingdom.
Students and doctoral candidates from all disciplines can be nominated, except for fine arts, performing arts, design, visual communication, music, film and architecture, as well as human medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine,
- who can prove or credibly demonstrate a threat to their personal well-being or safety (e.g. physical violence, arrest, denial of civil and educational rights, etc.) to the nominating institution and
- who are in possession of educational certificates that enable entrance to a higher education institution and warrant the pursuit of a desired higher education qualification according to the www.anabin.de database.
Funding period
As a rule, the duration of funding for a
- Bachelor’s degree is: up to 48 months (12-month preparatory course/Studienkolleg, up to 36 months studies)
- Master’s degree is: up to 24 months
- Doctoral degree is: up to 48 months
Funding value
Funding of a scholarship encompasses
- a monthly scholarship payment of 861 EUR for bachelor and master students resp. 1,200 EUR for doctoral candidates
- a health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
- a travel allowance based on your country of origin resp. present residence
- participation in a preparatory German language course (of two, four or six months)
- according to the previously acquired and required language skills for the intended course of study or doctoral project
- additional financial benefits
Deadline: 31 July 2021 and 31 January 2022.