StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The DAAD Study Scholarship for Master Studies in All Academic Disciplines is the German Academic Exchange Service’s main route for highly qualified graduates to take a full Master’s degree in Germany. Dartmouth College supports its own students and recent alumni through that route: the College’s Fellowships Office advises candidates, runs an internal nomination process and provides the institutional endorsement that the Dartmouth-supported application carries.
Two things about the structure are easy to get wrong. First, the money comes from DAAD, not from Dartmouth — the standard DAAD Master’s package is €992 a month plus insurance, travel and study allowances, for 10 to 24 months. Second, there are two deadlines, not one: the DAAD portal closes on 30 October 2026, but Dartmouth’s internal endorsement cutoff falls in early October 2026. A strong application that misses the campus cutoff cannot go forward through the Dartmouth route, which is why the first step in this article is to contact the Fellowships Office, not the DAAD portal.
Eligibility
- For the Dartmouth-supported route: be an eligible current Dartmouth senior or recent alumnus, and go through the College’s fellowship process to receive institutional endorsement.
- Have a clear academic project that makes study in Germany essential — the scholarship is for students who can explain what they want to study, why Germany matters for that objective, why the selected programme fits their preparation, and how the degree serves their longer-term plan.
- Have completed a first degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) recognised in Germany by the time funding begins in October 2027.
- As a rule, your most recent university degree should not date back more than 6 years at the application deadline.
- Not have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline.
- Hold a Bachelor’s average grade of at least 90 per cent or equivalent (above-average academic performance).
- Not be seeking funding for a Master’s programme that has already begun in Germany; funding is only for programmes starting in the winter semester of the following year.
- International Dartmouth students: verify your individual eligibility with DAAD New York — DAAD’s US/Canada regional rules cover US and Canadian citizens or permanent residents and certain foreign nationals studying in the US or Canada, subject to residence and degree conditions.
Benefits
- €992 per month for Master’s students (standard DAAD rate).
- Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.
- Travel allowance on application.
- An annual study allowance of €460.
- Coverage of the semester contribution fee (€150–€350 per semester).
- A monthly rent subsidy under certain circumstances, after funding starts.
- A monthly allowance for accompanying family members under certain circumstances, after funding starts.
- Funding for 10 to 24 months, for the standard period of study up to a maximum of 24 months.
Documents to prepare
- An academic CV.
- A letter of motivation explaining what you want to study, why Germany is essential, and how the degree fits your longer-term plan.
- A research or study plan for the proposed Master’s programme.
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates.
- Recommendation letters as required by DAAD and Dartmouth’s nomination process.
- Evidence of the language skills your chosen German university requires (not necessarily German for English-taught programmes).
How to apply
- Contact the Dartmouth Fellowships Office immediately and ask whether endorsement is still possible — the internal campus cutoff falls in early October 2026.
- Research Master’s programmes at state-recognised German universities and build contact with a potential host institution; preference can be given to applicants who have secured admission or can demonstrate meaningful contact.
- Register a user account on the official DAAD portal at portal.daad.de (the portal opened in June 2026).
- Complete the online application form, select your target programmes, and upload all required documents as PDFs.
- Applications closed 30 October 2026 (DAAD portal) (the portal closes at midnight CET).
- Apply separately to your target German universities for course admission.
- Selection takes place in January–February 2027; award notifications follow in March–April 2027; funding starts around 1 October 2027.
FAQs
No. It is a DAAD award administered through the German Academic Exchange Service. Dartmouth provides campus-level advising, endorsement and nomination support through its Fellowships Office.
The DAAD portal deadline was 30 October 2026, midnight CET, and has now passed. Dartmouth’s internal endorsement cutoff falls in early October 2026, the portal deadline has now passed.
Potentially, yes. DAAD New York allows US and Canadian citizens or permanent residents and certain foreign nationals studying in the United States or Canada under its regional rules. International Dartmouth students should verify their individual eligibility with DAAD New York rather than assuming Dartmouth enrolment alone is sufficient.
Not necessarily for English-taught programmes. You must meet the language requirements of your chosen German university, whatever they are.
The standard DAAD rate for Master’s students is €992 a month, plus insurance payments, a travel allowance, a €460 annual study allowance and semester-contribution coverage, for 10 to 24 months.
Verified 31 Oct 2026: daadscholarship.com/dartmouth-college-opens-daad-master-scholarships-in-germany-to-study-for-free/ — DAAD deadline 30 October 2026, funding start around October 2027, up to 2 years, Dartmouth endorsement required for the Dartmouth-supported route, eligible current seniors and recent alumni, not a Dartmouth-funded scholarship, DAAD New York regional rules for international students; universities.nspscholarships.com/dartmouth-college-daad-master-scholarship-2027-in-germany-for-international-students/ — DAAD portal deadline 30 October 2026 midnight CET, Dartmouth campus internal cutoff early October 2026, selection January–February 2027, notifications March–April 2027, funding start 1 October 2027, register on portal.daad.de, apply separately to German universities; scholarshipunion.com/daad-master-scholarship-2027-germany/ — deadline 30 October 2026, funding 10–24 months, CV, motivation letter, research plan, transcripts and recommendation letters; jolsaconsulting.com/scholarship-daad-scholarship-2027-germany-masters.html — standard DAAD Study Scholarship terms: €992/month for Master’s students, insurance payments, travel allowance, €460 annual study allowance, semester contribution €150–350, rent subsidy and family allowance under certain circumstances, degree not more than 6 years old, not resident in Germany longer than 15 months, 90% average grade, funding only for programmes starting in the winter semester of the following year (corrected 31 Oct 2026 — DAAD portal deadline 30 Oct 2026 passed with no extension found; Dartmouth's own public page gives no deadline date (its Canvas route is sign-in gated) and its internal endorsement cutoff was already earlier, in early October 2026).
