DAAD Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Research Grants for International Students 2023

This programme offers you the opportunity to do a bi-national doctoral degree at your home university and at a university in Germany.

There are two possible options:

Doctorate with bi-national supervision: Option A
Your doctoral project is supervised by a university teacher both at your home university and at the host institute in Germany (so-called “sandwich model”). Your project must be agreed with both supervisors according to the following procedure:

• You start your doctoral degree in your home country.
• This is followed by research trips to Germany.
• You complete your doctorate in your home country and are also supervised by the German academic adviser.
• Your home university awards the doctoral degree.

Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure: Option B
Funding is provided for doctoral projects that are carried out at the home university and at a university in Germany according to the so-called Cotutelle model. This is based on an individual cooperation agreement which is concluded individually for your doctoral project by the participating universities. After you have successfully completed your doctorate, the German university and your home university award the doctoral degree jointly.

Eligibility Criteria

Depending on the nature of your project, you can apply for:

• Bi-national supervision based on the “sandwich model”. You can apply if you have earned a Master’s degree or Diplom (or in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree) at the latest at the start of the funding period.
•  ”Cotutelle model”. You can apply if you have been admitted to a doctoral programme at the latest at the start of the funding period.

Benefits

• In option A, a doctorate with bi-national supervision based on the “sandwich model”, research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany (as part of a doctoral programme in the home country) are funded.
• In option A, a doctorate based on the “Cotutelle model”, research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education in Germany are funded. These allow doctoral students to complete a doctoral thesis which is supervised and carried out bi-nationally on the basis of an individually concluded cooperation agreement.

Benefits:

• Monthly payments for doctoral candidates during the stay in Germany: 1,200 euros. Please note that no scholarship payments are made during stays at your home university.
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
• Travel allowances for up to three outward and return journeys unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source.
• A research allowance
• Travel and accommodation expenses according to the German Federal Travel Expenses Law for your supervising university teachers for one trip of up to 10 days
  – to Germany to monitor progress
  – to your home university to take part in final examinations.
  Please indicate the trips in the work and time schedule (see “Application documents”) when applying.

Under certain circumstances, grant holders completing an uninterrupted stay of over 6 months in Germany may receive the following additional benefits:

• Monthly rent subsidy
• Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 3.
• In the case of a disability or chronic illness: subsidy for additional costs which result from the disability or chronic illness and are not covered by other funding providers: Further information

Note:

• Funding is provided for between 7 and a maximum of 24 months.
• Option a) Bi-national supervision following the “sandwich model”: Grants are initially awarded for up to 12 months. Extensions depend on whether the selection committee considers the previous award period to have been successfully completed.
• Option b) Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure: Grants are initially awarded for up to 18 months; there is the possibility for an extension of the scholarship for up to 6 months.
• The grant can be used flexibly for several shorter stays during your doctoral project.
• When you apply for the grant, you should outline in your study plan and time schedule how you intend to divide your time between Germany and your home university.
• If you plan to visit other countries (e.g. to collect material), please specify these plans in your application. Such visits can only be funded if they take place in connection with your visit to Germany. Another requirement is that they do not exceed one quarter of your expected total funding period.
• The length of the funding period is determined by a selection committee and depends on your project and study plan

The selection criteria are:
1. Qualification

• Academic achievements (grade point average, development of grades)
• Academic progress
• Knowledge of the language of instruction or working language
• If applicable, scholarly achievements after graduation, (e.g. publications, lectures, conference papers)

2. Quality of research project

Apply Here

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