Finding Scholarships
Welcome to our scholarship database!
Here you will find information about our DAAD scholarship programmes for international students and
researchers as well as offers from other selected funding organisations.
Bridge Scholarships for Palestinians in Germany • DAAD
Overview
Eine Druckversion dieser Ausschreibung (PDF) steht Ihnen in den weiteren Registerkarten (z.B. „Bewerbungsvoraussetzungen“) zur Verfügung.
A print version of this announcement (PDF) is available in the further tabs (e.g. “Application requirements”).
Objective
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) administers the scholarship programme “Bridge Scholarships for Palestinians in Germany” with funds from the Federal Foreign Office. As part of the programme, qualified Palestinians, who are in Germany and not able to return home due to the current situation, will receive the possibility to establish or improve their academic qualifications.
The aim of the programme is to support students and researchers from the Palestinian Territories – especially from the Gaza Strip – with bridging scholarships while starting or continuing their bachelor’s or master’s degree at a state or state-recognised higher educational institute in Germany. In addition, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers and university lecturers can receive funding as part of their doctorate or a research project at a state or state-recognised university or non-university research institution in Germany. These grants are intended to enable them to initiate or continue their academic prospects in safety and with the support of their host institution. In the long term, the aim is to integrate them into the education and labour market in Germany, if it is not possible for them to return home.
Who can apply?
Bachelor’s students, master’s students, doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers as well as university lecturers from the Palestinian Territories from all academic disciplines are eligible to apply,
- who are already enrolled as bachelor's or master’s students at a state or state-recognised higher education institution in Germany by the application deadline or
- who have already been accepted as doctoral candidates at a state or state-recognised university or a non-university research institution in Germany or have a confirmation of supervision by the application deadline or
- who, as postdoctoral researchers or university lecturers, have received a letter of invitation from a state or state-recognised university or a non-university research institution in Germany,
- who can provide an ID issued by the Palestinian Authority or an East Jerusalem ID, and do not have any other citizenship,
- who, as a rule, are already in Germany with a valid residence permit at the time of the application deadline,
- who, as a rule, have not been staying in Germany for longer than 15 months at the time of the application deadline. However, this does not exclude applications from Palestinians who have come to the Federal Republic as part of their studies, a doctorate or other academic projects and have therefore been in Germany for some time.
What can be funded?
Study and research projects with the aim of obtaining a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree or implementing a research project at a state or state-recognised higher educational institute resp. non-university research institution in Germany.
Bachelor students:
- participation in a bachelor’s degree programme
- participation in a master’s degree programme
- individual projects under the supervision of a university teacher (doctoral supervisor) in Germany or
- participation in a structured doctoral programme
- individual projects in cooperation with a university lecturer in Germany
- participation in a structured postdoc programme
University lecturers:
- individual projects in cooperation with a university lecturer in Germany
Duration of the funding
Minimum 1 month and maximum 4 months.
The funding period is determined by the DAAD depending on the time required in accordance with the application documents submitted. Funding can start on 01 December 2024 at the earliest and must be completed by 31 March 2025 at the latest.
As a rule, the scholarship cannot be extended.
Value
Scholarship benefits currently include:
- depending on the academic level, monthly payments of
- 992 euros for Bachelor’s or Master’s students
- 1,300 euros for doctoral and postdoctoral candidates
- 2,150 euros for (assistant) professors - payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:
- monthly rent subsidy
- monthly allowance for family members
- In case of a disability or chronic illness: on application, a subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs, incurred in Germany due to the disability, that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and that are not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent a subsidy will be paid, will be reviewed and determined on an individual basis (see important information for scholarship applicants, section F, point 8)
To allow you to improve your language skills during the scholarship:
- allowance for a personally chosen German language course
Selection
The selection of candidates will be carried out by a selection committee appointed by the section ST33 – Middle East, North Africa of the DAAD.
The selection criteria are:
- Academic qualification (documented by school leaving certificate (if applicable), higher education certificates, curriculum vitae, letter of recommendation and if available, a list of recent publications)
- Quality of the study- or research project (documented by
A) Bachelor- and master students (certificate of enrolment, proof of previous studies (transcript of records) and language skills (if applicable))
B) Doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers and university lecturers (acceptance as a (post)doctoral candidate and letter of recommendation or confirmation of supervision or letter of invitation, research project, timetable and language skills (if applicable)) - Personal motivation for the scholarship (documented by a letter of motivation describing the current personal risk situation as well as outlining the future prospects in Germany made possible by a scholarship)
Application requirements
What requirements must be met?
Applicable to all applicants:
- You should be of legal age (usually at least 18 years old) at the time of application.
- You must provide an ID issued by the Palestinian Authority or an East Jerusalem ID and confirm that you do not have any other citizenship.
- As a rule, you must already be in Germany with a valid residence permit at the time of the application deadline.
- You cannot apply if you have, as a rule, been staying in Germany for longer than 15 months at the time of the application deadline. However, this does not exclude applications from Palestinians who have come to the Federal Republic as part of their studies, a doctorate or other academic projects and have therefore been in Germany for some time.
- Your last degree as an applicant for a bachelor's, master’s or doctoral scholarship or your employment at a university or research institution as an applicant at postdoctoral or university lecturer level should generally not date back more than 6 years before the application deadline. Please read our important information for scholarship applicants / Section A, point 2.
Application Procedure
Application deadline
15 October 2024
Selection planned for November 2024.
Earliest start of scholarship, as a rule, 01 December 2024.
Application documents
Documents to be uploaded to the DAAD portal by all applicants:
- Online application form
- Full curriculum vitae in tabular form (max. 3 pages)
- Letter of motivation (1-3 pages). Explain your personal and professional motives for the planned study or research project in Germany. Please also address your current personal risk situation and the long-term prospects in Germany made possible by a scholarship. Please also read our Important Scholarship Information / Section B.
- Valid identification document (issued by the Palestinian Authority or East Jerusalem ID).* Please upload under "Miscellaneous" in the DAAD Application Portal.
- Valid residence permit for Germany. Please upload under "Miscellaneous" in the DAAD Application Portal.
- Form that no other citizenship exists. Please upload under "Miscellaneous" in the DAAD Application Portal.
- One recent, supporting letter of recommendation from a university teacher which provides information about your qualifications including career prospects. Please regard the instructions given on the tab “Submitting an application”.
- If available: Other documents which support your application (example: proof of German or English language proficiency, proof of internships and voluntary commitment etc.)
- If available: List of publications (max. 3 pages)
* If the identification document has expired, a written explanation must be provided as part of the application stating why a valid document cannot be presented.
Additionally, for bachelor’s students who are studying at a preparatory college or a regular degree programme or would like to study in the future:
- Current certificate of enrolment in the bachelor’s programme
- A current transcript of records with individual grades (if available)
- School-leaving certificate with all individual grades including explanation of the grading system (please upload in the portal under “Higher education entrance qualification”). The school leaving certificate must be submitted by the start of the scholarship if school attendance has not yet been completed at the time of application.
Additionally, for master’s students who are studying in a regular master’s degree programme or would like to study in the future:
- Current certificate of enrolment in the master programme
- A current transcript of records with individual grades (if available)
- Last degree certificate from the university stating the final grade(s). The degree certificate must be submitted by the start of the scholarship if the degree has not yet been completed at the time of application.
Additionally, for doctoral candidates who are carrying out an individual project under the supervision of a university lecturer (doctoral supervisor) or who are participating in a structured doctoral programme:
- Last degree certificate from the university stating the final grade(s). The degree certificate must be submitted by the start of the scholarship if the degree has not yet been completed at the time of application.
- A self-developed and self-formulated proposal as well as a description of previous research work (max. 10 pages in total). A proposal is a detailed and precise description of the research project that has been agreed with the academic supervisor. Please also read our important scholarship information / section B, point 2.
- Confirmation of supervision by the doctoral supervisor
- Schedule of the planned research work
- If applicable, acceptance as a doctoral candidate
If participation in a structured doctoral programme is planned:
- Admission to the programme
- Proof of existing contact with the coordinator of the doctoral programme
Additionally, for postdoctoral candidates who are carrying out an individual project in cooperation with a university lecturer or who are participating in a structured postdoctoral programme:
- Last degree certificate from the university stating the final grade(s), the degree certificate must be submitted by the start of the scholarship if the studies have not yet been completed at the time of application
- Detailed description of the research project (max. 10 pages). Please also read our important scholarship information / section B, point 2.
- Written confirmation from the host(s) of the academic cooperation, referring to the project and guaranteeing the provision of a workplace
- Schedule of the planned research work
- If applicable, acceptance as a postdoctoral researcher
- Admission to the programme; this can be submitted up to the start of the scholarship if it is not yet available at the time of application.
- Proof of existing contact with the coordinator of the postdoctoral programme
- List of academic publications (max. 3 pages)
- Comprehensive statement about research project (max. 10 pages). Please also read our important scholarship information / section B, point 2.
- Time schedule and itinerary (host institutes / academic hosts) of the planned research stay
- Confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must refer to your project and guarantee that the host institute in Germany will provide you with a workplace.
Please note
- Certificates, proof of credits, certifications and translations may be scanned in non-certified form and uploaded to the DAAD portal. All candidates have to upload German or English translations of documents submitted in the national language. The DAAD reserves the right to request certified copies of the documents, if necessary.
- The application is done online via the DAAD portal. Please note that ac-cess to the application portal is only displayed as long as the current application deadline is running. After the application deadline, the portal is not available for this programme.
- Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents to the DAAD portal on time. The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. (CET or CEST) on the last application day. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. You are responsible for ensuring that your applications are complete.
- The application documents remain with the DAAD. Your personal data is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act and with the EU Data Protection Regulation insofar as this data is needed to process the application.
Contact and Consulting
Information and advisory centres
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
German Academic Exchange Service
Section ST33 – Middle East, North Africa
Kennedyallee 50
53175 Bonn
Ms. Claudia Garbers and Ms. Janin Meier
E-mail: palestinians@daad.de
More detailed information
Submitting an application
General information on the application via DAAD portal
Applications for this scholarship programme are possible until the stated application deadline.
Click on 'Application portal' at the bottom of the page to go to the DAAD portal. There you will be provided with an online application form to enter your application data.
This is what you have to do:
1. Register in the DAAD portal (Read notes about registering in the portal >>)
2. Request recommendation form
You can generate the recommendation form in the DAAD Portal as a writable PDF under 'Request recommendation form'. It can only be generated during the application period. Please send it to your university teacher and ask him or her to complete the form in full. When you have received it back, upload it in the portal under 'Letter of Recommendation'.
3. Applying online in the DAAD portal (Read notes on applying in the portal >>)
- Prepare application documents
- If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
- Scan paper documents and save in PDF format. You can only upload PDF files to the portal.
- Fill out the application form and upload the application documents to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.
- Submit the application online.
Please note:
If you have any technical questions or problems, please do not hesitate to contact portal@daad.de.de via e-mail.
Please consider possible processing times of your request when you are planning your application.
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