Objective

DAAD scholarships offer graduates the opportunity to continue their education in Germany with a postgraduate or continuing course of study. The scholarships also promote the exchange of experience and networking amongst colleagues.

Who can apply?

Foreign applicants who have gained a first university degree in the field of Music at the latest by the time they commence their scholarship-supported study programme; if this is not possible, they should have at least exhausted all the training options available for their instrument in their country of origin.

What can be funded?

In this study programme, you can complete

  • a Master’s degree/postgraduate degree leading to a final qualification, or
  • a complementary course that does not lead to a final qualification (not an undergraduate course)

at a state German college of music of your choice.
Postgraduate studies are possible in the so-called 2nd cycle (usually a four-semester Master’s degree) or a 3rd cycle which usually takes place in two semesters (concert examination, masterclass or PhD in an artistic subject).
This programme only funds projects in the artistic field. Other DAAD scholarship programmes are available for applicants from the field of musicology or music education or musicians with a scientific project.

Duration of the funding

Master’s degree programme:

  • Between 10 and 24 months depending on the length of the chosen study programme or study project
  • Start: usually from 1st October, or earlier if a language course is taken prior to the study programme
  • The scholarships are awarded for the duration of the standard period of study for the chosen study programme (up to a maximum of 24 months). To receive further funding after the first year of study for 2-year courses, proof of academic achievements thus far should indicate that the study programme can be successfully completed within the standard period of study. Therefore, a reference of the main subject teacher will be required.
  • Applicants who are already in Germany in the first year of a postgraduate course at the time of application may apply for funding for their second year of study.
  • An extension of the scholarship is possible if changing to a new stage in studies is intended (usually from a Master’s degree to an advanced programme of study such as a concert exam or master class). For particularly qualified candidates, it is possible to apply for an extension for a concert exam for up to two years.

Complementary studies not leading to a final qualification:

  • One academic year. In individual cases, the scholarship can be extended on request
  • Start: usually on 1st October, or earlier if a language course is taken prior to the study programme

Value

  • A monthly payment of 861 euros
  • Travel allowance
  • One-off study allowance
  • 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 accompanying members of family

To enable scholarship holders to learn German in preparation for their stay in the country, DAAD offers the following services:

  • Payment of course fees for the online language course “Deutsch-Uni Online (DUO)” (www.deutsch-uni.com) for six months after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter
  • if necessary: Language course (2, 4 or 6 months) before the start of the study visit; the DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long depending on German language skills and project. Participation in a language course is compulsory if the language of instruction or working language at the German host institution is German.
  • Allowance for a personally chosen German language course during the scholarship period
  • Reimbursement of the fees for the TestDaF test which has either been taken in the home country after receipt of the Scholarship Award Letter or in Germany before the end of the funding period
  • As an alternative to the TestDaF for scholarship holders who have taken a language course beforehand: the fee for a DSH examination taken during the scholarship period may be reimbursed.

Selection

A special DAAD committee made up of professors from German colleges of music makes the final decision about scholarships in the field of music. The decision is based upon written applications and sound recordings which have to be submitted (see: www.daad.de/extrainfo).

What requirements must be met?

  • As a rule, applicants should have taken their final examinations no longer than six years before the application deadline.
  • The respective college of music is responsible for deciding age limits for admission, whereby differing rules may be applied depending on the applicant’s academic level and chosen subject.
  • Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.
  • If the scholarship holder is enrolled in a Master’s or postgraduate degree programme which includes a study period abroad, funding for this period abroad is usually only possible under the following conditions:
    – The study visit is essential for achievement of the scholarship objective.
    – The study period is no longer than a quarter of the scholarship period. Longer periods cannot be funded, even partially.
    – The study period does not take place in the home country.

Language skills

Applicants in the field of music should have a knowledge of the language of instruction that corresponds to the requirements of the chosen university at the latest by the time they start their scholarship. If you do not yet have the language skills required by the university at the time of your application, your application should indicate the extent to which you are in a position to reach the required level. After you have been awarded a scholarship, take advantage of the funding opportunities described under “Value”.

The application procedure occurs online through the DAAD portal. You are also required to send additional documents by post to the specified application address.

Please note that the access to the application portal only appears while the current application period is running. After the application deadline has expired, the portal for this programme is not available until the next application period.

The access to the DAAD portal generally opens about 6 weeks before the application deadline at the latest.

Application documents

Certificates, proof of credits, certifications and translations may be scanned in non-certified form and uploaded to the DAAD portal. The DAAD reserves the right to request certified copies of the documents.

1. Documents to be uploaded to the DAAD portal:

  • Online application form
  • Full curriculum vitae in tabular form
  • Statement about academic and personal reasons for the planned study project in Germany (letter of motivation; 1 – 3 pages)

Master’s degree/postgraduate study programme leading to a final qualification:

  • If available: Letter of acceptance from the host university
  • If you do not have a letter of acceptance at the time of application, you must apply to the university for this in good time and subsequently submit the confirmation letter before the scholarship-supported study programme begins. Please note that you yourself are responsible for ensuring that you apply for admission at the host university by the due date and that a Scholarship Award Letter from the DAAD only becomes valid if you are admitted to your chosen host university.
  • If possible, confirmation of supervision from a university teacher

Further training that does not lead to a final qualification:

  • Confirmation of supervision from a German university teacher

Also for all applicants:

  • University degree certificate indicating final grade(s): the certificate must be subsequently submitted before the scholarship-supported study programme begins if studies have not been completed at the time of application.
  • Proof of knowledge of the language of instruction (German or English).The language certificate should be no more than two years old.
  • Form with an overview of recorded pieces: www.daad.de/extrainfo (“Overview work samples music”).

2. Work samples to be submitted:
Please note: The DAAD is currently setting up a music database into which work samples can be uploaded. As soon as the technical requirements are met, the necessary information for uploading will be available here.

(For formal requirements, read: “Additional Information for DAAD Study Scholarships in the Field of Music” at: www.daad.de/extrainfo).

Application deadline

1 October

Application location

DAAD
Section ST33
Kennedyallee 50
53175 Bonn
Germany

Please note

  • Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents to the DAAD portal (see Item 1) and by post (see Item 2). The postmark date serves as proof that the application has been dispatched on time.
  • The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. Central European Time (CET) on the last application day.
  • Late or incomplete applications cannot be considered. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are complete.
  • The application documents remain with the DAAD. Data relating to applicants 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.

For more information, please visit https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?origin=2&status=3&subjectGrps=&daad=&q=&page=3&detail=57135743#bewerbung0000

 

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