HAW-DAAD German International Scholarships 2027 for Research Courses Open
Germany is quietly funding something many PhD candidates struggle to afford: international research mobility.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has opened applications for its HAW.International Research Scholarships 2027, a funding opportunity designed specifically for doctoral candidates enrolled at German Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW). The program allows researchers to spend one to six months abroad conducting doctoral research while receiving financial support for living costs, travel, insurance, research expenses, and additional family-related benefits.
Unlike many doctoral funding schemes that restrict applicants to a single host institution or country, this DAAD scholarship offers remarkable flexibility. Successful candidates can undertake research at universities, research institutes, archives, or fieldwork locations worldwide, and can even divide their stay across multiple institutions or countries when academically justified.
For doctoral researchers looking to build international networks, access specialized laboratories, conduct fieldwork, or strengthen the global relevance of their dissertation projects, this program represents one of DAAD’s most practical mobility funding opportunities for 2027.
What Makes This Scholarship Different?
Doctoral candidates often discover that their research requires access to facilities, archives, datasets, or academic expertise unavailable at their home institution.
The HAW.International Research Scholarship was created to solve that problem.
Instead of funding an entire doctorate, DAAD finances targeted international research stays that directly strengthen a candidate’s ongoing doctoral project. The funding is available for research conducted:
- At international universities
- At non-university research institutions
- Through archival research
- During fieldwork projects
- At multiple host institutions where academically necessary
The scholarship can support stays in one country or several countries, provided the research plan demonstrates a clear academic need.
Who Can Apply?
Applications are open to doctoral candidates who are:
- Pursuing a doctorate at a German University of Applied Sciences (HAW) with doctoral awarding rights
- Enrolled in a cooperative doctoral program involving a German HAW and a German university with doctoral awarding rights
- Accepted formally as a doctoral candidate before the application deadline
- Within three years of starting their doctoral studies (unless special circumstances apply)
Importantly, applicants do not need German citizenship to qualify. International doctoral candidates studying within the German HAW system are also eligible, provided they meet DAAD requirements.
However, doctoral scholarship holders funded through Germany’s major gifted education foundations are generally not eligible for additional DAAD mobility funding.
Financial Benefits Offered Under the DAAD HAW.International Scholarship
The scholarship package goes far beyond a simple monthly stipend and the selected researchers will receive:
- Monthly scholarship payments based on the destination country
- International travel allowance
- Health insurance support
- Accident insurance coverage
- Personal liability insurance coverage
- €102 monthly research and conference allowance
Additional support may also be requested for:
- Tuition fee contributions at host institutions
- Language course funding
- Family allowances for accompanying spouses, partners, and children
- Project-related travel within the host country
- Supervisor visits of up to 10 days abroad
- Disability and chronic illness-related support costs
The final funding amount depends on the host country and approved project activities.
Research Stay Duration
The scholarship supports:
- Minimum duration: 1 month (4 weeks)
- Maximum duration: 6 months per funding period
Researchers may receive funding twice during their doctorate, provided:
- A new application is submitted
- At least six months separate both funding periods
The maximum total funding period across a doctorate is 12 months. Extensions are not available once a funding period has been approved.
Why This Opportunity Matters for PhD Researchers?
For many doctoral candidates, international exposure is no longer a luxury—it is becoming a requirement for academic competitiveness.
Research collaborations, international publications, access to specialized facilities, and global professional networks increasingly influence future academic and industry careers. The DAAD HAW.International Scholarship addresses these realities by allowing doctoral researchers to leave their home campus temporarily without disrupting their doctoral progress.
At a time when research is becoming increasingly international, this program offers German HAW doctoral candidates a funded pathway to expand their academic footprint beyond national borders.
Application Deadline
The DAAD HAW.International Research Scholarship accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. However, candidates must submit their application no later than three months before their planned research stay abroad begins.
Applicants planning research mobility during the 2027/2028 academic year are therefore encouraged to prepare their proposals, host institution confirmations, and recommendation letters as early as possible to avoid delays in funding approval.