DAAD-Procope Scholarship Program 2026 Accepting New Applications
The DAAD German Academic Exchange Service and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs have jointly opened applications for the Procope Program 2026, a long-running bilateral initiative designed to strengthen research collaboration between Germany and France. With project funding beginning in 2027, the program targets researchers aiming to build or deepen cross-border academic partnerships.
The Procope Program 2026 is a funded research exchange initiative between France and Germany for university-based researchers and academic teams. It supports short-term mobility, travel, and collaboration costs over a two-year project period. It is best suited for researchers (including PhD-level participants) seeking structured international collaboration with a French or German partner.
A Strategic Mobility Program for Research Collaboration
At a time when international research funding is becoming more competitive and collaboration-driven, the Procope Program stands out for its targeted support of bilateral academic exchange. Unlike traditional scholarships, this is not a degree-based funding scheme—it is a project-based mobility program designed to connect research teams across borders.
The initiative operates under the Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC) framework in France and the Project-Based Personnel Exchange (PPP) model in Germany. Since its launch in 1986, it has consistently prioritized high-quality scientific cooperation and the involvement of early-career researchers, particularly doctoral and postdoctoral candidates .
What the Funding Actually Covers?
Rather than covering tuition or full research costs, Procope focuses on mobility funding—a critical but often overlooked barrier in international research. Selected projects receive financial support for:
- Travel expenses between France and Germany
- Daily allowances during research stays (approximately €150/day for French researchers and €89–€130/day for German participants)
- Limited round-trip travel support (up to €450 depending on origin)
On average, funding reaches around €6,000 per year per project, making it a modest but highly targeted grant designed to facilitate repeated short-term visits over a two-year period .
Who Is Eligible—and Who Actually Stands a Chance?
Eligibility is restricted to researchers affiliated with universities or recognized research institutions. While companies can participate, they must be formally partnered with an academic institution.
Crucially, this is not an individual application. Proposals must be jointly submitted by a French and a German research team, each applying through their respective national platforms. This requirement alone raises the competitiveness bar significantly.
What strengthens an application:
- Strong scientific merit and clearly defined research goals
- Complementarity between French and German teams
- Active involvement of young researchers (PhD/postdoc level)
- Potential to scale into larger EU or bilateral funding programs
Projects that simply extend previous collaborations without innovation are less likely to be prioritized.
Why This Program Exists (And Why It Still Matters)?
Procope is not just about funding—it is a policy-driven tool supporting Franco-German academic integration. In the context of European research frameworks like Horizon Europe, such bilateral programs often act as stepping stones toward larger grants.
For early-career researchers, it offers something many global fellowships don’t: structured international exposure without requiring relocation or long-term commitments.
Should You Apply—or Skip It?
This procope DAAD program is best suited for:
- PhD candidates or postdocs already embedded in research teams
- Academics seeking international collaboration without full relocation
- Researchers targeting future EU-level funding pathways
It is not suitable for:
- Undergraduate or standalone Master’s applicants
- Individuals without an institutional research affiliation
- Applicants without an existing partner in France or Germany
Deadline and Final Takeaway
The last date to apply for the Procope Program 2026 is July 1, 2026, with selected projects starting from January 2027.