German Universities DAAD Summer Courses Scholarships 2027 New Application Process

International students who want to experience studying in Germany do not necessarily need to commit to a full Bachelor’s or Master’s degree first.

The DAAD University Summer Courses Scholarship 2027 offers eligible international university students and graduates the chance to spend around four weeks at a German university, studying German language, technical German or regional and cultural studies—with the course fee covered, accommodation arranged, insurance provided, a €475 allowance and, for eligible countries, travel support.

There is one major catch applicants should see before getting excited about a summer in Germany: these are German-language courses, and applicants generally need at least B1 German before applying. This programme is designed to improve an existing language foundation, not to teach German completely from scratch.

Lets Review Quickly the Course Based Scholarship Info

This Is Not a Degree Scholarship — and That Is Actually Its Advantage

Applicants sometimes see “DAAD scholarship” and assume they are applying for a funded Master’s or PhD in Germany.

This programme works differently.

The University Summer Courses scheme funds a short academic stay in Germany, normally lasting four weeks, during which participants attend an intensive university-based German language or subject-specific language course.

Courses run between June 2027 and September 2027, with teaching scheduled for a maximum of five days per week and at least 25 teaching hours every week. The scholarship cannot be extended.

That makes it particularly useful for students who are considering Germany for future postgraduate study, research or employment but want to improve their German and experience the university environment before making a longer commitment.

Students From Almost Any Academic Field Can Find a Route In

This is not a scholarship reserved for German-language majors and DAAD lists the programme across fields including:

• Languages and Cultural Studies
• Law
• Economics
• Social Sciences
• Mathematics
• Natural Sciences
• Medicine
• Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences
• Engineering
• Art
• Music
• Sport

In practical terms, a computer science student, engineer, economics student, medical student or social scientist may apply if the broader eligibility and language conditions are satisfied.

Bachelor’s applicants must have completed at least two academic years of university study by the time the funded course begins.

Final-year students need to pay particular attention to their academic plans. Under the programme rules supplied for the current call, those completing their degree may need to demonstrate that they intend to continue directly into postgraduate education.

IELTS Is Irrelevant Here — German Is the Real Admission Test

Students searching international scholarships often start by asking whether IELTS is required. But for this DAAD summer courses scholarship programme, IELTS and TOEFL are not the important tests because the summer courses are taught exclusively in German.

Applicants must be capable of following instruction and participating in group work in German. For most applicants, DAAD requires at least B1 German at the time of application. Accepted evidence includes:

1. onSET-Deutsch
2. TestDaF
3. Goethe-Zertifikat
4. DSD
5. DSH
6. telc Deutsch
7. ÖSD certificate
8. DAAD German Language Certificate where accepted

Certain specialized-language-course applicants may also use an eligible school-leaving language qualification. The age of the certificate also matters. Generally, the language certificate should be no more than one year old when the application is submitted. Certificates demonstrating B2 or TestDaF TDN4 in every section may be accepted up to two years after issue.

So an applicant with excellent English but zero German is unlikely to be competitive—or even eligible—for this particular DAAD opportunity.

What Exactly Does DAAD Short Courses Scholarship Pay For?

The funding package of these DAAD summer courses offered at different German universities is broader than the €475 figure in the headline.

Successful scholarship holders receive:

• The cost of the selected German language/summer course
• Accommodation for the full course period
• A €475 one-time allowance
• A country-specific travel allowance, where applicable
• Health insurance
• Accident insurance
• Personal liability insurance

Accommodation is arranged through the course provider and may take the form of a single room in a student residence, shared apartment or private household.

There is also an unusual payment detail applicants should know before travelling.

The €475 allowance—and any applicable DAAD travel allowance—is not transferred to the applicant overseas before departure. DAAD transfers the funds to the German course provider, which then distributes the money to scholarship holders after they arrive.

This means applicants may still need some personal funds available for pre-departure expenses.

Apply in This Order for DAAD-Courses Scholarship 2027 Intakes

The application itself is relatively manageable if applicants prepare the German-language documents early.

• Check whether your country is eligible in the DAAD scholarship database.
• Confirm your academic status. Bachelor’s applicants should ensure they will have completed at least two university years before the summer course begins.
• Check your German level. Most candidates need at least B1.
• Obtain an accepted German-language certificate and check that it will still be valid at the application deadline.
• Open the official DAAD course list and compare participating universities, course dates, themes and language levels.
• Choose three course preferences carefully.
• Prepare your CV in German.
• Write your motivation letter in German, connecting the summer course to your academic or professional trajectory.
• Collect transcripts covering the previous two consecutive academic years.
• Prepare translations into German or English where necessary.
• Upload all required documentation to the DAAD portal.

Incomplete applications are excluded from further consideration, so uploading most—but not all—documents is effectively the same as not applying.

Why the Motivation Letter Could Decide the Application?

The financial package attracts applicants, but DAAD is not simply paying for a four-week European summer experience.

The stated objective is to improve both general and technical German language ability while deepening participants’ understanding of Germany and its regional context.

That gives applicants a useful blueprint for the motivation letter.

Instead of writing:

“I love Germany and want to learn German.”

A convincing application should establish a chain:

Current degree → reason German matters → selected course → academic or professional use → future project or postgraduate plan.

The clearer that connection is, the easier it becomes for a selection committee to understand why DAAD should invest in that particular applicant.

October 30 2026 Is Early Because the Actual Trip Comes Much Later

The application window for the 2027 University Summer Courses scholarship runs from September 1 to October 30, 2026, while the actual courses take place between June and September 2027.

That long gap is deliberate: DAAD must select scholars, assign courses, coordinate universities and arrange accommodation well before participants travel.

For applicants, the practical lesson is simple: do not wait until summer 2027 to search for this opportunity. The scholarship application happens roughly eight to ten months earlier.

If you are considering the DAAD University Summer Courses Scholarship 2027, leave your country, current degree, study year and German-language level in the comments below. We can help you work out whether your profile appears to fit this programme and what you may still need before the October deadline.