Hilde Domin Programme Scholarship 2026 , Germany (Fully Funded)

The Hilde Domin Programme, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and administered by the DAAD, is a prestigious fully funded scholarship designed for at-risk students and doctoral candidates worldwide. This scholarship provides academic refuge in Germany for individuals who face political, civic, or human-rights-related threats in their home countries.

Scholarship Overview

Fully Funded

Germany Universities

Masters, PhD

All Subjects

International Students

Germany

Degree Level

The Hilde Domin Programme supports:

Master’s Degree (up to 24 months)
Doctoral Degree / PhD (up to 48 months)

Note: The programme does not support undergraduate studies.

Available Subjects

Students from all academic disciplines may be nominated except:

Human Medicine
Dentistry
Veterinary Medicine
Pharmacy
Law
Special rules apply for:
Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Design
Visual Communication
Music
Film
Architecture

(These require university confirmation of academic ability and willingness to enroll.)

Benefits

The Hilde Domin Programme provides extensive financial coverage, including:

Monthly Stipend

€992 per month for Master’s students
€1,300 per month for Doctoral candidates

Additional Benefits

Health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage
Travel allowance (based on home country)
German language course (2–6 months), if needed
Funding for the full duration of the degree programme
Participation in interdisciplinary training programmes
Academic and personal support throughout the stay in Germany

Eligible Nationalities

The programme is open to all nationalities worldwide, except:

EU/EEA/EFTA countries
Andorra
Monaco
San Marino
United Kingdom

Eligibility Criteria

To be nominated, applicants must:

1. Be at personal risk

Candidates must prove or credibly demonstrate that they face:

Physical danger
Arrest or persecution
Denial of civil rights
Denial of educational rights
Threats due to ethnic, religious, gender, sexual, or political identity, or civic engagement

2. Hold valid academic qualifications

Must possess certificates allowing admission to higher education (verified through the anabin database).

3. Be outside Germany/EU

Candidates must not already reside in Germany or the European Union at the time of nomination.

4. Meet language requirements

German or English language proficiency at B2 level by the nomination deadline.

5. Meet academic discipline requirements

Must belong to a permitted field of study (see above).
Application Process (Important: You Cannot Apply Yourself)
Unlike most scholarships, the Hilde Domin Programme does not allow direct applications.

Application Procedure

Unlike most scholarships, the Hilde Domin Programme does not allow direct applications.

Step-by-Step Application Route

1. Nomination by an eligible institution (mandatory)

The candidate must be nominated by:

A German university
A German research institute
A German-based human rights, democracy, or peace-promotion organization

Multiple nominations do not increase chances—one is enough.

2. DAAD Plausibility Check

DAAD reviews the nomination and verifies the candidate’s risk situation.

3. Invitation to Apply

If the nomination is accepted, DAAD invites the candidate to submit:

Online application
Academic documents
CV
Motivation letter
Language certificates
Risk-description form

4. Final Evaluation

An independent DAAD selection committee assesses:

Risk level
Academic potential
Motivation and suitability

Successful applicants receive the scholarship and proceed with visa and university enrollment.

Nomination & Application Deadlines

For Summer Semester 2027 Start

Nomination Deadline: 15 March 2026
Application Period (after DAAD invitation): 17 March – 15 April 2026

Nomination is possible at any time, but only fully submitted nominations before the deadline are considered.

Hilde Domin Programme Scholarship 2026 , Germany (Fully Funded)