DAAD Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Research Grants 2023
Deadline: 14th of October, 2022
You have the option to pursue a dual doctorate at your home university and a German university thanks to the DAAD Bi-Nationally Supervised Doctoral Research Grants.
There are two potential choices:
Option a) Doctorate under dual supervision
The so-called “sandwich approach” involves having a professor at both your home university and the German host institute oversee your doctoral dissertation.
The following process must be followed in order for your project to be approved by both of your supervisors:
- You start your doctoral degree in your home country.
- This is followed by research trips to Germany.
- You complete your doctorate in your home country and are also supervised by the German academic adviser.
- Your home university awards the doctoral degree.
Option b) Doctorate following the “Cotutelle” procedure:
Funding is provided for doctoral projects that are carried out at the home university and at a university in Germany according to the so-called Cotutelle model. This is based on an individual cooperation agreement which is concluded individually for your doctoral project by the participating universities. After you have successfully completed your doctorate, the German university and your home university award the doctoral degree jointly.
Requirements
Depending on the nature of your project, you can apply for:
a) bi-national supervision based on the “sandwich model”. You can apply if you have earned a Master’s degree or Diplom (or in exceptional cases a Bachelor’s degree) at the latest at the start of the funding period.
b) ”Cotutelle model”. You can apply if you have been admitted to a doctoral programme at the latest at the start of the funding period.
What can be funded:
In option a), a doctorate with bi-national supervision based on the “sandwich model”, research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany (as part of a doctoral programme in the home country) are funded.
In option b) a doctorate based on the “Cotutelle model”, research stays at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education in Germany are funded. These allow doctoral students to complete a doctoral thesis which is supervised and carried out bi-nationally on the basis of an individually concluded cooperation agreement.
Benefits
- Monthly payments for doctoral candidates during the stay in Germany: 1,200 euros. Please note that no scholarship payments are made during stays at your home university.
- Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
- Travel allowances for up to three outward and return journeys unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source.
- A research allowance
- Travel and accommodation expenses according to the German Federal Travel Expenses Law for your supervising university teachers for one trip of up to 10 days
– to Germany to monitor progress
– to your home university to take part in final examinations.
Please indicate the trips in the work and time schedule (see “Application documents”) when applying.
Under certain circumstances, grant holders completing an uninterrupted stay of over 6 months in Germany may receive the following additional benefits:
- monthly rent subsidy
- monthly allowance for accompanying members of family. Please also read our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 3.
- In the case of a disability or chronic illness: subsidy for additional costs which result from the disability or chronic illness and are not covered by other funding providers.
