Applications are now open for the 2025 DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Master’s Scholarships. The DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (known as Public Policy and Good Governance) supports future leaders from developing countries (see list of countries), who want to promote democracy and social justice in their home countries. The programme, which is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, offers the chance to acquire a Master’s degree in Master programmes of particular relevance for the social, political and economic development in the students’ countries of origin. In the light of the principles of Good Governance, highly qualified graduates with a first academic degree are being educated in political science, law, economics and administration and prepared for future leading positions in their home countries.
The Programme
- offers future leaders master’s courses in disciplines that are of special relevance for social, political, and economic development
- prepares students in a practice-oriented course for responsible positions in or for their home regions and contributes to establishing economic and social institutions that are democratically oriented and designed to overcome social inequalities
Graduates from developing and emerging countries (bachelor or equivalent)
- with a well-qualified first university degree and above-average grades (upper third) in Social and Political Sciences, Law, Economics, Public Policy and Administration
- willing to actively contribute to the social, political and economic development of their home countries/regions
- who have already gained practical experience relevant for the programme (professional experience, internships, political/social commitment)
Programme Details
- Academic education in one of the master’s courses, listed below and selected by the DAAD, will take place from September/October 2025.
- The courses have an international focus and are mainly offered in English.
- Throughout their studies, all scholarship holders of the Helmut-Schmidt- Programme benefit from accompanying support services provided by the programme coordinators at the respective study locations.
- Scholarship holders benefit from events and seminars organised specifically for them, as well as close exchange with other international scholarship holders.
Formal Requirements:
- Candidates who already hold a master’s degree must make a wellargued case as to why they should be funded for another postgraduate degree.
- The candidates’ last university degree should not date back more than six years (date of issue not before 1 January 2018).
- Candidates who have spent more than the past 15 months in a country not listed on the DAC list are not eligible.
Benefits
The scholarship holders will receive
- scholarships (of currently € 934 per month) for master’s courses at German higher education institutions
- health insurance cover in Germany
- appropriate travel allowances for travel between Germany and the respective developing and emerging countries
- a study and research grant
- rent subsidies and family supplements, as applicable
- preceding German language course in Germany, lasting up to 4 months; participation is mandatory
- The following deviation regarding funding benefits applies for the “Social Protection” master’s course due to its blended learning concept: A sur place rate of € 500 per month is paid in the 4th semester (mandatory online semester in the student’s country of origin or another developing/emerging country).
Selection Criteria
- The selection will be made by a selection committee in October/November 2024.
- The committee comprises professors from the participating master’s courses and representatives of the DAAD. Next step: The candidates that were proposed for a scholarship are contacted by the DAAD and asked to upload their full documents to the DAAD portal.
- Please do not upload any application documents unless you are nominated (by email) by the DAAD. Important: Please make sure that you have a full set of copies of your application documents in PDF format. Please submit original documents, only if you are explicitly asked to do so by the master’s course. Thus, the selection process is finalised. All applicants are informed in writing after the end of the selection process, expected in December 2024/January 2025.
Application Documents
The required application documents are:
- a ticked off checklist and list of criteria, signed by hand (print it out, sign it by hand, scan it and include it in your documents), indicating place and date of issue
- the DAAD application form “Application for a research/study scholarship” (please type your answers or make sure they are clearly legible)
- a single letter of motivation (even when applying for two master’s courses) including the date of issue and a precise account of your academic, professional and personal reasons for wishing to participate in the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme, as well as a detailed explanation of your choice of master’s course(s), indicating why your first choice of master’s course is your first choice, why your second choice is your second choice and how they will advance you academically and professionally, max. two pages long. You must provide the same letter of motivation to both courses you are applying for.
- a curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order including the date of issue (format: europass, please note: the europass template does not include a date, please add it yourself) with exact information about your studies and practical experience; gaps of three months or more must be explained
- copies of your higher education degree certificates. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English and make sure these are clearly legible.
- a copy of your full set of transcript of records including an explanation of the grading system. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English and make sure these are clearly legible.
- confirmations of relevant professional experience or internships and/or proof of relevant political activities or service to your community, such as volunteering or work for charities or NGOs, on headed paper, including an original (not scanned) or code certified digital signature, the date of issue and a stamp. If necessary, please provide a certified translation
- proof of English language skills
- a current written reference from your current employer or from a university lecturer only if you are a student at present, on headed paper, including an original (not scanned) or code certified digital signture, the date of issue and a stamp. If necessary, please provide a certified translation
Method of Application
For More Information,
Visit the Official Webpage
Application Deadline: 31 July, 2024.
