DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany for PhD (Fully Funded)

September 26, 2025 by Goher Iqbal Punn

International students who seek the scholarships DAAD offers, there are opportunities in plenty always. This is because this German funding organization, which is called the biggest funding organization in the world, keeps endowing the interested and eligible candidates with funds for their study programs. The best thing about DAAD is that there is a big opportunity for PhD candidates that is set to be available for applications in November this year. Get ready to submit the applications for the DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany. IEE has been offering the structured and interdisciplinary PhD programme in International Development Studies since winter 20027 in cooperation with the Faculties of Geography, Law, Social Science, and Economics of Ruhr University Bochum. Interested candidates should get complete details before applying.

Details Regarding DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany

The PhD IDS combines training through coursework and research. As far as research training is concerned, it consists of working on individual PhD projects with supervision from highly experienced professors, plus regular exchange within the framework of one of the research clusters of the IEE, and includes an individual research field that lasts up to 6 months. Remember, candidates’ participation in coursework is about contributing to transferable and research expertise (skills).

The standard period of PhD IDS is 3 years. The average time of the PhD programme to complete, including all examinations, is approximately 4 years. Each year, outstanding candidates from all parts of the world can apply for the programme that carries 180 credit points and up to 6-month field research period.

Eligibility Criteria for DAAD-GSSP Scholarships

Applicants must possess a qualified university degree (such as a master’s or equivalent) in social or political science, law, development management, economics, or related subjects from all over the world. The overall grade should be equivalent to 2.7 (fully satisfactory) in the German grading system after completion of related studies/education with at least 4 years duration
Applicant should hold a qualified degree with an overall grade that should be equivalent to 1.3 (still very good) in the German grading system after completion of related education/studies with at least 3 years duration, in addition to preparatory studies for the PhD/doctorate of usually 3 semesters

Criteria for Admission

There is a criterion for admission to the PhD IDS that will be based on a competitive selection procedure. The main criteria include:

Supporting academic references
Quality of research proposal
English proficiency
Relevance and the overall grades of previous studies

Financial Benefits (DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany)

The IEE applied for the GSSP successfully through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), thus, it has the opportunity to nominate two outstanding international candidates for a PhD IDS for a DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany. The following is the criteria for nomination:

Outstanding academic profile
The last final examination (such as a master’s degree or its equivalent) must have been completed no longer than 6 years before the nomination
The candidates must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months before the nomination

Benefits of Scholarships

Travel allowance
Currently, a €1,300 monthly will be offered as a scholarship installment
Payments will be offered towards accident, health, and personal liability insurance coverage
Currently, there will be a research allowance of €460 per year (for recipients of scholarships from emerging countries), or €230 per year (for scholarship recipients from industrialized countries)
Stays abroad and field studies will also be funded, provided that the overall period abroad does not go beyond 25% of the total funding period, and provided that the stay abroad or field study does not happen at the start of the studies.

Note: Only international candidates chosen as PhD IDS applicants can be nominated for a GSSP Scholarship.

Required Documents for DAAD Germany Scholarships (GSSP Scholarships)

An application letter that should describe motivation for a PhD in International Development Studies
Research proposal (maximum of 5 pages)
CV
Higher education degree(s) and full transcript(s) of records (with grading system explanation of previous studies)
School leaving certificate
English proficiency (IELTS Band 7, TOEFL iBT 94, or Duolingo 125 or above). If English has been the language of instruction since the candidate’s secondary education, proof of English language competency would not be compulsory but highly recommended, nevertheless.
Two recommendation letters

Closing Date for Applications

The last submission date for applications is 31^st March each year. The application period opens on November 15^th each year.

Another Related Opportunity: Fully Funded Scholarships in Sweden for Researchers

How to Apply for DAAD-GSSP Scholarships in Germany?

Interested applicants should submit their applications via the online application platform that opens on 15^th November each year. Before applying, it is advised to go through the details on the official website for updated information.

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