The GROW – Global Research Opportunities for the South Programme, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), offers fully funded short-term research opportunities in Germany for scholars from developing countries. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), this programme strengthens international research collaboration and promotes development-oriented research aligned with global priorities.

Overview of the GROW Programme

The GROW programme is designed to support:

• Doctoral candidates
• Postdoctoral researchers
• University lecturers and professors
• Established academics and scientists

Eligible applicants must be based in countries listed on the OECD DAC list—primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, with additional opportunities for scholars in Latin America and Asia.

Key Objective

The programme aims to:

• Support development-focused research projects
• Strengthen international academic collaboration
• Build scientific capacity in home countries
• Promote research aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Participants will gain advanced research skills, expand global networks, and contribute to institutional development upon returning home.

Programme Structure

The GROW programme offers two funding tracks:

1. Preparatory and Cooperation Visits (Programme Line 1)

• Duration: 1–2 months
• Purpose:
  • Develop joint research ideas
  • Build academic partnerships
  • Prepare publications and funding proposals
• Focus: Establishing long-term research collaborations

2. Research Stays (Programme Line 2)

• Duration: 2–6 months
• Purpose:
  • Conduct an independent research project in Germany
  • Work with a host academic supervisor
  • Develop a clear transfer plan for applying results in your home country

What Does the Scholarship Cover?

The DAAD GROW programme provides comprehensive financial support, including:

• Monthly stipend:
  • €1,400 (doctoral candidates & postdocs)
  • €2,000 (assistant professors/lecturers)
  • €2,150 (full professors)
• Travel allowance
• Health, accident, and liability insurance
• Additional support (where applicable):
  • Disability or chronic illness-related costs
• payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover (see also our important information for scholarship applicants / section F, point 4)
• travel allowance

Under certain circumstances, you can apply for the following additional benefits after start of funding:

• In case of a disability or chronic illness: on application, a subsidy may be provided for justified additional costs incurred abroad that are necessary to realise the project in Germany and that are not covered by a third party; whether and to what extent a subsidy will be paid, will be reviewed and determined on an individual basis (see important information for scholarship applicants, section F, point 8)

Benefits from third parties are partially credited towards the DAAD scholarship. Information on this can be found in the important scholarship information in section F, point 6.

Eligibility Criteria

Please check if the following criteria are fulfilled (also read our important scholarship information, section A):

To apply, you must:

• Be employed at a university or research institute in your home country
• Be from an OECD DAC-listed country. Applications are open to doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, university teachers and established academics and scientists from countries on the OECD DAC list—primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, but also in Latin America and Asia, who are employed at a university or a research institute in their home country.
• Meet academic stage requirements:
  • Doctoral students: PhD started within the last 3 years
  • Postdocs: PhD completed within the last 4 years
• Not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the time of application

Not Eligible If:

• You are already based in Germany at the time of application
• Your entire research is being conducted at a German institution

Note: Women and candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Research Focus: SDG-Aligned Projects

All proposals must demonstrate a strong link to at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), such as:

• Climate action
• Health systems
• Education
• Governance
• Social inclusion
• Innovation systems

Projects should clearly show development relevance and potential for real-world impact.

Duration and Timeline

• Programme must start in 2026
• All activities must be completed by 31 January 2027
• Scholarships cannot be extended

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated by an independent academic committee based on:

Academic Excellence

• Qualifications, grades, and publications

Quality of Proposal

• Relevance to development challenges
• Alignment with SDGs
• Feasibility and clarity of research plan

Impact & Sustainability

• Potential to strengthen institutions in the home country
• Long-term collaboration prospects
• Knowledge transfer and capacity building

Motivation & Career Potential

• Academic and professional relevance
• Commitment to development impact

The selection committee also gives due consideration to equal opportunities; you can provide relevant information in the application form (see important scholarship information, section E, point 3).
For more information on the selection procedure, go to important scholarship information, section E.

Application Deadline

📅 30 April 2026
📢 Selection Results: June 2026
🚀 Programme Start: August 2026

Required Application Documents

For Programme Line 1:

• online application form
• curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages): complete, in tabular form
• detailed description of the project justifying the purpose and objectives of the stay (max. 1–2 pages): Please outline the objectives pursued with the preparatory/cooperation visit and explain how the results achieved and the cooperations initiated are expected, after your return, to contribute to the strengthening of scientific structures and to the promotion of early-career researchers in your country of origin. Please also refer to the specific development challenges in your home country addressed by the project (including reference to the relevant Sustainable Development Goal(s) (SDGs).
• clearly structured time schedule and itinerary (host institutions / academic hosts) of the planned research stay (to be uploaded in the portal under “Schedule”)
• written confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must explicitly refer to your project (including the working language) and confirm that a workplace will be provided by the host institution in Germany
• proof of affiliation with a higher education institution in your home country (e.g. proof of employment, admission to doctoral studies, certificate of enrolment, etc.)
• Declaration from the scientific supervisor or host in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project. Please upload the document in addition to the confirmation from the academic host in the portal under ‘Scientific ethics/research safety ‘.

For Programme Line 2:

• online application form
• curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages): complete, in tabular form
• list of publications (max. 2 pages) of your most important published work
• letter of motivation (max. 1 page): statement about the academic and personal reasons for the planned research project in Germany, taking account of the following question: What do you hope to gain from your project in Germany (personally, professionally, for your career)? Please upload the letter of motivation under ‘study project/motivation’ in the DAAD portal.
• Proposal including a transfer concept (total max. 5 pages): Please submit a detailed and precise description (independently prepared and written by yourself) of your research project, which has been coordinated with the academic host in Germany. Please explain the relevance of the project to specific development challenges (including reference to the relevant SDG(s)) addressed by the project. Furthermore, please describe, by means of concrete measures, how you will use the knowledge and contacts gained after your return to contribute to scientific and institutional capacity building in your country of origin (transfer concept). Please also read our important scholarship information / section B, point 2. Please upload the proposal under ‘research project’ in the DAAD portal.
• time schedule of planned research work
• confirmation from the academic host in Germany; the confirmation must refer to your project and guarantee that the host institute in Germany will provide you with a workplace. Also read our important scholarship information / section C, point 3. Please upload the confirmation from the academic host under ‘acceptance of host institution’ in the DAAD portal.
• Declaration from the scientific supervisor or host in Germany on safety-relevant and ethical aspects of the research project. Please upload the document in addition to the confirmation from the academic host in the portal under ‘Scientific ethics/research safety ‘.

Doctoral Candidates and Postdoctoral Researchers must additionally submit:

• university degree certificates (e.g. Master’s, doctorate) stating your final grade(s); please submit only the most recent degree certificate. If you do not have your most recent degree certificate (doctoral candidates: Master’s; postdocs: doctorate) at the time of application, you must submit it before the start of your scholarship. Please upload your certificate(s) under ‘university degree certificates’ in the DAAD portal.
• Proof of admission to doctoral studies / enrolment in a doctoral programme / letter of supervision from a faculty member at the home university (doctoral candidates only). Please upload the document in the portal under “Admission”
• One recent supporting letter of recommendation (on a DAAD-form) from a university teacher (for doctoral students, from the supervisor of your doctoral thesis) which provides information about your qualifications. Please regard the instructions given on the tab ‘Submitting an application’.

Applications must be submitted online via the DAAD Portal.
Please note that the access to the application portal only appears while the current application period is running. After the application deadline has expired, the portal for this programme is not available until the next application period.

Please note

 

• Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents to the DAAD portal by the application deadline.
• The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. (CET or CEST) on the last application day. If possible, please do not send your application on the final date in case technical problems occur.
• Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are complete.
• The application documents remain with the DAAD. Data relating to applicants is saved by the DAAD in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act and with the EU Data Protection Regulation insofar as this data is needed to process the application.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the DAAD online portal.

Steps:

1. Register on the DAAD portal
2. Request recommendation letter
3. Upload all required documents (PDF format)
4. Submit application before the deadline

Important Notes:

• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Submit early to avoid technical issues
• Documents in other languages must include English or German translations

Why Apply for DAAD GROW?

• Fully funded research experience in Germany
• Access to world-class universities and research institutions
• Opportunity to contribute to global development challenges
• Build long-term international academic networks
• Strengthen your career and institutional impact

APPLY OR FIND MORE INFO HERE 

Contact Information

Information and advisory centres

DAAD – Section ST32 Sub-Saharan Africa
Kennedyallee 50
D-53175 Bonn
Contact: st32@daad.de

More detailed information

 

• DAAD website ‘Important information for DAAD scholarship applicants’
• DAAD website section ‘Doing a PhD and Research in Germany’
• Website ‘Research in Germany’
• Website ‘GERiT – German Research Institutions’

The DAAD GROW Programme 2026–2027 is a highly competitive and prestigious opportunity for researchers committed to solving real-world development challenges. If you are passionate about research with impact and global collaboration, this programme offers the funding, network, and platform to take your work to the next level.

General information on the application via DAAD portal

Click on ‘Application portal’ at the bottom of the page to go to the DAAD portal. There you will be provided with an online application form to enter your application data.

This is what you have to do:

1. Register in the DAAD portal (Read notes about registering in the portal >>)

2. Request recommendation form
You can generate the recommendation form in the DAAD Portal as a writable PDF under ‘Request recommendation form’. It can only be generated during the application period. Please send it to your university teacher and ask him or her to complete the form in full. When you have received it back, upload it in the portal under ‘Letter of Recommendation’.

3. Applying online in the DAAD portal (Read notes on applying in the portal >>)

• Download and complete the online application form
• Prepare application documents
• If necessary, translate documents (unless they are already in German or English).
• Scan paper documents and save in PDF format. Please note that you can only upload PDF files to the portal.
• Upload the completed application form and the other application documents to the portal in PDF format. Translations, if applicable, should be uploaded together with the document issued in the original language.
• Submit the uploaded application documents online.

Please note:
If you have any technical questions or problems your local information and advice centres could not help you with, please do not hesitate to contact portal@daad.de via e-mail.
You can also call the technical portal hotline on weekdays from 9-12 and 14-16 (CET/CEST) on +49 (0) 228 882-8888.
Please consider possible processing times of your request when you are planning your application.

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