How Can You Receive Fully Funded DAAD Scholarship? My Recent Experience

I am going to share my own experience to let you know the method and process of DAAD Scholarship programs so that you can apply, receive and complete your higher education in the European country, Germany with funding. I always had an ambition for higher studies abroad. After completing my undergrad and graduation (2014), I worked as a researcher to develop my research knowledge.

In 2017 (June), I made my first application to the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (PPGG) DAAD scholarship in Germany. It was for the two year Master's Program on Public Policy and Good Governance. In this scholarship, you have to apply to any two out of the prescribed eight programs in 8 universities.

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The application form for the DAAD scholarship and the University rules are to be followed for the application. Selection for a scholarship and admission to a university is one way. You cannot send your application package to the DAAD. You must provide your information to the selected (by you) universities. The time for the application is June 1st – July 31st, every year.

Following documents are required. Such as

The application form for the DAAD scholarship

Degrees Certificates

Motivation letter or statement of purpose,

Recommendation letter,

Europass CV

Language skills (English proficiency is must but German language skill is optional)

Practical/professional work experience (in some cases)

Extracurricular interests (optional)

+++ every year DAAD updates its information so you need to keep eye on their portal to understand their requirements.

I saw some sample motivation letters online and wrote my own. Later, I showed a few more people, including Mustafiz Vai, and arranged letters according to their advice. I asked my university teachers and my office supervisor for a recommendation letter. They both agreed and handed me recommendation letters at their official letterhead. With the help of my friend, I made the Europass CV online with its official website. I did not have an IELTS result then and I applied through the medium of instruction (MOI) certificate. Within a few days of the application, I received an email from the selection committee of the German Academic Exchange Service or Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) scholarship saying that I had been selected initially and then asked me to send the hard copies of my documents. I made courier for around 30 US Dollar (Student Fee) using DHL (Dalsey Hillblom Lynn) International.

Interview through Skype

In October 2017, the DAAD scholarship selection committee emailed that they wanted to take Skype viva informed me about the date and time. I took leave of the office and stayed home at that time. But my internet connection was disturbed. At the beginning of the Skype viva, they didn't listen to me and I couldn't hear them. They cut the call once and called again.

Then they ask me about myself; why I applied to this program; what I do now, what to do with this master's; what I want to do in the future; where I want to look after 10 years, and how I can contribute to the development of the country by completing this program. Interview time was 12/15 minutes and they told me they let me know later.

Final Offer

In 2018, I received a confirmation email from the Helmut-Schmidt-Program of DAAD scholarship of Germany. The email informed that you have been selected for this scholarship and all documents will be sent via email. I was also told that you should take the appointment date of the German Embassy in Bangladesh and ask for help in this regard.

Finally, I had to reject the offer because I received and accepted an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship at that time. I emailed the German Embassy and the DAAD scholarship committee to inform them that I could not come.

Research Experience & Publication

If you have experience and/ or training it makes you more competitive. As a research assistant at the a2i program, my skills of working in the development sector grew and I was deeply interested in research and higher studies. Sponsored by the a2i program and with the help of Mostafiz Bhai, I presented 2 papers at 2 international conferences and published an article in an international journal between 2016 and 2017. Remember, publications will make you strong from many others in terms of getting a scholarship.

The writer is Mahmudul Hassan (Soyeb), Erasmus Mundus Scholar (2018-20), and he is from a developing country and an Asian country named Bangladesh.