Catholic Academic Exchange Service KAAD Bonn - Scholarship of Catholic Academic Exchange Service KAAD, Bonn

What the KAAD Eastern Europe Programme offers

You will receive a monthly grant to cover your studies or a research placement in Germany, as well as a partial reimbursement of your travel expenses. The Eastern Europe Programme does not publish an official rate. A KAAD programme with the same structure pays approximately 934 EUR per month for a Master’s degree and approximately 1,325 EUR per month for a PhD, in each case including supplementary health insurance. Upon application, the fund may also cover examination fees or the costs of publishing your doctoral thesis, and you can apply for a German language course. The duration of the funding depends on your activities: up to 24 months for a Master’s degree, up to 36 months for a PhD completed in Germany, and 6 to 12 months for shorter research stays. The programme is run by the Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD), the scholarship organisation of the Catholic Church in Germany, in collaboration with partner organisations in your home country.

Who can apply

• Where you come from: You live in a country in Central, Eastern or South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus or Central Asia (for example, in Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia or Kazakhstan) and are not yet studying in Germany.
• Level: You hold a bachelor’s degree and would like to study for a master’s degree in Germany, you are undertaking a PhD, or you are a early-career researcher or university lecturer planning a research stay in Germany.
• Field of study: All subjects except Theology.
• Religion: You are a member of the Catholic Church or another Christian denomination. Members of other religions may be eligible for support if they are recommended by a Catholic partner and are willing to take part in interfaith dialogue.
• Grades: Your academic performance is above average.
• German: You must have a command of German at Level B1 or, at the very least, at Level A2 for an English-taught degree programme. You are expected to take a preparatory German course at home.
• Return plan: You intend to return to your home region afterwards and work there. Otherwise, the grant will become a loan that you will have to repay.
• Engagement: They take part in church and community life or are open to interfaith dialogue.

How to apply

The application process consists of two stages. First, you must complete the online enquiry form on the KAAD website, which is available throughout the year. If you are selected for the second stage, KAAD will send you the full set of application documents. These must be submitted by 15 January (decision in March) or by 30 June (decision in September). Applications are usually processed via the local KAAD partner committee in your country.

How realistic are your chances?

This programme is aimed at a specific target group: Christian applicants from a defined list of Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian countries who wish to return to their home countries afterwards. The pool of applicants is therefore more limited than for an open scholarship. If you clearly meet these requirements, have good grades and the necessary German language skills, and can demonstrate involvement in church or community work, your chances are good. Submit your online application well in advance so that you can easily meet the deadline for one of the two application rounds.