Applications are now opened for the 2024-2025 DAAD Music Scholarship for international students. The Scholarship offers graduates students the opportunity to continue their music education in Germany with a postgraduate or continuing course of study.

Fully funded by the BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) through its Exchange Service, this program aims to increase collaboration among musicians, by promoting the exchange of experience and networking among colleagues.

The German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD (German: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst), is the largest German organization, that provides supports and scholarships to international students and researchers for academic co-operation. You may also click on the German government Scholarships to check a list of various scholarships that are currently available for international students to study in Germany

Program Details

• Host institutions: Educational institutions in Germany.
• What can be funded: A Master’s degree/postgraduate degree leading to a final qualification, or a complementary course that does not lead to a final qualification (not an undergraduate course).
• Number of awards: Not specified.
• Duration: Between 10 and 24 months, depending on the length of the chosen study program or study project (Master’s degree) and One academic year.
• Target group: Open to all nationalities.

DAAD Music Scholarship Benefits

The program provides successful applicants with the followings:

• A monthly payment of 934 euros;
• Travel allowance;
• One-off study allowance;
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.

Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:

• Monthly rent subsidy
• Monthly allowance for accompanying members of family
• Payment of course fees for the online language course etc.

DAAD Music Scholarship Eligibility

To qualify for the DAAD Music Scholarship, Fellows must:

1. As a rule, applicants should have taken their final examinations no longer than six years before the application deadline.
2. The respective college of music is responsible for deciding age limits for admission, whereby differing rules may be applied depending on the applicant’s academic level and chosen subject.
3. Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.
4. If the scholarship holder is enrolled in a Master’s or postgraduate degree program which includes a study period abroad, funding for this period abroad is usually only possible under the following conditions:
   • The study visit is essential for achievement of the scholarship objective.
   • The study period is no longer than a quarter of the scholarship period. Longer periods cannot be funded, even partially.
   • The study period does not take place in the home country.
5. Applicants in the field of music should have a knowledge of the language of instruction that corresponds to the requirements of the chosen university at the latest by the time they start their scholarship. If you do not yet have the language skills required by the university at the time of your application, your application should indicate the extent to which you are in a position to reach the required level.

Similar opportunities

1. The Gates Scholarship Program to Study in the USA;
2. Pan African University Scholarships for Youths;
3. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS).

How to Apply for the DAAD Music Scholarship

The application procedure occurs online through the DAAD Portal and the DAAD Media Database. No need to send documents by post.

1. Submission of the application documents

Master’s degree/postgraduate study program leading to a final qualification:

• If available: Letter of acceptance from the host university
• If you do not have a letter of acceptance at the time of application, you must apply to the university for this in good time and subsequently submit the confirmation letter before the scholarship-supported study program begins. Please note that you yourself are responsible for ensuring that you apply for admission at the host university by the due date, and that a Scholarship Award Letter from the DAAD only becomes valid if you are admitted to your chosen host university.
• If possible, confirmation of supervision from a university teacher

Further training that does not lead to a final qualification: Confirmation of supervision from a German university teacher.

Also, for all applicants:

• University degree certificate indicating final grade(s): the certificate must be subsequently submitted before the scholarship-supported study program begins, if studies have not been completed at the time of application.
• Proof of knowledge of the language of instruction (German or English). The language certificate should be no more than two years old.
• Form with an overview of recorded pieces: extra info here (“Overview work samples music”).

2. Submission of work samples

One to two weeks after submitting your application documents, you will receive a link to upload your work samples into the DAAD media database. Please upload the work samples promptly (within two weeks of receiving the link) into the media database. The audio/video files to be uploaded must be in mp3, wav and mp4 format.

The program’s deadline is September 28, 2023. To know more about the DAAD Music Scholarship, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.