You might find a scholarship that covers your tuition, pays you a monthly stipend, and includes health insurance. Then you read the first rule and your heart sinks: you cannot apply on your own. An eligible German institution has to nominate you first. That one rule shapes everything about this programme, so read this guide carefully before you spend time on paperwork.
Check the Timing First
Timing is tight right now. Nominations for the winter 2027/28 intake closed on 15 September 2026. The online application window runs from 17 September to 15 October 2026. If nobody nominated you by mid-September, you cannot join that intake. The table below shows what is open now and what comes next.
Key Deadlines at a Glance
| Intake | Nomination deadline | Application deadline | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2027 | 15 March 2026 | 15 April 2026 | Closed |
| Winter 2027/28 | 15 September 2026 | 15 October 2026 | Nominations closed, applications still open |
| Summer 2028 (expected) | Around mid-March 2027 | Around mid-April 2027 | Not yet announced |
| Winter 2028/29 (expected) | Around mid-September 2027 | Around mid-October 2027 | Not yet announced |
The expected dates follow the pattern of past years. DAAD has not published them yet, so check the official programme page once it updates.
What the Programme Is
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) runs the Hilde Domin Programme with money from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. It supports students and doctoral candidates who face the risk of being formally or de facto denied educational or other rights in their home country. The goal is simple. You finish your studies or research somewhere safe, then use what you learned to help your home community grow.
The programme takes its name from Hilde Domin, a German poet and writer. She was born Hildegard Dina Löwenstein in Cologne on 27 July 1909. She fled Germany in 1932 to escape persecution and lived in exile for more than 20 years. She chose her pen name, Domin, to honour the Dominican Republic, one of the countries where she found refuge. DAAD launched the programme on 14 April 2021.
🔗 Official Programme Page: Visit the official DAAD Hilde Domin Programme page
Who Qualifies
Here is what you need to meet:
- A real threat. Your risk can come from your ethnic, sexual, gender, or religious identity, or from political and civic activity. DAAD checks this through a risk questionnaire filed with your nomination.
- Age and degree goal. You must be at least 18 and aim for a master’s or doctoral degree. Some summary guides also say your most recent degree should be no more than six years old at nomination, so confirm this in the current call.
- Eligible field. Human medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and law are excluded.
- Residence. You cannot be living in Germany, the EU, the EEA, or the EFTA when you are nominated.
- Language. Your English or German must reach B2 level by the nomination deadline.
- Academic strength. DAAD can only award a limited number of scholarships, so nominees also need good academic prospects.
What the Scholarship Pays
Successful candidates receive:
- A monthly stipend of 992 euros for master’s students and 1,400 euros for doctoral candidates
- Exemption from tuition fees
- Health, accident, and personal liability insurance
- A travel allowance based on your country of origin or current residence
- An optional German preparatory language course of two, four, or six months
Think about what that means in real money. A two-year master’s at 992 euros a month pays 23,808 euros in stipend alone. A three-year doctorate at 1,400 euros a month pays 50,400 euros. Those figures leave out insurance, travel support, and the language course, which all add to your total support. For comparison, other prestigious fully funded routes like the Gates Cambridge Scholarship offer a similarly generous stipend structure for graduate study. DAAD adjusts rates over time, so check the current call before you plan your budget.
How the Nomination Process Works
You cannot skip this part. Nominations must come from the management of an institution or organisation legally based in Germany. That body must work in science, research, teaching, human rights, peace, democracy, or the rule of law. A university is the most common route, and the university you want to attend is often your best first contact.
Here is how the process runs:
- Contact the international office early. Universities set internal deadlines before DAAD does. The University of Marburg accepted nomination requests until 31 August 2026. TUM ran its own selection from 31 August to 15 September 2026.
- Check the admission rules. Policies differ. The University of Freiburg only nominates students who already hold an admission letter. Marburg does not require admission at nomination, but it expects proof before your scholarship starts.
- Submit the online nomination form. The institution completes it and includes your risk questionnaire. Nominating bodies can request the form and the risk description form from DAAD. Nominations sent by email, post, or fax are not accepted.
- Wait for DAAD’s review. DAAD runs a plausibility check. Suitable candidates receive an invitation to apply through the DAAD online portal. It is worth looking into how to prepare for a scholarship interview while you wait, in case your invitation includes one.
- Expect one nomination only. Multiple nominations give you no advantage, so one strong nomination is enough.
Documents to Prepare Early
Once you receive an invitation, you will need to submit:
- A valid passport that remains valid for at least one year past the application deadline, plus valid passports for any accompanying spouse or minor children
- A complete curriculum vitae in tabular form
- Academic transcripts showing your grades up to the application deadline
- Proof of admission for students, which must be in place by the time the scholarship begins
- For doctoral candidates, acceptance as a doctoral candidate and confirmed supervision, both needed at nomination
Already have an admission offer in hand? You may also want to check this guide on what to do after receiving a university admission offer, to make sure you don’t miss a step.
Not sure who to approach for supporting documents? You may also want to check this guide on how to ask for a scholarship recommendation letter.
If your application also calls for a written statement, it helps to know the difference between a statement of purpose and a personal statement, and more broadly what a statement of purpose is and how to write one, before you start drafting.
Tips for Building a Strong Case
Start your language work now. B2 is a firm requirement, so keep certificates or other proof that you meet it. Keep your academic record clean and organised, because selection weighs your grades along with your risk. Document your situation clearly with dates, letters, and official records, but only keep copies that will not put you or anyone else in danger. Finally, research German programmes that match your goals, since DAAD wants to see good academic prospects.
If You Missed This Round
Do not lose hope if the 15 September deadline passed without a nomination. Use the coming months well. Contact the international offices of the universities you like, ask about their internal deadline for the next intake, and find out which faculty members might support a nomination. Build your German or English to B2, gather your transcripts and passport, and write a short risk summary in plain language. When the next cycle opens, you will be ready to move fast.
In the meantime, it is worth broadening your search. Other fully funded European routes worth comparing include the Chevening Scholarship in the UK, scholarships to study in Norway without IELTS, and the 10 best scholarships in Austria without IELTS.
Weighing Germany against other affordable study destinations? You may also want to check this guide on how to find affordable universities abroad.
Worried about the language requirement elsewhere too? You may also want to check this guide on studying in Germany without IELTS on scholarship.
Looking into other fully funded government scholarships in Europe? You may also want to check the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027/2028.
Official Links and Sources
- DAAD Hilde Domin Programme: https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/daad-funding-programmes/hilde-domin-programme/
- DAAD scholarship database: https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/daad-scholarships/
- University of Marburg, Hilde Domin nomination: https://www.uni-marburg.de/en/international/from-abroad/refugees/hilde-domin
- TUM, Hilde Domin Programme: https://www.tum.de/en/studies/fees-and-financial-aid/scholarships/tum-scholarships/students-at-risk-hilde-domin-programme
- University of Freiburg, Hilde Domin Programme: https://uni-freiburg.de/en/studies/during-your-studies/financing-your-studies/hilde-domin-programme/
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply to the Hilde Domin Programme directly?
No. Candidates cannot apply on their own. An eligible German institution or organisation must nominate you through the DAAD online nomination form. If DAAD finds your nomination plausible, it invites you to apply through its portal. Your nomination must come from the institution, not from you.
How much money does the scholarship pay each month?
The DAAD currently pays 992 euros per month to master’s students and 1,400 euros per month to doctoral candidates. Successful applicants also get health, accident, and personal liability insurance, plus a travel allowance. Confirm current figures in the official call before budgeting.
Who is eligible for the programme?
You must be at risk of losing your right to education at home. You must also be at least 18 and aiming for a master’s or doctoral degree. Your English or German needs to reach B2 level. And you cannot be living in Germany, the EU, EEA, or EFTA when nominated.
Do I need a university admission before I am nominated?
It depends on the university. Freiburg requires an admission letter before it will nominate you. Marburg does not require admission at nomination but expects proof by the time your scholarship starts. Ask your target university early, because each school sets its own internal rules and deadlines.
What if I missed the September 15 nomination deadline?
You cannot apply for the winter 2027/28 intake, because nominations closed on 15 September 2026. Your best move is to contact your target university’s international office and ask about the next cycle. Expect the summer 2028 round to open around March 2027, based on previous years.
What documents will I need after an invitation?
Once invited, you will need a passport valid at least one year past the application deadline, a tabular CV, and academic transcripts showing grades up to the deadline. Start gathering copies of every document now, because the process moves quickly. Missing papers can cost you your spot.