DAAD-OSF Scholarship Program

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Bonn, and the Open Society Scholarship Programs are collaborating on a joint program of grants for graduates from the selected countries in Central Asia, South Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine.

1. Aim

The DAAD/OSF Scholarships aim to bolster the capacity of the participating countries to provide quality instruction and research in the social sciences and humanities, and to create a network of scholars from these countries in these fields with colleagues in Germany to enhance the international exchange of ideas and academic best practice. A variety of academic opportunities are available to scholars in participating countries to pursue advanced degrees and training at top level universities in Germany. Grantees will be clustered at host institutions to build cohorts of graduates and professors with a common frame of reference, generating international and intra-regional connections into the future.

The grants are awarded jointly by DAAD and Open Society Foundations for study and living expenses incurred at German Universities.

The Program is open to scholars from the following countries in 2012-13: Armenia; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Moldova; Ukraine.

2. Target Group

The grants are aimed at students with either a Bachelors degree or a Masters degree or who have completed 5 years of a diploma or young faculty members already possessing a PhD (kandidat nauk) and who seek to improve the quality of curriculum teaching at their home institution.

3. Eligible Pathways

Grants are issued for one of the following options:

1. Masters’ level studies (2 years) – more information is available in the Course List.

2. Doctoral studies (3 years) - Ph. D. students will be based at a German university for 3 years. Doctoral studies in Germany do not have taught courses as such, but offer close mentoring by an academic supervisor on a selected topic. Extension of the scholarship beyond three years will be contingent upon positive annual reviews and the recommendation of the faculty mentor.

3. Faculty Exchange (3 month research visits over 2 years) - faculty members who seek to improve the quality of the curriculum and teaching and to create lasting linkages and networks between their home institution and German professors are invited to apply for the faculty exchange scheme. Potential applicants are expected to have established contact with a German professor with whom they would like to collaborate during their scholarship at the time of application.

4. Eligible Courses

Applicants for the Masters pathway can apply for one of the courses in the Course List (available in English and German).

Students interested in the PhD option can apply for studies within the following areas:
- Political Science
- Sociology
- International Relations
- Law
- Economics
- Public Administration Studies
- Educational Administrative Studies
- Public Health
- Philosophy
- German Studies (in special cases only)

Under certain circumstances, other courses within the realms of the social sciences and humanities can be considered. The list represents fields of social sciences and humanities underrepresented in the participating countries and available in either English or German instruction at German universities.

5. Application Requirements

All applicants must apply within one of areas mentioned in point 3 above.

a) Masters Courses (2 Years)
Students can submit applications when they are still finishing their Bachelor studies, but have to have their BA diploma before they start their academic studies at a university in Germany.

b) Doctoral Studies (3 Years)
Applicants must have a further university diploma, normally a Masters degree. In specific cases, applications are permitted after 5 years of undergraduate study when a specialisation has been outlined by the applicant. All applicants must provide evidence of contact to a prospective German supervisor. In addition, the applicant should already be in the first or second year of teaching.  The theme of the proposed work should be confirmed as academically sound from the home university.  All applicants must provide evidence of contact to a prospective German supervisor.

c) Faculty Exchange (6 months over 2 Years)
Applicants must provide letters of support from professors at German Universities with whom they wish to collaborate during their research visits.

6. Language Competence

A good knowledge of German is desirable, but is not mandatory if a student has applied to the course taught in English. Additional German language training may be provided, however, no such training is available in English.

The Test of German (DSH) is administered by DAAD Representatives in each country to assess a candidate’s level of German prior to the interviews.

Candidates who require extra German language training are requested to attend a pre-academic language course in their home country (up to 2 months), with the possibility of spending up to 2 months in Germany if deemed necessary by the interview panel.

Applicants wishing to follow a course instructed in English are required to have a very good command of the English language, proven by a TOEFL test.

7. Grantee Selection

Selection Committee
Each year between January and March, a selection committee consisting of staff from the DAAD central office in Bonn, the OSF Office in London, and a commission of 2-3 German Professors travel to each country in order to interview pre-selected candidates. Interviews are organised and hosted by the local DAAD IC Office Representatives. In the case of applications for PhD scholarships, the final decision may be conferred to a selection committee in Bonn.

Selection Procedure
Written applications will be collected up to the generic deadline of the 31st October each year by the local DAAD-IC office representatives or the German Embassy directly (see the Contact List). In January or February of the following year, selection committees and interviews will commence for all applicants.

Selection Criteria
Selection will be based on academic merit, knowledge of the language required, extracurricular activities, and leadership potential, and will follow a multi-tiered and transparent process. All completed applications will be reviewed and evaluated by selection teams representing the universities, DAAD and OSF- London. Semi-finalists will be invited for an in-country interview in January and February. The interview will be carried out either in German or English based on selected course of studies. All applicants must be aware that after a 2-4 month language course, an adequate level of German must be demonstrated in order to fulfil all necessary academic requirements.

8. Costs Covered

DAAD/OSI Scholarships are in essence full scholarship awards, which include a monthly stipend sufficient for a singe person, one return trip (PhD scholars get an additional return trip to their home country in the 2nd year of study; Faculty receive one return trip for each visit), pre-sessional language training where necessary, and scholarship enhancement activities, including an Orientation Event, taking place in Bonn in autumn each year, as well as a Mid Year Conference held at a German University.

Costs or supplements for partners or children are not covered by the Program.

Masters and doctoral students having pre- school age children in their home country can apply for up to 3 weeks financed trip home.

At Universities where more than 3 DAAD-OSI grantees are placed, a tutor is assigned to provide scholarship holders with guidance and advice.

9. Advice and Information

Representatives of the local DAAD-IC offices / German Embassy provide adequate information to potential grantees about the programs offered within this Award, general advice on study in Germany and making contact with German universities.

10. Application Forms

Applicants should apply on the usual DAAD application forms submitting all necessary documents requested on page 5 of the DAAD Application Form (Antrag auf ein Forschungs-/Studienstipendium) (green) or Faculty on the Application Form for Study Visits for Foreign Lecturers/Scientists "Forschungsaufenthalte/Arbeitsaufenthalte ausländischer Hochschullehrer und Wissenschaftler" (blue) along with 2 Reference Forms (Gutachten zu Stipendienanträgen von ausländischen Studierenden,Graduierten, Doktoranden und Promovierten). All forms are also available for download.

11. Application Details

Applicants falling under points 5a or 5b above should provide the following information, as outlined in the DAAD regulations: the green/blue Application Forms, CV, research plan or study motivations, proof of contact to a German University (necessary for 5a only), confirmation of supervision (for 5b only), confirmation of a partner university contact (5c only) timetable (for 5b only), 2 references from professors at the home university for PhD-applicants, 1 reference for MA-applicants, none for Faculty-applicants, certified copies of A-level, Bachelor, Masters’ or PhD certificates, or if in the 4th year of study, a certified copy of the course certificates gained so far, as well as a DAAD Language certificate.

Masters applicants shall indicate 3 course choices by order of priority in section 7 in the application form. Copies of the certificates and their translations must be certified.

General scholarship information is also available from the following representatives:

DAAD
  
Frau Dr. Jana Merzouk
Kennedyallee 50, D-53175 Bonn
Referat 326
E-Mail: merzouk@daad.de
Tel: +49-228-882-320

Open Society Foundation – London

Ms. Inga Pracute
Program Coordinator
Open Society Foundation
5th Floor, Cambridge House, 100 Cambridge Grove,
London W6 0LE,
United Kingdom
E-Mail: inga.pracute@osf-eu.org
Tel: (+44-207) 031 0225 Fax: (+44-207) 031 0201
Website: www.osf-london.org

Application deadline: October 31, 2011