DAAD Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders 2027
The DAAD Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders supports eligible alumni who want to conduct research or professional working projects in Germany. Funding lasts from one to three months and must begin in 2027. The programme provides monthly payments and a possible travel allowance.
Quick Overview
Programme: Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders
Opportunity Type: Research and professional working grant
Host Organization: German Academic Exchange Service
Country: Germany
Funding Provider: German Federal Foreign Office
Duration: One to three months
Funding Start: 2027
Application Deadline: 31 August 2026
About the DAAD Re-invitation Programme
The programme enables former scholarship holders to return to Germany for research or professional working projects. It also helps participants maintain contacts through DAAD’s global alumni network.
Eligible projects may take place at one or several host institutions in Germany. Funding may be claimed only once within a three-year period.
What the Programme Funds
The programme supports:
• Research and working projects at state or state-recognised higher education institutions in Germany
• Projects at non-university research institutes in Germany
• Working stays in business, administration, culture or media
• Visits involving several host institutions when relevant to the proposed project
The working-stay route is available to former scholarship holders who work outside the science sector.
Duration of Funding
Funding is provided for a period of one to three months.
Applicants must indicate their requested funding period in the application. The selection committee determines the final duration after reviewing the applicant’s work plan.
The approved funding must begin in 2027. The grant cannot be renewed.
Benefits and Financial Coverage
The programme provides the following financial support:
✓ Monthly payment of €2,000 for assistant teachers, assistant professors and lecturers
✓ Monthly payment of €2,150 for professors
✓ Monthly payments based on qualifications for former scholarship holders working outside the science sector
✓ Travel allowance unless travel expenses are covered by the applicant’s home country or another funding source
✓ Possible support for justified disability- or chronic illness-related additional costs
Additional disability or chronic illness support must be requested. DAAD reviews the necessity and amount of this support individually.
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. DAAD will arrange insurance for recipients without suitable home health insurance. The cost will be deducted from the scholarship payment.
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Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must belong to at least one of the following groups:
• Former recipients of DAAD research grants or study scholarships
• Former DAAD scholarship holders funded for more than six months by the German Federal Foreign Office
• Former scholarship holders funded through a programme co-financed with Federal Foreign Office funds
• Former East German scholarship holders who studied in Germany for at least one year
Applicants must also meet the following requirements:
• They must not have lived in Germany for at least three years.
• Their proposed research or working project must be coordinated with a cooperation partner in Germany.
• Their applicant status and current country of residence must be eligible under the DAAD scholarship database.
The country selected in the scholarship database should be the country where the applicant currently lives and from which the application will be submitted.
Selection Criteria
An independent selection committee reviews the applications.
The main selection criteria include:
• Academic achievements
• Relevant publications, where applicable
• A convincing research or working project
• A clear and well-planned project proposal
• The quality and feasibility of the submitted work plan
For applicants proposing a working stay outside the science sector, the committee also considers:
• The expected long-term effect on the applicant’s professional work
• Potential multiplier effects, including planned publications
• The project’s contribution to existing cooperation
The selection committee also considers equal-opportunity factors. Applicants may provide relevant information in the application form.
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Required Documents
Applicants must upload the following documents through the DAAD portal:
• Completed online application form
• Full curriculum vitae in tabular format, limited to three pages
• List of academic publications, when applicable
• Detailed statement about the proposed research or working project, limited to ten pages
• Time schedule and itinerary for the planned visit
• Information about host institutions and cooperation partners
• Confirmation from the academic host in Germany
• Valid identification document containing a photograph and personal details
• Proof of previous DAAD funding lasting more than six months
The host confirmation must refer directly to the proposed project. It must also confirm that the host institution will provide the applicant with a workplace.
Documents issued in another language must be accompanied by German or English translations.
Application Process
The application procedure takes place online through the DAAD portal.
Applicants should complete the following steps:
• Review the programme requirements and confirm eligibility.
• Coordinate the project with a cooperation partner in Germany.
• Obtain confirmation from the proposed academic host.
• Register through the DAAD portal.
• Complete the online application form.
• Prepare the required supporting documents.
• Translate documents that are not in German or English.
• Scan and save the documents in PDF format.
• Upload the application form and supporting documents.
• Submit the complete application online before the deadline.
The DAAD portal accepts uploaded documents in PDF format. Translations should be uploaded together with the corresponding original documents.
The application is valid only when all required documents reach the portal by the deadline. Incomplete applications cannot be considered.
Portal Availability
Access to the DAAD application portal normally opens at least six weeks before the application deadline.
The application portal appears only while the relevant application period is active. Applicants must select their status and country in the scholarship database to check whether they can access the application route.
The portal closes at 24:00 CET or CEST on the final application day.
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Important Dates
• Application deadline: 31 August 2026
• Selection: February 2027
• Start of funding: May 2027
The approved research or working visit must begin in 2027.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the DAAD Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders is 31 August 2026.
Applicants must submit the complete online application and all required documents through the DAAD portal by the stated deadline.
Official Link
Review the official programme details and follow the application instructions provided on the official page.
View the Official Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders Page
