Application period: 15 May until 31 August 2023 with DAAD scholarship application

Studying MIDE

Promoting sustainable development in an inadequate world

Over the course of 18 months, the Master’s degree in International and Development Economics (MIDE) at HTW Berlin prepares students for the responsible and demanding work involved in the context of development. Students gain an in-depth working understanding of the economic and political global context in which developing countries are integrated. The profound theoretical and methodological training provided equips MIDE graduates with a thorough understanding of the socio-economic methods and theories necessary to address urgent problems in development countries. The wide range of optional courses allows students to shape their professional profile according to their preferences.

High academic standards combined with practice-oriented teaching

MIDE graduates are ideally equipped to work in development cooperations or international organisations. Featuring a wide variety of courses to choose from, ranging from “Agricultural Economics in Less Developed Countries (LDCs)” to “Project Planning and Evaluation”, MIDE provides students with a well-rounded education. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical expertise, graduates are capable of analysing the current challenges of development and formulating actionable strategies for meeting them.

Interactive discussions on an international level

After being provided with a comprehensive understanding of the central debates and current issues concerning international and development economics, students address similar discussions in class:

• What does globalisation really amount to? Does globalisation benefit developing countries or does it result in a widening gap between rich and poor countries?
• Should developing countries provide unfettered access to international trade and capital flows?
• What are the lessons for developing countries of the “Asian Miracle”?… the transition debacle in Russia?… Argentina’s financial crisis?
• What specific policies are required to promote key sectors such as agriculture and finance?
• Do poverty-reduction strategies, as advocated by the World Bank, help the poor or contribute to their problems, as some critics allege?

DAAD Scholarship

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) can grant a limited number of scholarships (6-8) to cover living expenses (service fee is waived for recipients of such grants) for applicants from developing and newly industrialised countries. Applicants are selected by the DAAD in cooperation with HTW Berlin. For more information on the DAAD scholarship, please see the DAAD webpage.

Who can apply for the DAAD scholarship?

Applicants for the DAAD scholarship must

• come from a developing or newly industrialised country (link to list of eligible countries)
• have 2 or more years of professional experience since graduation (at the time of application)
• must not have graduated longer than 6 years ago
• fulfill the MIDE admission requirements.

How to apply for the DAAD scholarship?

Should you wish to apply for a DAAD scholarship, please indicate this in your MIDE application form. You must also

• complete the DAAD application form and the DAAD checklist and attach both documents to the MIDE application form. Don’t forget to date and personally sign the checklist.
• submit a statement of motivation (letterhead, addressed to: “The Selection committee”, dated and personally signed) explaining why you are interested in attending a particular postgraduate course with reference to your current employment. Please further describe your development-related motivation and how you intend to make full use of your scholarship and education by taking on social responsibility later in your career.
  Important: When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), you have to submit one motivation letter only, i.e. the same for each course, explaining why you are applying for these specific courses and why you chose that priority.
  You do not have to submit a separate statement of motivation for the MIDE programme. Your statement of motivation for the DAAD scholarship will also serve as the required letter of motivation for the MIDE programme.
• submit proof of at least two years of professional work experience and state your current work situation at the time of application. It is required to submit the following proof: Certificate(s) of employment that include the exact position and period of employment. This/these letter(s) must come on official letterhead, be dated and signed as well as carry a stamp. Letters of appointment, work contracts, pay slips etc. are not accepted as proof of employment.
• a letter of reference from the employer(s), ideally guaranteeing re-employment after completion of the postgraduate course in Germany. This/these letter(s) must come on official letterhead, have a current date and be signed as well as carry a stamp.

If applying to more than one course, please list courses in order of priority in the DAAD application forms and do not change these priorities in the respective applications to other programmes!

Academic reference letters are not required for the scholarship application.

Confirmation of Employment vs. Letter of Recommendation

A confirmation of employment is usually issued by HR and confirms the dates of employment with the organisation and the tasks. Possibly, but not in all cases, there will be an evaluation of the skills/accomplishments.

A letter of recommendation is a personal assessment from your supervisor that usually includes these three components:

• A paragraph or sentence that explains how the referee knows this person for how long.
• An evaluation of the person and their skills/accomplishments. If possible , specific examples should be offered that illustrate the person’s strengths and qualifications. These examples should be brief but detailed.
• A summary that explains why and to what degree the person is recommended.​

What are the selection criteria for the DAAD scholarship?

The Typical Scholarship Holder

• works either for a public authority or a state or private company in a developing country and, as such, is engaged in the planning and execution of directives and projects with emphasis on development policies having a bearing on technological, economic or social areas.
• holds a Bachelor’s degree (normally four years) in a related subject.
• has completed an academic degree with far above average results (upper third) and at least two years of related professional experience after the first degree (bachelor) at the time of application.
• His/her academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old.

What does the DAAD scholarship cover?

• Living expenses (17 months)
• Study and research subsidy
• A subsidy for travel expenses (incl. insurance for accident & personal liability) to Germany and back home after the completion of the programme
• Health insurance
• Preparatory German Language Course (February/ March). Scholarship holders will be expected to arrive in Germany in February to participate in an intensive German language training prior to the start of the programme.
• More Details

Are there other sources of funding?

Competition for the DAAD scholarship is very intense, we receive about 250 applications for only 6-8 scholarships that can be granted.

Please note that HTW Berlin does not offer scholarships for students. More details about other funding options are available here.

Application for April 2024

To apply, please complete the MIDE application form. You will be required to upload supporting application documents to the form. We recommend having these at hand before starting the application process.

19 June: Meet us on Zoom

Are you interested in the programme but not sure if to apply? Do you have questions about the programme, the fees, the scholarship? Join us on 19 June 2023 at 2pm (time zone Berlin, Rome, Amsterdam) via Zoom to learn more about the programme and have all your questions answered: htw-berlin.zoom.us/j/92482840007.

If you cannot join the meeting on 19 June: we will offer info sessions once per month in July, August and September. Dates will be posted here. To accommodate applicants from all time zones, the meeting in July will take place in the evening (German time).

Admission Requirements

• To be eligible for admission, applicants need to have obtained a first university degree with 180 ECTS (or equivalent). Applicants should have taken at least 15 ECTS in Economics (3 modules in Economics for applicants from abroad).
• Proof of proficiency in English.

Application deadline

• 31 August 2023 with DAAD scholarship
• 30 September 2023 without scholarship.

Please note that only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be considered.

Application Procedure

1. Make sure you fulfill the admission requirements.
2. Prepare electronic copies of the necessary supporting documents and complete the MIDE application form.
3. Letters of reference and proof of professional experience are only required if you apply for the DAAD scholarship.
4. Academic Letters of Reference are not required at all.

Application Documents

Attached to the MIDE application form, you must submit an electronic version of

• a letter of motivation (max. two pages long), dated and signed by you
• transcript of records (including CGPA) and degree certificate (s) (official translations into English or German must be provided)
• an explanation of the grading system at your previous university (which is usually already part your transcript and/or the Diploma Supplement). Should this not be the case, please provide a short explanation prepared by you that contains information on the highest possible grade as well as the minimum passing grade.
• CV (Europass format), dated and personally signed by you
• Copy of your passport
• Proof of your English language proficiency
• Secondary School Leaving Certificate that includes the date of graduation from Secondary School.

Source / More information: Official Website HERE.