DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Master’s Scholarships for Public Policy and Good Governance 2024, Germany

by Samrach · May 11, 2023

OBJECTIVE

With the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme, the DAAD strives to contribute to promoting good governance and civil society structures in developing and emerging countries.
The Programme

offers future leaders master’s courses in disciplines that are of special
relevance for the social, political, and economic development
prepares them in a practice-oriented course for responsible positions in or for their home regions and contributes to establishing economic and social institutions that are democratically oriented and designed to overcome social inequalities

WHO CAN APPLY?

Graduates from developing and emerging countries (bachelor or equivalent)

with a well-qualified first university degree and above-average grades (upper third) in Social and Political Sciences, Law, Economics, Public Policy and Administration
willing to actively contribute to the social, political and economic development of their home countries/regions
who have already gained practical experience relevant for the programme (professional experience, internships, political/social commitment)

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED?

Academic education in one of the master’s courses, listed below and selected by the DAAD, will take place from September/October 2024. The courses have an international focus and are mainly offered in English.
Throughout their studies, all scholarship holders of the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme benefit from accompanying support services provided by the programme coordinators at the respective study locations.
Scholarship holders benefit from events and seminars organised specifically for them, as well as close exchange with other international scholarship holders.
Planning also provides for participation in interdisciplinary networking events.
DAAD scholarship holders are exempt from paying tuition fees.

VALUE

The scholarship holders will receive

scholarships (of currently € 934 per month) for master’s courses at German higher education institutions
health insurance cover in Germany
appropriate travel allowances for travel between Germany and the respective developing and emerging countries
a study and research grant
rent subsidies and family supplements, as applicable
preceding German language course in Germany, lasting up to 6 months; participation is mandatory
The following deviation regarding funding benefits applies for the “Social Protection” master’s course, due to its blended learning concept: A sur-placerate of € 500 per month is paid in the 4th semester (mandatory online semester in the student’s country of origin or another developing/emerging country).

APPLICATION PROCESS

All applications must be submitted in English or German.
Please indicate clearly that you are applying for the DAAD Helmut-SchmidtProgramme (Master’s scholarships in Public Policy and Good Governance).
You may apply for up to two master’s courses listed below.

Please read the DAAD selection criteria included in our checklist carefully. Please tick off the checklist and complete our list of criteria with your original signature (do not insert a scanned signature), indicating place and date.
Please complete the DAAD application form ‘Application for a research/study scholarship’ only once and indicate your selected master’s course or courses, in the latter case clearly indicating your first and second priority.
If you are applying for two master’s courses: Please rank the courses in order of preference in your motivation letter, i.e. why your first choice of master’s course is your first choice and why your second choice is your second choice. For each choice of course, please provide clear reasons why you think it will advance you academically and professionally. You must submit the same letter of motivation to both courses you are applying for.
Please submit the application form to the master’s course(s) of your choice (max. two), along with the required documents (see below).

Scholarship applications must be made directly to the master’s courses.

SELECTION

The selection will be made by a selection committee in October/November 2023. The committee comprises professors from the participating master’s courses and representatives of the DAAD.

Next step: The candidates that were proposed for a scholarship are contacted by the DAAD and asked to upload their full documents to the DAAD portal. Please do not upload any application documents unless you are nominated by the DAAD.

Important: Please make sure that you have a full set of copies of your application documents in PDF format. Please submit original documents, only if you are explicitly asked to do so by the master’s course.

Thus, the selection process is finalised. All applicants are informed in writing after the end of the selection process in mid to late December 2023.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The most important selection criteria are:

a conclusive account of your academic, professional and personal motivation for the study endeavour in Germany and for choosing and prioritising the master’s courses
this motivation also relates to the goals of the Helmut Schmidt Programme
practical experience relevant to the programme (professional experience or internships, political activities or service to your community, such as volunteering or work for charities or NGOs)
a first higher education degree completed with above-average grades (upper third)
Formal requirements:
Candidates who already hold a master’s degree must make a wellargued case as to why they should be funded for another postgraduate degree.
The candidates’ last university degree should not date back more than six years (date of issue not before 1 January 2017).
Candidates who have spent more than the past 15 months in a country not listed on the DAC list are not eligible.
All master’s courses have their own selection criteria (degree, grades, language skills, practical experience, etc.) that must be met in addition to the DAAD’s selection criteria.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

The requirements for language skills and the required language certificates vary depending on the respective master’s course.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

The required application documents are:

• a ticked off checklist and list of criteria, signed by hand (do not insert a scanned signature), indicating place and date of issue

• the DAAD application form “Application for a research/study scholarship” (please type your answers or make sure they are clearly legible)

• a single letter of motivation (even when applying for two master’s courses) including a precise account of your academic, professional and personal reasons for wishing to participate in the HelmutSchmidt-Programme, as well as a detailed explanation of your choice of master’s course(s), indicating why your first choice of master’s course is your first choice, why your second choice is your second choice and how they will advance you academically and professionally, max. two pages long. You must provide the same letter of motivation to both courses you are applying for.

• a curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order without any unexplained gaps (format: europass) with exact information about your studies and practical experience, including the date of issue

• copies of your higher education degree certificates. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English and make sure these are clearly legible.

• a copy of your full set of transcript of records including an explanation of the grading system. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English and make sure these are clearly legible.

• confirmation of relevant professional experience orinternships and/or proof of relevant political activities or service to your community, such as volunteering or work for charities or NGOs, on headed paper, including an original (not scanned) or code certified digital signature, the date of issue and a stamp. If necessary, please provide a certified translation.

• proof of English language skills

• a current written reference from your current employer or from a university lecturer if you are a student at present, on headed paper, including an original (not scanned) or code certified digital signature, the date of issue and a stamp. If necessary, please provide a certified translation.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

The application period for all seven higher education institutions is from 1 June until 31 July 2023.

APPLICATION LOCATION

Please submit your application documents for the master’s course(s) and the DAAD scholarship to the master’s course(s) of your choice, and not to the DAAD.

Source / More information: Official Website HERE.