Study Seminars and Practicals in Germany by Groups of Foreign Students

DAAD

Objective
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) funds Study Visits / Study Seminars and Practicals in Germany by groups of foreign students headed by a university teacher.

Objectives of the Funding:
The programme aims to

  • provide students with subject-related knowledge by arranging appropriate visits, tours and information meetings (Study Visits) or by organising subject-related seminars and practical courses (e.g. specialist courses, block seminars, workshops) at the invitation of a German university. This university is also responsible for organising practical courses with universities, companies and, possibly, public institutions (Study Seminars and Practicals)
  • facilitate meetings with German students, academics and researchers to establish and maintain contacts between German and foreign universities
  • give students a greater understanding of and insight (regional and area studies) into economic, political and cultural life in Germany. The part must not make up more than one third of the funding term.

In the case of Study Seminars and Practicals, the programme strives for reciprocity, although this is not a condition for the award of funding. This means that funding can initially be provided for visits in one direction only.

Cultural events (e.g. concert tours) can be funded when the focus is on meeting students and university teachers from a relevant academic field and this academic relevance is appropriately documented.

Funding cannot be provided for annual repeat visits (by applicants, faculties or departments); each applicant, faculty or department can only be considered for a maximum of one application per year. Funding cannot be provided for required/obligatory excursions or for measures that have already been completed. Duration
Study visits, study seminars or practicals should last no less than 7 days. Funding is available for a maximum of 12 days (including travel days), although the visits themselves may last longer.

Value
The DAAD takes out health, accident and public/private liability insurance for each funded group. Further details can be found in the Award Letter.

The DAAD regrets that it is unable to pay any international travel costs.

1. Study Visits

  • Groups from EU countries, from Albania, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, the Russian Federation, Serbia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States:
    The trip is independently organised and carried out by the group or by the applicant (lead) university teacher. For groups from remote areas of the Russian Federation, Turkey or Ukraine, it may be possible, after agreement with the DAAD, to apply for organised study trips in individual cases.
    The DAAD pays a flat-rate sum of 50.- euros per person and day.
  • Groups from other countries:
    The DAAD arranges the programme. Wishes and preferences stated in the application form will, as far as possible, be considered. However, the programme may be subject to cuts or changes as requested by the Selection Committee.
    The DAAD provides a guide fluent in the group language. The guide is responsible for ensuring that the programme drawn up by DAAD Head Office runs smoothly and is followed.
    As a rule, groups will be accommodated in hotels or youth guesthouses/hostels (twin or three-bed rooms).
    The DAAD pays the subsistence costs (board and lodging) for the group participants (including group leader and, where appropriate, bus driver) during the funding term in Germany. The lump-sum payment for the midday and evening meal is 9,- euros each.
    The DAAD decides on the means of transport to be used. Often this means using (travel) coaches/buses in order to guarantee the smooth running of the programme. If groups do not travel with their own coach/bus to Germany, the DAAD can hire a bus/coach for travel in Germany. If the group travels with a bus/coach not hired by the DAAD, a place must be made available for the DAAD travel guide. The DAAD pays any fuel costs incurred in Germany. However, the use of public transport may prove more suitable for certain programme items. Terms and conditions will be advised on a case-by-case basis.

2. Study Seminars and Practicals

  • Groups from all countries: The DAAD grant is provided as project funding. It is paid as a flat-rate sum of 50.- euros per participant and day, thereby subsidising the travel and subsistence costs.

Requirements
Funding can be provided for groups of students who are fully matriculated in their second semester or higher in a relevant degree programme at a foreign university and who are travelling in a group headed by a university teacher. Subject to approval by the DAAD, individual doctoral students can also be funded. To ensure that the conditions are given for a successful study trip, all the participants should, as far as possible, have a common level of language skills in a language of relevance to the programme. Groups should be made up of at least 10 and must not, as a rule, exceed 15 persons. In addition, funding can be provided for one university teacher as group leader.

Application papers
Applications are open to university teachers from German universities (Study Seminars and Practicals) or from foreign universities (Study Trips).
PLEASE NOTE: The DAAD will only process applications submitted in full and on time. The DAAD regrets that it is unable to consider any applications where missing documents or papers still have to be obtained.
A full application must include:

  1. Application Form (Form available from the DAAD Portal): Information regarding the bank details asked for on the application form:
    – Applicants for Study Seminars and Practicals and Study Trips = Group 1: Please enter the bank details of your university.
    – Applicants for Study Trips = Group 2 (other countries): Please enter 999 999 99 for the Sort Code (BLZ) and 999 for the Account Number.
  2. Financial Plan (With the exception of: Study Trips Groups from other countries, all others: Form available on the DAAD Portal. Please fill in the fields with a white background).
    Page 1: No entry possible here. The sum will be filled in automatically from Page 3.
    Page 2: No entry possible here. All fields automatically calculated.
    Page 3: This is where the requested number of participants, the number of funding days (12) and the flat-rate sums (50 €) are read out. The result = the amount of funding to be applied for (identical with Page 1).
  3. List of Participants (upload as an attachment to the application in the DAAD Portal). The following details are required here: Family Name, First Name, Number of Semesters, Subject Area, Target Degree and Language Skills.
  4. Reasons and contentual programme description (upload as an attachment to the application in the DAAD Portal) with a precise list of visit and tour preferences (general details such as visits to museums, universities etc. are not sufficient). Information on the Portal: The first page of the application form gives you the opportunity to briefly explain your plans in up to 2,100 characters. However, this must not substitute a detailed statement of reasons plus contentual programme description The Selection Committee will ask for information on whether or not a return visit is planned. Please confirm that the planned project is not a compulsory excursion.
  5. Schedule (upload as an attachment to the application in the DAAD Portal), in tabular format.
  6. Describe the contentual preparation (upload as an attachment to the application in the DAAD Portal) for the Study Trip / Study Seminar in Germany.
  7. Proof of contacts (upload as an attachment to the application in the DAAD Portal). These contacts should relate to the relevant requested trip. Proof is furnished, for example, by presenting letters of invitation and confirmation relating to the programme items (agreements, arrangements, cooperation agreements and similar documents are not alone sufficient proof of contacts, but can rather only be submitted as complementary information, as long as they are no older than two years).

The application is submitted online via the DAAD Portal: www.daad.de/hochschulen/kooperation/partnerschaft/gruppenreisen/05028.de.html
Please submit your application in German or in English.

1. Study Trips
Please ask for a letter of recommendation from a DAAD Regional Office, a DAAD Information Centre or a German Embassy. The application deadlines at the DAAD in Bonn are binding.

2. Study Seminars and Practicals
Please additionally inform the Akademisches Auslandsamt/International Office that you have submitted an application.

The decision will be made by a selection committee at the DAAD. Due to the limited financial resources, experience has shown that only some of the applications can be approved that meet the programme‘s three funding objectives. These are particularly well organised visits of cultural and educational policy interest with a clear focus on encouraging meeting and encounter.

Country-specific information, dates and deadlines, application address and advice
Applications must have been submitted via the DAAD Portal by the following deadlines at the latest:

  • 1 February each year for trips starting from 1 June
    (The DAAD decides in mid-April)
  • 1 May each year for trips starting from 1 September
    (The DAAD decides in mid-July).
  • 1 November each year for trips starting from 1 March
    (The DAAD decides in mid-January)

Please Note: For technical reasons, the DAAD-Portal is only able to display the application deadline: “Bewerbungsfrist 31.12.”. However, it is the above-listed Closing Dates for Applications that are binding.

DAAD Address:
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
Referat 513
Kennedyallee 50
D-53175 Bonn

Desk Officer Responsible:
Ms. Julia Löllgen
Telephone: +49 (0)228/882-328
Fax: +49 (0)228/882-9-328
E-Mail: loellgen@daad.de

The DAAD website (www.daad.de/stipendien) will provide additional specific information for applicants from your home country, if such information is available.

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