DAAD Masters Scholarship 2024/2025 for West and Central Africans

Application Deadline: June 7th, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 DAAD Leadership for Africa Master’s Scholarship Programme.

The scholarship programme “Leadership for Africa” (LfA) aims to support the academic qualification and advancement of young refugees and national scholars from Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mauritania at higher education institutions in Germany.

In times of conflicts and displacement in various African countries, this programme intends to contribute to the education of future leaders, who will be essential for the further development of their home countries.

“Leadership for Africa” offers scholarships for Master’s studies in Germany to qualified applicants in all fields of study except for Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Fine Arts and Architecture. All “Leadership for Africa” scholarship holders benefit from a complementary training programme in good governance, civil society and career development. The mandatory programme must be completed in addition to the regular studies.

The programme targets two groups:

1) Highly qualified refugees who hold refugee status and fulfil the necessary qualifications for Master’s studies in Germany.
Applicants must fulfil the following conditions:

Holding refugee status in their host countries, being granted before 2nd of April, 2023
Country of asylum must be either Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, or Mauritania
Completed Bachelor’s degree at the time of application

2) Highly qualified graduates from Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, or Mauritania who fulfil the necessary qualifications for Master’s studies in Germany.
Applicants must fulfil the following conditions:

Citizenship of either Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, or Mauritania
Country of residence is Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, or Mauritania
Completed Bachelor’s degree at the time of application

Please note:

With a Degree in Medicine, you can apply for Public Health or Biomedical Master related programmes only. A Master programme in Medicine is not eligible for funding.
For applicants from artistic disciplines and the field of architecture, the DAAD offers subject-specific scholarship programmes (see separate DAAD scholarship offers in the scholarship database).

Application Requirements

Successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree at the time of application which meets the requirements of German universities for entering a Master’s degree.
A Bachelor’s degree of at least 2nd class upper division level is required
As a rule, not more than 6 years should have passed since the completion of the last academic degree (see important information for scholarship applicants / Section A, point 2)
Good English or good German language skills
For Refugees: Copy of Refugee ID card issued before 02.04.2023.

Value

German language course (up to 6 months) in Germany before the start of the study programme, including the coverage of the test fees for a German language certificate (TestDaF or DSH test), pocket money and accommodation (only during the language course). The DAAD decides whether to fund participation and for how long depending on German language skills and study requirements. Participation in a language course is compulsory.
Monthly scholarship rate payments of 934 EURO
Adequate health, accident, and private/personal liability insurance in Germany
Travel allowance
Yearly study allowance
Additional mandatory training programme LEAD!
If applicable, monthly rent subsidy and monthly allowance for accompanying family members (spouse and/or children)
Please note that family reunions may be time-delayed or even not be possible during the duration of the scholarship, due to the duration of the visa processes for some home or host countries.

Benefits

The scholarship includes:
German language course (up to 6 months) in Germany before the start of the university studies
Tuition-free M.A. or M.Sc. degree programme at a public or state-recognized university in Germany starting in winter term 2025 (September/October 2025)
Additional mandatory training programme LEAD!

Funding Duration

Generally, selected candidates will start their German language course in April 2025 at the earliest and take up their studies at a German institution of higher education by approx. October 1st, 2025. The duration of funding is determined by the standard period of study of the chosen programme. In general, eligible Master’s programmes require two years of full-time study.

For More Information: