DAAD will pay for a 4-week German summer course in 2027: Indian students with B1 German must apply by 30 October

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is accepting applications for its University Summer Courses (HSK) scholarship for 2027. The scholarship pays for a four-week German language and culture course at a German university between June and September 2027. The DAAD portal has been open since 1 September and closes at 23:59 Central European Time on 30 October 2026, which is 4:29 am on 31 October in India.

Who can apply from India

DAAD’s regional office in New Delhi says the 2027 round is open to full-time students:

• in a bachelor’s or master’s programme in any subject;
• who, if in a bachelor’s, will have finished at least two years of study by the time the course starts;
• who are not in the final year of a bachelor’s or master’s;
• with German at B1 level or higher, shown by a certificate such as onSET-Deutsch, TestDaF, Goethe-Institut, DSD, DSH, telc or ÖSD. A B1 certificate must be no more than one year old. B2 certificates passed in all parts can be up to two years old.

You must be at least 18 when the course begins and stay enrolled at your Indian university for the whole scholarship. The scholarship can be held only once.

What it pays

Item	Amount
Course fees and accommodation	Paid by DAAD to the course provider
One-time cash allowance	€475, paid on arrival
Travel allowance, India	€1,188 for the return trip (rate valid from 1 January 2026)
Insurance	Health, accident and personal liability cover

The cash allowance and the travel money are handed over in cash by the course provider after you reach Germany, so you have to pay for your ticket first and carry enough money for food and other costs.

Key dates

• 30 October 2026, 23:59 CET: DAAD portal closes.
• March 2027: DAAD sends selection results, its programme FAQ says.
• June to September 2027: courses run, each four weeks long with at least 25 teaching hours a week, all in German.

What to do now

1. Check that your German certificate is at B1 or higher and recent enough. If you have none, DAAD India has a registration form for its onSET test, but seats are limited and the test date may not come before the deadline.
2. Pick three courses at three different places from DAAD’s course list. You cannot change them after you submit, so make sure none clashes with your university exams.
3. Write your CV and motivation letter in German, and get transcripts for the last two years and a letter from your college confirming you are enrolled.
4. Upload everything as PDFs on the DAAD portal from a computer, not a phone, and look for the confirmation message after each upload.

Planning a full degree in Germany later? Read our guide to studying in Germany in 2027: costs, APS and the blocked account.

CareerBox News Desk, reporting on the DAAD India call for applications for University Summer Courses offered in Germany for Foreign Students and Graduates (HSK) 2026-2027, the DAAD scholarship database entry for the 2027 programme, the DAAD HSK/HWK FAQ (03/2026) and the DAAD travel allowance table valid from 1 January 2026. Official portal: daad.in/en/2026/09/17/call-for-applications-university-summer-courses-offered-in-germany-for-foreign-students-and-graduates-hsk-2026-2027/. Dates and eligibility change; confirm them on the official portal before you act.