The DAAD continues to follow the developments on the coronavirus and adapts its activities flexibly to changing situations.

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In order to counteract the spread of the coronavirus, the DAAD has decided to react to the dynamic situation by making the following adjustments to its funding business. The protection of funding recipients, partners and employees is a priority.
Please note that the situation is constantly changing and you should refer to the continu-ously updated information provided by the authorities, in particular the as well as the detailed which include all current warnings. The authorities are in constant exchange and continuously evaluate current developments.

Information for DAAD scholarship holders and applicants from Germany (Status: 2 February 2021)

Departure to the host country

The pandemic continues to develop dynamically and is a cause for concern in many countries around the world. If you want to apply for a DAAD scholarship or maybe you already have received your letter of award, you will certainly have many questions as to whether, when and how it is possible to start a scholarship in the Corona-induced pandemic situa-tion. First of all, the DAAD would like to support you even in this difficult situation and of-fers you flexible solutions in almost all programmes:

• you can postpone your scholarship start and departure,
• you can start your scholarship online from Germany if your chosen host university offers digitally supported study or research options,
• you can move the scholarship to another country after consulting with us.

The above-mentioned options also apply to scholarship holders who have since returned to Germany and are now considering returning to their host country. For further details, see .

Please note: The DAAD strongly advises against travelling to corona risk areas or to coun-tries or regions for which a corona travel warning has been issued by the Federal Foreign Office. In addition, we would like to point out that the Federal Foreign Office has ruled out further corona-related emergency return trips by German citizens. If you still decide to travel to a corona risk area or a country or region for which a corona-related travel warning has been issued, you do so at your own risk. Please be sure to obtain detailed information about all the consequences of this decision, in particular about the rules applicable on departure and return, quarantine and testing obligations, hygiene regulations and other rules of conduct. Even if your DAAD scholarship and the associated insurance cover are still valid for travel to corona risk areas or to countries and regions for which a corona-related travel warning has been issued, we urgently appeal to you to choose one of the alternatives described above.

Your scholarship office will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please read the information compiled beforehand.

We ask our scholarship holders to make sure that they are registered in the crisis prevention list of the Federal Foreign Office, regardless of which country they live in. It is strongly recommended that you also note the emergency number, which can be found on the website of the respective German mission abroad, and that you also inform on the website of the respective embassy about further contact details.

Return journey to Germany

If you are in a so-called , please clarify in advance with your transport company whether your return journey is possible without any problems. If you have German citizenship or a residence in Germany, an applies and you may therefore enter Germany.

If you wish to return to Germany due to the current pandemic situation, you find detailed information here. We would like to ask scholarship holders who have returned to Germa-ny in the meantime to temporarily remove themselves from the crisis prevention list of the Federal Foreign Office.

News on planned selections

Applications for ongoing calls for proposals will continue to be received and processed, Commission meetings will partly be held by Video conference or decisions will be taken on the basis of written documents.

Information on individual programmes

• RISE / WISE internship programmes: As of now, we expect the RISE programmes to resume as planned in 2021. The pandemic continues to develop dynamically in many countries. Under certain conditions RISE internships could take place virtually, too. Please note the valid entry restrictions.
• Go East Summer Schools: No new applications will be accepted at this time. The programme is suspended until further notice.

Information for international scholarship holders and applicants

Entry to Germany (Status: 2 February 2021)

If you want to apply for a DAAD scholarship or maybe you already have received your letter of award, you will certainly have many questions as to whether, when and how it is possible to start a scholarship in the corona-induced pandemic situation. The same applies to scholarship holders who have in the meantime returned to their home country and are now considering re-entering Germany.

It is essential that you take note of the following information when planning your trip:

Entry into Germany is currently prohibited from so-called “” with a particularly high prevalence of mutations of the virus. Air and rail companies etc. are not allowed to transport people from these areas.

If you are travelling from (particularly high numbers of cases or regions with widespread viral mutations), you must have yourself tested before departure and present a negative test result to the airline. Proof may also be required at the entry control in Germany by the Federal Police.

Based on the quarantine regulations of the German federal states, there is further an obligation for all persons who have stayed in a "Corona risk area" within ten days before entering Germany to register at before arriving in Germany and to carry proof of registration with them upon entry. In Germany, you will have to go into quarantine for ten days in this case. As a precaution, we would like to point out that the DAAD cannot organise quarantine accommodation. After staying in a risk area, you must also be able to prove that you are not infected with the coronavirus within 48 hours of entering the country. You can find out where you can take a test near your home by calling 116 117 or on the Internet at . As a rule, quarantine ends at the earliest five days after entry if a negative test result is available which confirms that there is no infection with the coronavirus. However, this test may be carried out at the earliest on the fifth day after entry and must be kept for ten days after testing and presented to the competent authority on request. If symptoms typical of Covid-19 appear within ten days of entry, you must go to a doctor's surgery or a testing centre for a further test.

For information on entering Germany from risk areas, please also read the information on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health (in German) or on the website of the Federal Foreign Office and the Robert Koch Institute.

The following entry requirements must also be observed:

Entry into Germany from EU member states and from "Schengen-associated" states is possible in principle unless the above-mentioned restrictions regarding virus variant or high incidence areas apply; a "valid reason for entry" is not required.

A list of third countries from which entry is also possible without restrictions can be found on the .

Subject to restrictions for certain risk areas as mentioned above: Third-country nationals from all other countries may enter Germany for study purposes (including doctoral studies), if the studies cannot be carried out entirely from abroad. Since German universities are offering a mixture of online and classroom-based courses for the winter semester 2020/21, proof of presence requirement is generally not necessary. If in doubt, please inquire about this at your host university.

Subject to restrictions for certain risk areas as mentioned above: Entry from third countries is also possible for research purposes. As a rule, the "economic necessity" of the stay required for skilled workers is assumed if the research activity is carried out at a recognised research institution. These are universities and other research institutions whose activities are mainly financed by public funds.

Proof of the requirement for presence in Germany is a prerequisite for entry (e.g. by presenting the employment contract, the hosting agreement or the letter of invitation from the university/research institution).

In addition, in the case of short-term stays (up to 90 days), it must be credibly demonstrated that the intended research activity cannot be carried out in the same way via online formats (e.g. video conferences).

Please take care of your visa application at a very early stage, as the visa sections of the German missions offer sometimes only a few dates for the application and therefore delays occur.

As it is not yet clear for all countries of origin whether and when entry to Germany will be possible without any problems, we have provided you with the opportunity to start your scholarship project, i.e. your studies or research project, online from your home country or to postpone the start of the scholarship if entry to Germany is not possible for you. To find out whether this possibility exists for your programme and your country of origin, please contact your programme section.

Information about these possibilities as well as further questions and answers concerning the topic "DAAD Scholarships in the Corona Crisis" can be found .

Information on individual programmes

• IAESTE: Please note the valid entry restrictions for internships.
• RISE / WISE internship programmes: As of now, we expect the RISE programmes to resume as planned in 2021. The pandemic continues to develop dynamically in many countries. Under certain conditions RISE internships could take place virtually, too. Please note the valid entry restrictions.

Information for ERASMUS grant holders

For Erasmus students, the EU Commission has announced that in the event of changes in travel plans (return, cancellation), costs can be reimbursed up to the amount of the total scholarship agreed upon in advance. As most universities in the Erasmus area are closed, we ask all Erasmus students to contact their home university.

The National Agency for EU Higher Education Cooperation has two lists of (in German) for students and higher education institutions on coronavirus and Erasmus+.

Information for universities

The DAAD asks its member universities and project leaders to cancel all DAAD-funded trips from abroad to Germany until further notice. Likewise, there should be no more trips abroad. The DAAD is aware that cancellation costs are unavoidable.

The DAAD will generally endeavour to find accommodating arrangements for the projects funded. We recommend our member universities and project leaders to find out whether projects or stays can be postponed or, if necessary, replaced by virtual formats.

The central tendering run on 1 April remains in place furthermore, whereby the application deadlines may be adapted to the situation or further development of the corona pandemic (COVID-19 for short).

Information for project leaders on how to deal with the effects of the Corona crisis on project funding will be available (in German).

Information about the Erasmus+ programme and the corona virus can be found (in German).

General information

As a matter of principle, we advise against all non-essential travel.

The DAAD has cancelled all business trips and events in Germany. Our offices abroad also react dynamically to the respective situation on site.

We recommend the following sources of information:

• NEW
  What impact will the COVID-19-crisis have on the internationalisation of higher education? With this offer, the DAAD wants to provide the most comprehensive – and regularly updated - overview possible on the current state of "corona research".
• In consequence of the pandemic spread of COVID-19 the risk of infection can be assumed worldwide. Due to different surveillance systems and test strategies as well as a time lag between the time of infection and notification, the actual risk of infection often cannot be determined from the available notification data. Therefore, increased caution should generally apply. Travellers from all countries are recommended to enter a 14-day quarantine after entry.
• (Robert-Koch-Institut)
• (in German) from the Health Service of the Federal Foreign Office
• Information of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on
• by Johns Hopkins CSSE

Situation of students at German universities

The pandemic caused by the corona virus affects all areas of life. Our universities are also massively affected: the start of lectures has been suspended or postponed, libraries and cafeterias are closed, campuses – like almost all places in public life – are deserted for the most part. Many students are affected in several ways; firstly, it is still uncertain whether and how the teaching of classes can be ensured; secondly, important sources of income have dried up for many students because their part-time job has fallen victim to the crisis. At the same time there are industries and areas (such as agriculture or retail) that are desperately looking for temporary jobbers. Also, the need for voluntary help is growing rapidly, e.g. at food banks or for elderly people. The DAAD would like to make a small contribution to bring these different groups together. We recommend the following offers to students who want to get involved or who are urgently looking for a part-time job:

The website of the Deutsches Studentenwerk, which offers advice for students with financial difficulties, is also highly recommended:

General information can be found here