Two women’s journey to Germany through the prestigious DAAD Scholarship

Illustration: TBS

Rukaia Parveen Tuba grew up in Patharghata, a coastal town in southern Bangladesh. Since childhood, she has experienced flash floods, river erosion, cyclones, and many other natural disasters. She has seen people lose their lives, homes and livelihoods.

That is what drove her towards studying disaster management. She pursued a BSc at Daffodil International University, an MSc at Jahangirnagar University, and spent more than three years at the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit.

It was there, while working on a University of Exeter project, that her focus narrowed. "I realised that the qualitative research methods I had learned through my academic and professional experiences were quite different from the approaches used in international research," she said.

Tuba is now pursuing a master's in Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security, jointly offered by the University of Bonn and the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).

For Khondokar Afrina, however, Chemistry was not a deliberate choice. 

"My father always encouraged me by saying, 'It doesn't matter which subject you study; whatever you do, enjoy it and give it your best.'" As an undergraduate in Cumilla University's third-ever chemistry batch, she quickly ran into a major constraint. She faced significant limitations in laboratory facilities. Rather than wait for better equipment, she built her own research setup. 

"I collected the necessary software, invested in a better laptop, and gradually built my own small research environment in computational chemistry." That workaround became the foundation of her research identity and eventually led to a full-time faculty position, a string of international publications, and a PhD in Sustainable Energy Materials at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Both Tuba and Afrina's paths to Germany were shaped by the same route: the DAAD scholarship.

Tuba received the DAAD-EPOS scholarship for her master's, while Afrina secured DAAD's doctoral research grant as an Assistant Professor at Cumilla University with an impressive record of international publications.

What DAAD actually is

DAAD stands for Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service). Funded largely by the German federal government, it is the world's largest funding organisation for international academic exchange, supporting fully funded master's programmes, PhD scholarships, research grants, and short-term exchanges.

EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) is DAAD's flagship master's scholarship scheme for applicants from developing countries. It targets working professionals, assessing their academic performance, professional experience, leadership potential, and what Afrina calls "development impact", i.e.,  how the degree will benefit their home country.

The DAAD Research Grants Doctoral Programme, by contrast, is designed for researchers with a defined project and a confirmed German supervisor. Selection is based primarily on the originality, feasibility, and scientific relevance of the research proposal, along with the applicant's publication record.

EPOS master's scholars receive a monthly living allowance of €992, full health and accident insurance, a travel allowance, and, depending on the programme, support for German language courses and family allowances.

Doctoral researchers receive around €1,400 per month, along with health, accident, and liability insurance, travel support, a research allowance, a German language course before the programme begins, funding for conferences and summer schools, and one annual trip home. Rent subsidies are also available in expensive cities. Afrina's programme, for example, is based in Munich, one of Germany's most expensive cities. Tuition is free at German public universities while DAAD funds your living expenses.

What the application requires

For EPOS, applicants typically need a Europass CV, a strong motivation letter, a CGPA of around 3.5 out of 4 or above, an IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no band below 6.0 (or an equivalent TOEFL score), at least two years of relevant professional experience, two recommendation letters (one academic and one professional), work experience certificates, and no more than a six-year gap since completing their undergraduate degree.

"All you need to do is start and not stop until you hit the submit button. What happens after that is luck, the result of your hard work, and something beyond your control. So make sure to use the time that is in your control while you can, even if that requires you to step outside your comfort zone."

Rukaia Parveen Tuba, DAAD-EPOS Scholar

The doctoral track requires a completed master's degree or equivalent, outstanding academic performance, strong English proficiency, a study gap of no more than six years since the last degree, and, crucially, a confirmed German supervisor and host institution. Applicants must submit a detailed research proposal, timeline, and hosting agreement. As Afrina notes, without a professor agreeing to supervise the project, there is no doctoral application.

Another key difference is the application process. For EPOS, applicants apply directly to the university, which nominates successful candidates to DAAD. For the doctoral grant, applicants must first secure a supervisor. Afrina found hers after spotting a PhD advertisement from Professor Marc Ledendecker's group at TUM on LinkedIn. She emailed him her CV, cover letter, and motivation letter. Although the position had already been filled, the discussion led him to support a DAAD-funded PhD project built around her research proposal.

Publications are not the gatekeeper

Tuba secured the EPOS scholarship without any publications. "Publications can strengthen an application, but they are certainly not mandatory," she says. 

Afrina, who had published in Scientific Reports, Elsevier journals, and Electrochemical Society journals before applying for a doctoral grant, agrees. "A successful application is a combination of academic excellence, research experience, a strong motivation letter, a well-prepared research proposal, relevant professional experience, and the ability to clearly explain the significance and impact of the proposed research." 

For doctoral applicants, she says, the research proposal carries more weight than the publication count.

Don't write the motivation letter in one evening

Both scholars identify the motivation letter as the most important part of the application. Tuba's programme guidelines explicitly advised applicants not to write it in one sitting. "I took that advice seriously. I rewrote it several times and shared it with one of my colleagues."

She recommends explaining how the programme aligns with your background, why it fits your career stage, highlighting relevant experience, and ending with why Germany. "Rather than trying to convince the committee that I was the best candidate, I focused on explaining why the programme was the right fit for me."

Afrina offers similar advice for doctoral applicants, whose research proposal replaces the personal statement: let evidence, not ambition, drive the narrative. "My motivation letter therefore focused less on proving my potential and more on showing a clear progression of research interests." Whether you have two publications or twenty, she says, what matters is presenting a coherent and well-supported story.

References matters

EPOS requires two recommendation letters—one academic and one professional—from people who know the applicant's work well. Tuba obtained hers from her RMMRU supervisor and thesis supervisor, both of whom were briefed on the programme so they could tailor their recommendations accordingly.

The doctoral track requires fewer but more targeted references. Afrina submitted a single recommendation from her MPhil supervisor because his research closely aligned with her proposed project. "Having supervised my research directly, he was well acquainted with my research abilities, academic growth, and potential for doctoral-level research."

Interview can be the game-changer

Both tracks include interviews for shortlisted candidates, but they differ in format and focus.

After being shortlisted, Tuba attended a 30-minute online interview with a five-member panel comprising representatives from the University of Bonn, UNU-EHS, and the programme coordinator. Her case involved an additional interview with a DAAD representative because she already held a master's degree and had accepted the scholarship later than expected—an exception rather than a standard part of the process.

Afrina's doctoral selection was conducted through DAAD's Regional Office in New Delhi, where candidates from across South Asia were assessed. After document screening, shortlisted applicants faced a comprehensive interview before an eight-member panel of DAAD representatives and subject experts. Much of the discussion centred on her research proposal—its methodology, feasibility, scientific significance, and her understanding of the project. She was also asked about her study leave and how she planned to apply for the training after returning to Cumilla University.

The interviews reflected the distinct goals of each programme. Tuba assessed her suitability for a taught master's programme designed to develop future professionals and leaders, while Afrina's evaluated her ability to design and independently conduct original research. As she puts it, the doctoral track assesses applicants "primarily as researchers."

The return question

DAAD encourages EPOS scholars to apply their expertise in their home countries. Tuba, for example, framed her application around improving climate migration policy for women in Bangladesh. However, there is no requirement to return immediately after graduation. Germany offers an 18-month job-seeking visa, and DAAD's alumni network regularly shares career opportunities, including within Germany.

The doctoral programme is even more flexible. DAAD never asked Afrina to commit to returning to a specific country or institution. Instead, the focus was on how she planned to use the training to advance her research and career. If you're worried that staying abroad after graduation will disqualify you, it almost certainly will not.

Beyond the classroom

Some of the most valuable experiences for both scholars came outside the classroom.

As part of her EPOS programme, Tuba completed a mandatory internship at the ICLEI World Secretariat in Bonn after a competitive selection process. "It was a highly international workplace," she says. "I was able to build a very strong professional network."

Another course paired student groups with UN agencies based on their CVs. Tuba's team worked with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), researching the gendered impacts of sand and dust storms in Mali, Egypt, and Australia. Their work was later cited by the UNCCD and presented by the students at CRIC 23 in Panama City in December 2025.

For Afrina, one of the defining milestones came before her PhD. In 2022, she was selected as one of around 600 young scientists worldwide to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, where she interacted with nearly 40 Chemistry Nobel laureates. "The most valuable part was hearing about their scientific journeys, the struggles, failures, rejected ideas, and persistence behind their achievements," she says. The experience strengthened her profile and reinforced her decision to pursue a PhD in Germany.

For both scholars, the most transformative experiences abroad came from the opportunities they built beyond the classroom.