Should I apply to DAAD or to German university scholarships for my mechanical engineering master's?
Yes. The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 a month at universities such as Hannover, Stuttgart and TU Dortmund, TUM pays €500 to €1,800 per semester to enrolled students, and RWTH offers up to 35% off tuition for eligible master's programmes. Most are partial, and the DAAD STEM scholarship does not list India.
Yes, and you should look at both national and university funding. Germany-wide programmes such as DAAD are open to many applicants, while individual universities add their own awards. Many of these are partial, and some only open after you have enrolled, so timing matters.
German scholarships for mechanical engineering students from India
| Scholarship | Who runs it | Value on the official page |
|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandstipendium | Hannover, Stuttgart, TU Dortmund and other universities | €300 (approx INR 31,908) a month for at least two semesters, based on academic performance, social commitment and personal circumstances; open to international students |
| TUM Scholarship for International Students | Technical University of Munich | €500 (approx INR 53,181) to €1,800 (approx INR 1.91L) per semester, for students already enrolled at TUM (master's from the 2nd semester) who are not BAföG-eligible by nationality and show financial need |
| Global Talent Scholarship | RWTH International Academy | Up to 35% off tuition for eligible fee-based master's programmes; apply through RWTHonline with your master's application (non-EU deadline 1 March) |
How to build a realistic funding plan (germany mechanical engineering)
- Start with the DAAD scholarship database to see which schemes accept Indian citizens. The DAAD STEM master's scholarship does not list India among its eligible countries, so do not plan around it.
- Check eligibility for your intake year on each award page, including nationality rules and deadlines.
- Remember that some university awards, such as the TUM scholarship, are for students who are already enrolled, so they help in the second semester onwards, not before you arrive.
- Read each award page for language and enrolment rules.
- Find out whether your programme charges tuition, because that changes how much any scholarship is worth.
My Advice
Search the DAAD database for schemes open to Indian citizens, then choose universities where an extra award such as the Deutschlandstipendium is available after enrolment. Do not count on university awards before you arrive, and build your blocked account and living budget without them.
This information is available on: daad.de, tum.de, uni-hannover.de, tu-dortmund.de, rwth-aachen.de
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