What is the DAAD WISE scholarship for Indian students?

The DAAD WISE (Working Internships in Science and Engineering) scholarship is a funded research internship programme specifically for Indian STEM students. It pays EUR750 per month (approximately INR 83,000), covers travel costs up to EUR 900, and provides health, accident, and personal liability insurance. Internships are conducted at German universities or publicly funded research institutes (Max Planck, Fraunhofer, Helmholtz, Leibniz) for 6 to 12 weeks each summer. Applications open in October for the following summer.

How much does DAAD WISE pay Indian students in INR?

DAAD WISE pays EUR750 per month (approximately INR 83,000 at current exchange rates). In addition, DAAD covers travel costs (up to EUR 500-900 depending on distance) and provides health, accident and personal liability insurance for the duration of the placement.

What is the minimum GPA to apply for DAAD WISE 2026?

DAAD does not publish a hard minimum. Competitive applicants typically have 75% aggregate or 7.5 CGPA (equivalent to a First Class from most Indian universities). Students with 8.0+ CGPA and a specific research proposal, particularly those who have already secured a host professor's written support, have been selected even from less-known institutions.

Can final-year undergraduates apply for DAAD WISE?

Yes. DAAD WISE is open to undergraduate students who are enrolled at the time of application (typically October-November) and will still be enrolled during the internship period (June-August of the following year). Students completing their degree in May 2027 are generally eligible for the summer 2027 cohort if they apply in October 2026.

What is the application timeline for DAAD WISE 2027?

The DAAD WISE application window for summer 2027 placements opens in October 2026 and closes in November 2026. Results are announced in March-April 2027. Internships take place June-August 2027. Students preparing now (June 2026) should use this time to identify host supervisors and draft research proposals.

Does DAAD WISE require a self-arranged host institute in Germany?

Yes. Unlike some scholarship programmes, DAAD WISE requires you to identify and contact a German research supervisor yourself before applying. The host institute must be a university or publicly-funded research institute (Max Planck, Fraunhofer, Helmholtz, Leibniz societies all qualify). Having a confirmed host supervisor significantly increases your selection probability.

How competitive is the DAAD WISE selection?

DAAD selects approximately 200-250 Indian WISE fellows per year from several thousand applicants. The acceptance rate is estimated at 5-8%. The most differentiating factor is a well-matched, specific research proposal combined with a confirmed host supervisor who has responded positively to your outreach.

How does DAAD WISE compare to MITACS Globalink for Indian students?

MITACS Globalink (Canada) and DAAD WISE (Germany) are the two most competitive funded summer research programmes for Indian undergraduates. MITACS pays CAD 10,500 total for 12 weeks (approx. INR 6.5 lakh) vs DAAD WISE EUR750/month plus travel. MITACS places you at a Canadian university; WISE at a German research institute. Both require strong academic records; WISE additionally requires a self-sourced host supervisor.

DAAD WISE Scholarship 2026 for Indian Students: EUR750/month, Eligibility and How to Apply

Published 9 June 2026 · Germany, Scholarships

DAAD WISE is the flagship funded internship programme for Indian STEM students in Germany: EUR750 per month (approximately INR 83,000), 6 to 12 weeks at a German university or publicly-funded research institute, with travel costs and health insurance covered on top of the stipend. The DAAD WISE internship 2026 application window (for summer 2027 placements) opens in October 2026. Students who secure a host supervisor before October are significantly better positioned than those who wait. See also the DAAD RISE guide for Indian students if you are at an IIT or NIT, and our Germany internship destination guide for a full overview of sectors and cities.

What DAAD WISE Covers: Full Stipend Breakdown

Component	Amount
Monthly stipend	EUR750 (approx. INR 83,000)
Travel allowance	EUR 500-900 (distance-based)
Health insurance	Covered by DAAD for placement duration
Accident insurance	Covered by DAAD
Personal liability insurance	Covered by DAAD
Typical total value (10 weeks)	INR 8.5-9.5 lakh equivalent

Eligibility: Who Can Apply for DAAD WISE 2026?

Criterion	Requirement
Nationality	Indian citizen, enrolled at an Indian university
Level of study	Undergraduate (B.E./B.Tech/B.Sc./integrated M.Sc.), minimum 2nd year completed
Disciplines eligible	Natural sciences, life sciences, engineering, mathematics, computer science
Academic performance	75% aggregate or 7.5 CGPA (competitive benchmark; not a hard cutoff)
Language	English sufficient; German not required (research conducted in English)
Host institute	Must self-identify and contact a German research supervisor before applying

Arts, humanities, social science, law, and medicine students are not eligible for WISE. Students enrolled at medical colleges for the MBBS programme do not qualify; biology/biochemistry/bioinformatics students at science colleges do. If you are in the humanities or business, see our Erasmus+ funding guide for Indian students for alternative European scholarships.

Application Steps: How to Apply for DAAD WISE 2027

Step 1, Find a host supervisor (start now, June 2026). Search professors at German research universities (TU Munich, KIT, RWTH Aachen, University of Heidelberg, etc.) or Max Planck / Fraunhofer institutes working in your field. Email 20-30 professors with a specific, one-page research proposal. Expect a 5-10% positive response rate; you need one confirmed supervisor.

Step 2, Prepare application documents. You will need: a detailed research proposal (2-3 pages), two academic letters of recommendation, your official transcripts, a statement of purpose, and a letter of invitation or confirmation of interest from your German host supervisor. The host letter is the single most important document.

Step 3, Apply via the DAAD portal (October-November 2026). The online application opens at daad.in in October. Upload all documents, request your referees to submit their letters directly, and confirm your host institute details.

Step 4, Wait for results (March-April 2027). DAAD notifies applicants by email. If selected, you then apply for a national visa at the German Embassy in New Delhi or the German Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, or Kolkata. Process the visa application within two weeks of receiving the award letter.

Before you apply, make your academic background immediately legible to international research supervisors. See how an engineering student presents their research experience on our platform, this is the standard German professors expect from international applicants.

DAAD WISE vs. Other Funded Programmes for Indian Students: Full Comparison

Programme	Country	Stipend (monthly equiv.)	Duration	Self-arranged host?	Disciplines
DAAD WISE	Germany	EUR750 (INR 83,000)	6-12 weeks	Yes (required)	STEM only
MITACS Globalink	Canada	CAD 3,500 (INR 2.17L)	12 weeks fixed	No (MITACS assigns)	Broad STEM + social sci
S N Bose Scholars	USA	USD 2,000 (INR 1.67L)	8-12 weeks	No (programme assigns)	Physical/chemical/mathematical sci
IASTE	Multiple countries	Varies (local minimum wage)	8-52 weeks	No (employer assigned)	Technical/STEM
Erasmus+ ICM	EU (via partner university)	EUR 800-1,200	2-12 months	Requires Erasmus partner agreement	All disciplines

When DAAD WISE wins: if you want Germany specifically, have a strong STEM research background, and are willing to invest time in finding your own supervisor. The stipend is competitive and Germany's research infrastructure is world-class for engineering and natural sciences.

When MITACS wins: if you want a structured programme, don't want to self-source a host, and Canada is your target destination. MITACS total value (CAD 10,500 for 12 weeks) is higher in absolute rupee terms but requires no prior supervisor contact.

For a complete look at the visa steps once you have your award, read our Germany internship visa and stipend guide for Indian students. For a full list of funded programmes for Indian students going to Europe, see our Europe stipend internships guide for Indian students. German students can also cross-reference the Erasmus+ Auslandspraktikum guide on the DE site for the German student perspective.

The One Thing That Determines Selection: Your Research Proposal

DAAD selects approximately 200-250 WISE fellows from several thousand applicants each year (estimated 5-8% acceptance rate). The two factors that differentiate successful applications from rejected ones are: a specific, well-reasoned research proposal AND a confirmed host supervisor.

Generic proposals, "I am interested in machine learning and would like to gain experience at a German institute", are rejected. Specific proposals, "I propose to investigate the application of transformer architectures to protein structure prediction at Prof. X's computational biology lab at TU Munich, building on my final-year project on [specific topic]", are competitive.

Start supervisor outreach now (June 2026). Professors who respond in June are the professors who will write your host confirmation letter in October. The four months between now and the application window is preparation time, not waiting time.

Check the free internship preparation toolkit for outreach email templates and document checklists. Create your free profile on our platform and access the Germany guide: app.internshipabroad.me/signup.