DAAD RISE Germany
(Internships in German PhD Labs)
Who Can Apply: Students currently enrolled at a university/college in the U.S. as a full-time studnet in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, computer science, engineering (or a closely related field). Applicants must have completed at least two years of a degree program by the start of the RISE Germany internship placement. Seniors must prove that they will still have undergraduate status upon their return.
IMPORTANT: German language skills are NOT required for most positions but would be helpful to manage everyday life outside of the laboratory. The working language will generally be English. The DAAD RISE program offers opportunities to study German – see below.
Description: RISE stands for Research Internships in Science and Engineering. RISE Germany offers undergraduate students from North American, British and Irish universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions. RISE Germany is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
- Students are matched with a host university or institute according to their area of interest (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering, or a closely related field).
- DAAD provides students a monthly stipend for three months to help cover living expenses.
- Host universities, universities of applied sciences (UAS) and institutes provide housing assistance and match students with Ph.D. student mentors or researchers (only UAS).
- German language is not required and the working language will be in English.
Award Amount: The monthly DAAD scholarship rate amounts to 934 Euros. The scholarship is meant to cover living expenses such as housing and food. The award also includes health insurance as well as accident and personal liability insurance, issued directly through the DAAD insurance office. In addition, all scholarship holders are invited to a paid-for three-day meeting in Heidelberg in early July. All participants of the scholarship holder meeting will receive an allowance of 160 Euros for travel. Note that airfare to Germany and back is not covered.
Duration: Minimum ten weeks during the summer.
National Deadline: Applications due November 30, 2023; Letters of References due December 15, 2023. Applicants notified around February/March 2024
All participants receive stipends from DAAD to help cover living expenses, and the partner universities and research institutions provide housing assistance. Approximately 250 scholarships are offered annually. About one in three applicants receive a placement.
IMPORTANT: Selected RISE interns with no or little German proficiency have the opportunity to participate in a two-week intensive language course in Germany's capital Berlin. The course takes place before the internship starts and helps students to benefit even more from their stay in Germany.
Program Preferences: Coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering or computer science, or closely related field is expected.
Prior research or laboratory experience is helpful but not required.