DAAD Prize

What is the DAAD Prize?
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) awards funds to universities each year as part of the DAAD Prize for outstanding academic achievements by international students. The award also includes prize money of €1,000 and can only be won by individual students. Candidates studying at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena wanting to apply must fulfil the following criteria:

• above-average academic achievements

• exemplary unpaid social commitment, in particular on an intercultural basis and preferably in Jena, at the University
• non-German nationality
• obtained the secondary school leaving certificate abroad
• enrolled on a standard course at the University Jena (guest studies not eligible)
• currently in an advanced stage of their studies, i.e. at least in the second year of study within an undergraduate study programme/doctorate, or in the second semester of a master's programme, and still due to be enrolled until the end of October 2025

Application
Are you a suitable candidate? The application form is available from 02 April until 15 June 2025. Please send your complete application (application form, transcript of records, letter of reference, proofs of commitment) no later than by 15 June 2025 to incoming@uni-jena.de (date of receipt).

Selection
The commission responsible for granting study-related allowances will examine applications first and invite the most promising candidates to an interview (in June). The commission, chaired by the Vice-President for Learning and Teaching, is furthermore composed of four representatives of the faculties and one representative of the International Office.

The winner will be announced in one of the University’s news releases.

In 2024, the prize is awarded to Sameer Khatri, from India, who has very good academic achievements and organizes a variety of intercultural events in his free time together with other students from different nations, thus facilitating integration. Portraits of all prize winners since 2011 can be found hereExternal link.