Information about PROMOS
The following projects receive support through the DAAD PROMOS Scholarship Program at the TU Darmstadt:
- One-semester study-abroad programmes (Maximum of 6 months) at partner universities outside of Europe
- The production of a final dissertation / thesis (Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis) at partner universities outside of Europe
The PROMOS scholarships are awarded by the TU Darmstadt through a merit-based application process.
PROMOS Online Application
Online Application Promos Online Bewerbung
The application form for the PROMOS scholarship will be available during the following periods:
For stays from July to December: Application period expected from mid-April to mid-May
For stays from January to June of the following year: Application period expected from mid-October to mid-November
Please prepare the documents required for your application (see section “Application Procedure and Formalities”) well in advance. In particular, please allow sufficient time to obtain your language certificate and letter of recommendation from a professor, as these usually require a longer lead time.
Students who are eligible to apply for PROMOS funding will be contacted by the PROMOS team by email and informed about the application process and next steps.
Please therefore check your TU Darmstadt student email account regularly. All communication regarding the application and selection process will be sent to your student email address (“@stud.tu-darmstadt.de”). You will be informed of the outcome of the selection process by email in June or December, depending on the application round.
PROMOS Information Sessions:
PROMOS information sessions are held twice a year via Zoom – in March/April for stays during the second half of the year and in September/October for stays during the first half of the following year. You will receive the invitation and Zoom access details by email.
The information sessions are generally held in German. If you would like to attend an information session in English, please let us know by email at promos@zv.tu-darmstadt.de no later than one week before the session.
Enrollment
You are enrolled at TU Darmstadt with the aim of obtaining a degree.
Study Progress
By the start of your stay abroad, you have completed the second semester of your Bachelor’s degree programme. Your semester abroad may therefore begin no earlier than your third semester.
Previous Funding
PROMOS funding can only be awarded once per study cycle (Bachelor’s/Master’s).
Academic Performance
To be eligible for PROMOS funding, you must have an average grade of 2.5 or better. For Master’s students, both Bachelor’s and Master’s grades are taken into account when calculating the average grade.
Special personal circumstances that have had an adverse impact on the applicant’s academic progress or performance may be taken into account during the selection process. These may include, in particular, childcare responsibilities, caring for family members, chronic illnesses, or disabilities. Providing this information is voluntary and will be considered as part of the process for accommodating individual circumstances.
Language Skills
You have sufficient proficiency (at least B2 level) in one of the languages of instruction at the partner university. Knowledge of the local language will be considered positively in the selection process.
Nomination by Your Department
You have been nominated for an exchange place at a non-European partner university. Your study abroad period must last at least one month and no more than six months.
Final Thesis Abroad
If you plan to complete your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis at a non-European partner university, you must provide confirmation of supervision for the planned thesis.
You will receive a one-time mobility allowance according to the country-specific funding rates (PDF file) (opens in new tab) set by the DAAD.
Combination with Other Funding
- DAAD individual scholarships and PROMOS scholarships cannot be combined.
- The Deutschlandstipendium and PROMOS funding can be received simultaneously without restrictions.
- Double funding from German public funds is not permissible. If an international stay is funded through German public funds, the purpose of the funding is crucial. This means that PROMOS funding is not possible if the same purpose is already being pursued with German public funds.
- Students must report PROMOS funding to other public German scholarship providers.
- Scholarships from private sources can be received alongside PROMOS scholarships without restrictions.
- Foreign BAföG is possible (PROMOS must be reported to the BAföG office).
Examples of combinable funding:
- Scholarships from companies or foundations
- Scholarships from other non-German public funds
- Public funds as a subsidy for living expenses (e.g., funding from the department, Hessen programs, Fulbright)
- Follow the requirements of the other scholarship provider!
October 15th – November 15th (for stays between January and June of the following year)
April 15th – May 15th (for stays between July and December of the same year)
The following documents must be submitted with the online application:
Incomplete applications will not be considered and subsequent submission of documents is not possible!
Transcript of Records: Please submit a current transcript of records issued by your university. To be eligible for PROMOS funding, you must have an average grade of 2.5 or better. For Master’s students, both Bachelor’s and Master’s grades are taken into account when calculating the average grade. Master’s students must therefore also submit a complete transcript of records from their Bachelor’s degree programme. If you have more than one transcript, please combine them into one PDF file before uploading.
For foreign transcripts: Credit points (CP) and grades must be converted into the German system. Applicants with a foreign university degree or transcript are required to carry out the conversion themselves using the Modified Bavarian Formula in accordance with KMK guidelines. Further information is available on our information page on grade conversion. This ensures a transparent, consistent and comprehensible basis for assessing international academic performance. For easy conversion of your grades and credit points (CP), please use the provided Excel file (XLSX file).
Special personal circumstances that have had an adverse effect on your academic progress or performance may be taken into account during the selection process. These include, in particular, childcare responsibilities and caring for relatives. Providing this information is voluntary and will be considered as part of the process for compensating disadvantages.
Letter of Recommendation: The letter of recommendation (PDF file) (opens in new tab) must be no more than one year old and must be written and signed by a professor at a German university. At the professor’s request, the document may also be sent directly to the PROMOS Office. Freely formatted letters of recommendation will not be accepted.
For final theses only: Confirmation of supervision for the planned Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis and a one-page summary of the thesis project.
Proof of sufficient proficiency in one of the languages of instruction must be provided by one of the following qualifications (no more than two years old at the application deadline):
- DAAD language test (minimum level B2; this test can be taken at the TU Darmstadt Language Resource Center in all languages taught there)
- TOEFL (minimum iBT 80) or IELTS (minimum 6.5)
- UNIcert II (English, French, Portuguese or Spanish)
- HSK 4 (Chinese)
- JLPT N2 (Japanese)
Other documents (e.g. school-leaving certificates or language course certificates) are not accepted as proof of the required proficiency in the language of instruction.
Additional knowledge of the local language will be considered positively in the selection process. For this purpose, we also accept proof of participation in a relevant language course.
Communication and Acceptance of the Scholarship
Please check your TU Darmstadt student email account (“@stud.tu-darmstadt.de”) regularly. All communication regarding the PROMOS application and selection process will be sent to this email address. You will be informed of the outcome of the selection process by email in June or December, respectively.
Once you have been awarded a scholarship, please submit your bank details and the dates of your academic stay abroad via the Follow-Up Form for PROMOS & FLS Scholarship Recipients. After we have received this information, your scholarship agreement will be sent to you. Please sign the agreement and upload the signed document via the Follow-Up Form.
During and After Your Stay Abroad
The following documents must be uploaded via the Follow-Up Form for PROMOS & FLS Scholarship Recipients during or after your stay abroad:
* Confirmation of Stay I (PDF file) (opens in new tab)(upper section): Within the first seven days after the start of your stay, please have **only the start date** confirmed and signed by your host university. Afterwards, upload the confirmation via the Follow-Up Form.
* Confirmation of Stay II (lower section): During the final week of your stay, please have the **end date** confirmed and signed by your host university and upload the document via the Follow-Up Form.
* Transcript of Records from your host university: Please upload your Transcript of Records after the end of your stay or as soon as you receive it from your host university.
* Experience Report or summary of your final thesis: This must be submitted no later than one month after the end of your stay. Experience Reports will be published in anonymised form (without names, email addresses or other personal details). A template and guidelines with further information are available on this website.
Any changes to the dates of your stay must be reported to us immediately by email ([promos@zv.tu-darmstadt.de](mailto:promos@zv.tu-darmstadt.de)). Please also inform us immediately if you decide **not to undertake your planned stay abroad**.
After completion of your stay: Your scholarship certificate can only be issued once all required final documents have been submitted in full: Confirmation of Stay, Transcript of Records, and Experience Report or summary of your final thesis.
Important Information
When planning and undertaking activities abroad, we strongly recommend consulting the **travel and safety information issued by the German Federal Foreign Office**, in particular any travel warnings or partial travel warnings (https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit).
Travel warnings for a specific country or partial travel warnings for individual regions constitute an urgent recommendation by the German Federal Foreign Office to refrain from travelling to the affected area.
Further important information regarding your stay abroad is available on our website.
The number of financially supported students depends on the total funding amount, provided by the DAAD to TU Darmstadt. The following criteria determine the internal selection: academic performance, language proficiency, social criteria/social engagement and the content of your application.
The language certificate cannot be submitted later. Applications must have a minimum level (B2), which represents the minimum required levels of language proficiency.
The letter of recommendation must also be submitted by the application deadline. Please ask the professor to send the letter of recommendation directly to you or by post or email to: promos@zv.tu-darmstadt.de.
No, that is not possible.
No, we only support stays that last one semester (six months or less). If you plan to stay longer, please find out about other funding opportunities.
To cover additional costs incurred within a project, a separate inclusion support application must be submitted for each participant and each mobility activity. A maximum grant of up to EUR 10,000 may be awarded for a period of up to six months to cover these additional expenses.
The calculation of eligible additional costs (e.g. travel to the host country, local transportation, accommodation abroad, medical care, specialized learning materials, etc.) is based on a comparison between the expenses of a person without a disability or chronic illness and those of a person with a disability or chronic illness. These additional costs are only eligible if they are not covered by any other funding source.
Approved additional funding (inclusion support) will not be counted towards the DAAD programme-specific maximum funding amounts.
Eligible Applicants
This funding is available to individuals with:
a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50, or
a chronic illness,
who are participating in a mobility activity funded under the respective DAAD project.
Application Procedure
The inclusion support application must be submitted by the project coordinator on behalf of the applicant's institution via the DAAD Portal at least two months before the start of the planned mobility activity.
The following supporting documents must be attached:
Proof that the health insurance provider or supplementary insurance has declined to cover the additional costs.
A copy of the official disability identification card (Schwerbehindertenausweis), where applicable.
For applicants with a chronic illness: a medical certificate describing the medical condition and the resulting additional requirements.
Any additional documentation that clearly demonstrates the necessity and appropriateness of the increased expenses.
Please note: Applications for inclusion support cannot be considered once the mobility activity has already begun.
You can also receive a Promos grant in your Master's degree programme.
Yes, if this does not interfere with your studies.
We require a current transcript of records from you that reflects both your achievements in the Bachelor's programme and (if applicable) in the Master's programme.
If you need to submit multiple transcripts, please combine them into one PDF and upload this document via the online application form.
If you have a foreign BA or MA certificate, we require a conversion of the foreign credit points and grades into the ECTS and German grading sytem.
No! We need an official printout from the Studienbüro with stamp and signature (if applicable). All achievements should be listed (BA/MA). Students in the 1st Master's semester need BA transcripts only. TUCaN printouts are NOT accepted!
Yes.
No, because no language and reading skills are tested.
With the Promos scholarship, students of TU Darmstadt only receive the travel allowance. The stay allowance and tuition fees is not part of the funding at TU Darmstadt.
In general, it is possible to combine the PROMOS scholarship with other scholarships, unless the scholarships come from public funds and fulfill the same purpose (support for the stay abroad).
-> Double funding from German public funds is not eligible for funding. If German public funds are used to support stays abroad, the purpose pursued is decisive. This means that PROMOS funding is not possible if the same purpose is already being pursued with German public funds.
DAAD individual scholarships and PROMOS scholarships may not be claimed at the same time.
Combinable grants:
- Public funds as a travel allowance or for tuition fees (e.g. funding from the department, Hessen programs, Fulbright) ,
- The PROMOS scholarship can be combined with BAföG abroad, but must be reported to the responsible office for BAföG abroad!
- The Deutschlandstipendium and PROMOS grants can be received simultaneously without restriction.
PROMOS funding must always be reported to other public German scholarship providers! Please always observe the requirements of the other scholarship provider!
Scholarships from private sources can be received alongside PROMOS scholarships without restriction.
Participation in the Promos program does not include insurance cover abroad. You are responsible for your own insurance cover. The DAAD offers insurance for students abroad; the costs are to be borne by the students. Information on DAAD group insurance (combined health, accident and personal liability insurance) can be found at: https://www.daad.de/versicherung/de/
You can register for the insurance online: https://portal.daad.de
If you have any questions about international insurance, please contact the DAAD insurance office by e-mail: Versicherungsstelle@daad.de