Information on the Corona virus – as of 6 September 2021 …

The DAAD continues to follow the developments on the coronavirus and adapts its activities flexibly to changing situations.

Information for- - - -

In order to counteract the spread of the coronavirus, the DAAD continuously adapts its funding programmes to the dynamic pandamic situation. The protection of funding recipients, partners and employees is a priority.Please note the continu-ously updated information provided by the authorities, in particular the as well as the detailed which include all current warnings.

The pandemic continues to develop dynamically and is a cause for concern in many countries around the world. If you want to apply for a DAAD scholarship or maybe you already have received your letter of award, you will certainly have many questions as to whether, when and how it is possible to start a scholarship in the Corona-induced pandemic situa-tion.

If entry into your host country is not possible due to the pandemic, or if your host country is a virus variant area or a high-risk area, the DAAD would also like to support you in this difficult situation and offers flexible solutions in almost all programmes:

If you decide to travel to a corona risk area (high-risk area or area of variants of concern) you do so at your own risk. We strongly advise you to get vaccinated in this case before leaving Germany.

Please be sure to obtain detailed information about all the consequences of travelling to a corona risk area before you decide, in particular about the rules applicable on departure and return, quarantine and testing obligations, hygiene regulations and other rules of conduct. When making your decision, please also consider the general situation of the health system in your host country. We would also like to point out that the Federal Foreign Office has ruled out Corona-related emergency repatriations of German citizens.

Your scholarship office will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please read the information compiled beforehand.

We ask our scholarship holders to make sure that they are registered in the crisis prevention list of the Federal Foreign Office, regardless of which country they live in. It is strongly recommended that you also note the emergency number, which can be found on the website of the respective German mission abroad, and that you also inform on the website of the respective embassy about further contact details.

If you are in a area of , please clarify in advance with your transport company whether your return journey is possible without any problems. If you have German citizenship or a residence in Germany, an applies and you may therefore enter Germany. However, you are obliged to provide proof of a test upon entry and to undergo a 14-day quarantine. This also applies to those who have been fully vaccinated an recovered.

If you wish to return to Germany due to the current pandemic situation, you find detailed information . We would like to ask scholarship holders who have returned to Germa-ny in the meantime to temporarily remove themselves from the crisis prevention list of the Federal Foreign Office.

Applications for ongoing calls for proposals will continue to be received and processed, Commission meetings will partly be held by Video conference or decisions will be taken on the basis of written documents.

If you want to apply for a DAAD scholarship or maybe you already have received your letter of award or you would like to travel to Germany for study or research purposes without a scholarship, you will certainly have many questions as to whether, when and how you may start your project in the corona-induced pandemic situation. The same applies to people who have in the meantime returned to their home country and are now considering re-entering Germany.

In the following, we would like to provide you with an overview of the entry options to Germany. Please also refer to the continuously updated information provided by the German authorities, in particular the (BMI) and the (BMG), which since 1 August classify countries of origin into two groups:

High-risk areasAreas of variants of concern

Based on the quarantine regulations of the German federal states, people who have stayed in one of these areas within ten days before entering Germany are required to register at before arriving in Germany and to carry proof of registration with them upon entry.

In addition, all entrants must currently have proof of entry. This can be proof of vaccination or recovery or a test certificate (see ).

Please also read the information on the website of the or the information on the website of the and the regarding entry from risk areas.

Please inform yourself regularly about the risk classification of your home country.

High-risk areas

If you are entering from a , you must be tested prior to entry and submit a negative test result to the airline, train or bus company. Proof of vaccination or recovery can also be presented instead. Proof may also be required at the entry control in Germany by the Federal Police.

In Germany you have to go into 10-day quarantine immediately after entering the country. Quarantine can be shortened from day 1 with proof of vaccination or recovery or from day 5 with negative test proof. As a precaution, we would like to point out that the DAAD cannot organize quarantine accommodations.

Areas of variants of concern

For people staying in so-called with a particularly high spread of mutations of the virus, transport to Germany as well as an entry according to the Corona Virus Entry Ordinance (CoronaEinreiseV) are currently generally prohibited. This also applies to fully vaccinated persons. Exceptions are only possible in very few cases, for example for persons with residence and right of abode in Germany ().

For students as well as scientists from areas of variants of concern this means that a presence study or a research stay in Germany for Wintersemester 2021/2022 cannot be ensured at the moment. Please note that entry is also not possible if a study place commitment has already been granted by the German university: Since entry is not possible, visas cannot be issued as long as a country is considered an areas of variants of concern.

The following entry requirements must also be observed:

Entry into Germany from EU member states and from "Schengen-associated" states is possible - unless the above-mentioned restrictions regarding areas of variants of concern or high-risk areas apply; no "compelling necessity" for entry must be demonstrated.

Furthermore, the following applies to entries from third countries:

A list of third countries from which entry is also possible without a valid reason for entry can be found on the .

For all other third countries the following applies (unless the above-mentioned restrictions regarding areas of variants of concern or high risk areas apply):

It is a prerequisite that the person entering the country has received a complete vaccination (in the case of a recovered person: one administered vaccine dose), that at least 14 days have passed since the last required individual vaccination, and that the vaccine is listed on the .

Upon entry, an or comparable proof of vaccination in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish must be presented.

Third-country nationals from all other countries may enter Germany for study purposes (including doctoral studies), if the studies cannot be carried out entirely from abroad (subject to restrictions for certain risk areas). Because institutions of higher education are organising the courses as a combination of online and in-person instruction, it is not necessary to provide any separate documentation of the need to attend in person.

Entry from third countries is also possible for research purposes (also subject to restrictions for certain risk areas). As a rule, the "economic necessity" of the stay required for skilled workers is assumed if the research activity is carried out at a recognised research institution. These are universities and other research institutions whose activities are mainly financed by public funds.

Proof of the requirement for presence in Germany is a prerequisite for entry (e.g. by presenting the employment contract, the hosting agreement or the letter of invitation from the university/research institution).

In addition, in the case of short-term stays (up to 90 days), it must be credibly demonstrated that the intended research activity cannot be carried out in the same way via online formats (e.g. video conferences).

Please take care of your visa application at a very early stage, as the visa sections of the German missions offer sometimes only a few dates for the application and therefore delays occur.

Information for DAAD scholarship holders:

As it is not yet clear for all countries of origin whether and when entry to Germany will be possible without any problems, we have provided you with the opportunity to start your scholarship project, i.e. your studies or research project, online from your home country or to postpone the start of the scholarship if entry to Germany is not possible for you. To find out whether this possibility exists for your programme and your country of origin, please contact your programme section.

Information about these possibilities as well as further questions and answers concerning the topic "DAAD Scholarships in the Corona Crisis" can be found .

For Erasmus students, the EU Commission has announced that in the event of changes in travel plans (return, cancellation), costs can be reimbursed up to the amount of the total scholarship agreed upon in advance. As most universities in the Erasmus area are closed, we ask all Erasmus students to contact their home university.

The National Agency for EU Higher Education Cooperation has two lists of (in German) for students and higher education institutions on coronavirus and Erasmus+.

The DAAD asks its member universities and project leaders to cancel all DAAD-funded trips from abroad to Germany until further notice. Likewise, there should be no more trips abroad. The DAAD is aware that cancellation costs are unavoidable.

The DAAD will generally endeavour to find accommodating arrangements for the projects funded. We recommend our member universities and project leaders to find out whether projects or stays can be postponed or, if necessary, replaced by virtual formats.

The central tendering run on 1 April remains in place furthermore, whereby the application deadlines may be adapted to the situation or further development of the corona pandemic (COVID-19 for short).

Information for project leaders on how to deal with the effects of the Corona crisis on project funding will be available (in German).

Information about the Erasmus+ programme and the corona virus can be found (in German).

As a matter of principle, we advise against all non-essential travel.

The DAAD has cancelled all business trips and events in Germany. Our offices abroad also react dynamically to the respective situation on site.

We recommend the following sources of information:

The pandemic caused by the corona virus affects all areas of life. Our universities are also massively affected: the start of lectures has been suspended or postponed, libraries and cafeterias are closed, campuses like almost all places in public life are deserted for the most part. Many students are affected in several ways; firstly, it is still uncertain whether and how the teaching of classes can be ensured; secondly, important sources of income have dried up for many students because their part-time job has fallen victim to the crisis. At the same time there are industries and areas (such as agriculture or retail) that are desperately looking for temporary jobbers. Also, the need for voluntary help is growing rapidly, e.g. at food banks or for elderly people. The DAAD would like to make a small contribution to bring these different groups together. We recommend the following offers to students who want to get involved or who are urgently looking for a part-time job:

The website of the Deutsches Studentenwerk, which offers advice for students with financial difficulties, is also highly recommended:

General information can be found here

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Information on the Corona virus - as of 6 September 2021 ...