Refugees at universities – programmes and initiatives
The DAAD aims to nurture the potential of refugees who are capable of studying and to enable them to enrol at German universities. To this end, it is implementing various programmes and initiatives in collaboration with universities and partner organisations to support the integration of refugees into the German higher education system.
Many refugees have already obtained a qualification for university entry, started a degree programme or completed their studies in their home countries. To make it easier for them to access higher education in Germany, the DAAD has launched a comprehensive package of measures. Here is an overview of the key measures.
Education is a central component of the integration of refugees. This is because more than half of the refugees currently arriving in Germany are under 25 years of age – that is, at an age when they need an education. To enable those among them who wish to study and possess the necessary qualifications to do so, the DAAD will, with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), support universities with targeted measures over the coming years, thereby helping to integrate refugees.
A total of around 100 million euros has been made available for this purpose since 2016. Using funding from the BMBF, the DAAD has developed a comprehensive, long-term package of measures. This package consists of three components that form the basis for successful access to higher education:
- Identifying skills and qualifications
- Ensuring readiness for higher education: academic and language preparation for university studies
- Supporting integration at universities
The HVF also takes part in the DAAD’s support programme and backs the initiative.