Study and research in Germany

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Good research relies on cooperation, and international teamwork is becoming increasingly important. This means that scientists and engineers with international experience are increasingly sought after in both business and academia. The number of truly exciting programs abroad for undergraduates in the sciences and engineering is still far too small. Because of this DAAD set out to create unique opportunities for students from the United States and Canada interested in gaining serious research experience in Germany.

Unique Opportunities in Gaining Research Experience in Germany

RISE - Research Internships in Science and Engineering - gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and physics the chance to spend a summer working with German doctoral students on serious research projects. The doctoral students help integrate the undergraduate directly into the lab work and serve as personal and professional mentors. All participants receive stipends from DAAD to help cover living expenses, and the partner universities and research institutions provide housing assistance. Find out more about this exciting academic program? Get some first-hand information and read reports from past participants to share their experiences and view our photo gallery of this year's RISE Meeting in Heidelberg to get an impression of this exciting academic program.

The Program Benefits Everyone Involved

North American Undergraduate Students in science and engineering get a glimpse of advanced research work while gaining desirable practical experience in their field. They learn about Germany from an insider’s perspective while meeting new people and taking their first steps with the German language - or practicing their existing language abilities. Long-lasting friendships are born from these intensive work environments that are balanced with fun evenings or weekends out with colleagues. Want to learn more? Check out the Application Guidelines for North American Undergraduates!

German PhD Students receive much-needed assistance with their research projects. They profit both professionally and personally from contact with the RISE students, by increasing their knowledge of the culture, lifestyle, and higher education systems in North America. The project also offers doctoral students an excellent opportunity to gain subject-specific English language knowledge. Interested? The Application Guidelines for PhD Students in Germany will give you all the information you need to get started!

Learning From Each Other
Beyond playing matchmaker for undergraduate research assistants and doctoral students, DAAD also invites all fellows to a three-day event during the summer where they have an opportunity to learn from each others experiences while exploring a historic city and a modern German multinational corporation.

Program Support
RISE is supported with a generous grant from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology. Large industry organizations in Canada, Germany, and the US also support the program. Sponsors including the German Chemical Industry Fund (FCI) help build ties to industry and finance additional fellowships. We thank all of our supporters for their generous support.

Further information

• RISE Meeting in Heidelberg 2006 - Impressions
  
• Application Guidelines for North American Students
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Internship Database
• Deutsche Antragsteller / German Applicants
• Reports from Past Participants
• Sponsoring and Assistance
• Articles and Papers
• Contact
  
• RISE forum