The Adveniat–KAAD Scholarship Programme is a joint initiative of Adveniat (the German Catholic relief agency for Latin America) and KAAD (the Catholic Academic Exchange Service), launched in April 2024. It supports committed Catholics from Latin America and the Caribbean who want to pursue postgraduate study — a master’s, doctorate or licentiate — or a research stay, with a preference for studying in Latin America or Germany.
The programme is aimed at people active in the Church and church-linked organisations, including lay professionals, priests and members of religious orders, who intend to put their qualification at the service of their home region. Applications must be submitted jointly with a church or church-affiliated organisation, and the award supplements the applicant’s own funds rather than covering every cost.
Benefits & funding
- Financial support toward living expenses, travel and, where applicable, tuition fees.
- Funding for postgraduate study (master’s, doctorate or licentiate) or a research stay of 1–12 months, in full-time or digital/hybrid formats.
- Preference for study in Latin America or Germany; study elsewhere in the Americas, the Caribbean or Europe is also possible.
- The scholarship supplements your own funds — applicants are expected to contribute as much as possible themselves, so this is partial rather than full funding.
- Access to KAAD’s academic and pastoral accompaniment and its international alumni network.
Eligibility
- Committed Catholics from Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Postgraduate level only: you should already hold the degree needed to begin a master’s, doctorate or licentiate; studies that have already begun cannot be funded.
- Normally not older than 40 years of age at the start of studies (exceptions are possible).
- At least three years of professional experience is preferred (not mandatory), ideally with the partner organisation.
- Women, first-generation university students and people from socially marginalised minorities are particularly encouraged to apply.
- Applications can only be submitted together with a church or church-affiliated organisation (a diocese, religious order, or church-linked NGO); parishes, church schools and military dioceses cannot act as co-applicants, and each organisation may hold at most two scholarships at once.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Mexico · Guatemala · Belize · Honduras · El Salvador · Nicaragua · Costa Rica · Panama · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Haiti · Jamaica
+ 21 more
Trinidad and Tobago · Barbados · Bahamas · Antigua and Barbuda · Dominica · Grenada · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Colombia · Venezuela · Guyana · Suriname · Ecuador · Peru · Brazil · Bolivia · Paraguay · Chile · Argentina · Uruguay
Residence required
Mexico · Guatemala · Belize · Honduras · El Salvador · Nicaragua · Costa Rica · Panama · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Haiti · Jamaica
+ 21 more
Trinidad and Tobago · Barbados · Bahamas · Antigua and Barbuda · Dominica · Grenada · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Colombia · Venezuela · Guyana · Suriname · Ecuador · Peru · Brazil · Bolivia · Paraguay · Chile · Argentina · Uruguay
Education required
Bachelor · Master
Age requirement
≤ 40 yrs
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Application process
- 1Complete the programme’s inquiry questionnaire together with your church or church-affiliated organisation.
- 2If eligible, you receive the full application documents and submit them jointly with the co-applicant organisation.
- 3Selection decisions are made four times a year; applications can be submitted on a rolling basis.
Program timeline
Rolling applications
accepted throughout the year.
Selection decisions
made four times per year.
Research stays
1–12 months, depending on the project.