Scholarships

There are more than 2.000 different funding networks that support students financially.

On this page we have compiled information on a number of relevant talent promotion organizations,foundations and scholarships for you.

The study support through foundations does not only include financial support: Often also course and academy offers, advice, support for special projects and the admission into networks of institutions, other scholarship holders and alumni are part of it.

The range of courses of study supported is oriented on BAföG. For this reason, second and part-time courses of study are usually not funded. Other than BAföG, some of the scholarships are independent of your income and that of your parents. You can only be supported by one scholarship at a time.

For full scholarships, the maximum amount of financial support funding is 735,00 € per month - plus any supplements for health and private nursing insurance insurance. Scholarship holders also receive a monthly lump sum for study-related costs of 300,00 €.

In addition to the offers we have listed, you can find numerous scholarships and funding opportunities on the Internet. Research, for example, about:

Do you need advice? Get in touch with us!

Party-related foundations

Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate, doctoral programmes and habilitation
- Voluntary and sociopolitical commitment, good university grades
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG
- Maximum age when support commences: 35
- Foreign students according to section16b AufenthG no more than 30 years old and completed basic course
- At least 4 semesters regular eligibility period remaining on acceptance
- Possible for students who fled (refugees)
- Personal expert report and expert report by university lecturer
Further information: www.kas.de

Heinrich Böll Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Outstanding achievements and social commitment
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG
- Foreign students according to section 16b AufenthG: Application by the 1st semester in the master's or main study program
- At least 4 semesters of regular funding remaining at the time of taking up the scholarship
- Support for refugee students in their first degree or master's degree/state exam/diploma regardless of semester
- expert report
Further information: www.boell.de

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation e.V.
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate und doctoral programmes
- Outstanding achievements and political or social commitment
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG: BA from 2nd semester, MA from 1st semester
- Foreign students according to section16b AufenthG with very good knowledge of German
- At least 4 semesters of regular funding remaining at the time of taking up the scholarship
- Funding possible for refugees
- Where candidates are equally qualified, preference is given to women, socially disadvantaged people and people with disabilities
Further information: www.rosalux.de

Friedrich Ebert Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate und doctoral programmes
- Sociopolitical commitment, personal ambition, outstanding achievements
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG
- Foreign students according to section16b AufenthG with very good knowledge of German: Application for BA in 3rd semester at the latest, application for MA before 1st semester.
Further information: www.fes.de

Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Sociopolitical commitment based on liberal beliefs
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG: Application from the 1st semester
- Foreign students according to section 16b AufenthG: Application by the 1st semester in the master's or main study program
- At least 2 semesters of regular funding remaining at the time of taking up the scholarship
- Study abroad possible (max. 12 months)
Further information: www.freiheit.org

Hanns Seidel Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Sociopolitical commitment or involvement in the Church
- Outstanding academic achievements
- German nationality or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG: Maximum age limit at start of funding 32 years
- At least 4 semesters of regular funding remaining at the time of taking up the scholarship
Further information: www.hss.de

Religious-related foundations

Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V.
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Membership of Protestant church (otherwise special application)
- demonstrable commitment in the church, social or political field (expert report)
- German citizenship or status according to section 8 BAföG and good German language skills (DSH, TestDaf): maximum age limit at the start of funding 35 years (otherwise special application), application up to the 4th semester
- Support for refugees possible (no maximum age limit)
- Study support only if no studies have been completed yet
- Doctoral scholarships for above-average performance
Further information: www.evstudienwerk.de

Cusanuswerk (catholic)
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Membership of catholic church (otherwise special application)
- excellent academic performance and interdisciplinary interest
- German citizenship or status according to section 8 BAföG and good German language skills (DSH, TestDaf)
- at least 5 semesters of regular funding in the BA program or 4 semesters of regular funding in the MA program at the time the scholarship is taken up
- Doctoral scholarships in case of above-average performance
Further information: www.cusanuswerk.de

University-related foundations

Duisburg-Essen University Foundation (emergency aid scholarship)
Full scholarship
- Awards to students in emergency situations (e. g. illness, residence problems)
- Focus of support on final stage of studies
- Application at the Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg

UDE Scholarship/Germany Scholarship
Partial scholarship
- Support for undergrate programs (no doctoral programs)
- Support of excellent students
- most important criterion is performance (average study grade or "good" Abitur grade)
- for all students of the UDE who are in the standard period of study or prospective students before their first semester at the UDE
- 300,00 € per month for at least one year
- Awarded for the winter semester
- Subsequent application possible
Further information: www.unidue.de/de/marketing/deutschlandstipendium.php

Miscellaneous

Foundation of German Business
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programs
- Performance in the upper third
- social commitment
- German citizenship or status according to section 8 BAföG and good German language skills (B2 or DSH-2): maximum age limit at start of funding 32 years
- at least 5 semesters of regular funding left at the start of the scholarship (incl. Master)
Further information: www.sdw.org

Hans Böckler Foundation
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programs
- trade union or socio-political commitment
- German citizenship or status according to section 8 BAföG and good German language skills (C1)
- Application up to the 4th semester in the BA (exception: later application possible if a Master's program is connected)
- Funding possible in the MA if this icludes at least 4 semesters of regular study time
- Doctoral scholarships in case of above-average performance: Maximum age limit at start of funding 40 years
Further information: www.boeckler.de

Upgrading Scholarship
Full Scholarship provided by SBB - Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung
- Support for first academic degree at a state or state-approved higher education institution (full-time or work-based)
- Eligibility criteria: vocational or professional development training completed; no higher education qualification; evidence of particular suitability in training or profession (e.g. grades or justified proposal by employer); two years’ vocational experience after completion of training at time of application
- Applications possible up to end of second semester of study
- Support as a lump sum, independent of the income
- Online applications; selection procedure in several stages
Further information: www.aufstiegsstipendium.de

Reemtsma Begabtenförderungswerk
Partial scholarship
- Support for undergraduate programs
- Support for gifted and talented pupils and students from low-income families
- Maximum age limit at the beginning of funding: 30 years old
- Funding only for first degree and max. 9 semesters
Further information: www.begabtenfoerderungswerk.de

German National Academic Foundation
Full scholarship
- Nominations and direct applications + selection test;
- Outstanding achievements, initiative and responsibility
- German students and students from EU Member States and foreign students with the status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG
Further information: www.studienstiftung.de

Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk
Full scholarship
- Support for undergraduate and doctoral programmes
- Main focus of support on Jewish students (although non-Jewish students may also apply in certain cases)
- German national or status in accordance with Section 8 BAföG
- above-average school and study performance
- From beginning of application process, five semesters remaining to the end of studies (including master's course)
Further information: www.eles-studienwerk.de

Otto Bennecke Foundation
Individual support as needed
- Support of courses, counseling and grants for living expenses and accommodation costs for young immigrants
- Support for ethnic German repatriates (spouses if entering country together) and
- People entitled to asylum (Artikel 16 a Grundgesetz (Asyl) and § 25 Absatz 1 Aufenthaltsgesetz)
- Refugees of the Geneva Convention (§ 25 Absatz 2 Aufenthaltsgesetz in combination with § 3.1 oder § 4.1 Asylverfahrensgesetz)
Further information: www.obs-ev.de

German University Foundation (Support program: Medicus)
Grant for books
- Study place in a medical degree programme at a German university in the first or max. second semester
- For students from non-academic families, so-called "first-generation students", and/or from refugee areas with German at C1 level
- BAföG or adequate financing
Further information: www.hochschulverband.de

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