Scholarships are awarded by many organisations. Basically, all institutions expect a certain level of social commitment. You can fulfil this expectation, for example, by becoming involved in a political party, an association or a church. Funding is usually provided in the same way as BAfรถG, with the difference that the financial resources provided are not repaid in full. In return, however, many organisations expect you to document your study progress and comment on it to the funding organisation.

Information on scholarships

Detailed information, in particular on contact persons and contact information for institutions that promote and support talented and socially committed students, can be found at www.studis-online.de on the Internet.

There are also mentoring programmes that only support certain degree courses or universities. We therefore recommend that you also enquire about local or specific programmes. 

Don't miss out on stipendienlotse.de research suitable funding opportunities. You can find helpful information in the flyer from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research:

Further options

Another option for researching scholarships is the website of vergleich.org/scholarship. It offers a free scholarship guide with over 400 scholarships. The following questions are answered here:

  • What scholarships are available (especially from smaller foundations)?
  • Assessment of the application effort per scholarship in 3 levels (low, medium, high)
  • Scholarships sorted by target group - everything clearly organised on over 130 pages as a PDF

Application procedure

It is not possible to apply directly to some foundations, as they only accept students into their funding programme on the recommendation of third parties. A direct application is possible for all other institutions. In principle, all organisations carry out a selection procedure. You can find an interesting guide to this at the above Internet address Field report from the Stiftung der deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw), which informs you about the possible contents and procedures of a selection process.

Previously, it was only possible to apply for and receive funding after starting a degree programme. However, many organisations now offer early support right from the start of your studies. However, it is important to apply in good time. We therefore recommend that you apply for a scholarship at least six months before starting your studies.