Alfred Toepfer Stiftung FVS - Hanseatic Scholarships

Hanseatic Scholarships

You will receive about 1,250 EUR per month (approximately 15,000 euros per year) to study or carry out research at any university or research institution in Germany, plus your travel expenses. The funding starts for one year and may be extended for a second year. If you do not yet speak German well, an additional grant may cover the costs of a language course in Germany at the start of your programme. Up to three scholarships are awarded each year by the Hamburg-based Alfred Toepfer Foundation (F.V.S.). It acts as the counterpart to the Rhodes Scholarships, which send Germans to Oxford.

Who can apply

• University: You are a student or graduate of the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.
• Study phase: You are a bachelor’s student in your final year of study or a graduate of any degree programme (including PhD and postdoctoral programmes).
• What you do in Germany: PhD or postdoctoral research; a practical project not linked to a research qualification; or the award of a German academic degree.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who have not yet spent a prolonged period studying in a German-speaking country.
• German language: You should have a reasonable command of German. If your knowledge is still too limited, additional funding for a language course can help bridge this gap.
• Supervisor contact: Before you apply, you must contact a potential supervisor at your German host institution and provide evidence that you have done so.
• No double funding: This scholarship cannot be combined with any other travel grant and does not cover tuition fees at Oxford or Cambridge.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted in writing via the University of Oxford once a year. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to Oxford for an interview. All applicants will receive a response by the end of March. If you are planning to undertake a Master’s degree in Germany, your application will also be considered for the ‘You and Europe’ scholarship offered by the Toepfer Foundation.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly selective: only students from Oxford and Cambridge are eligible to apply, and only three scholarships are awarded each year. This means there is genuine competition within a small, high-achieving group. The selection panel looks for outstanding academic achievement (undergraduates are expected to be well on the way to achieving a ‘First Class’ degree), a coherent and feasible project, and a clear German-British connection. A convincing, well-thought-out proposal and early contact with the supervisor offer good prospects.