Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung - Studienförderung

What you get

You will receive up to 855 EUR per month as basic funding, as well as a lump-sum study grant of 300 EUR per month. The funding covers the standard duration of study, i.e. the number of semesters for which your degree programme is officially scheduled. It may be extended by one semester. The basic grant depends on your parents’ income and is calculated in the same way as the German BAföG, but does not need to be repaid. Every scholarship holder receives the grant of 300 EUR, regardless of income. In addition, there is a health insurance allowance of between 102 and 185 euros. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be eligible for support for stays abroad, up to 10,000 euros per year towards tuition fees, language course fees and a childcare allowance.

International students from countries outside the EU receive, instead, a lump sum of 992 euros per month, as well as up to 100 euros towards health insurance. A period of study abroad is not funded for them.

You can also take part in up to 500 events per year, including summer schools, seminars, study trips and local group meetings, and make use of the network of former scholarship holders. The scholarship is awarded by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, which has close ties to the Green Party and supports more than 1,500 undergraduates and PhD students.

Who can apply

• Field of study: Any subject.
• If you finished school in Germany: You can apply for a first degree (for example a bachelor's or a state exam) any time from before you start until your 3rd semester. For a master's, you apply at least six months before it begins. You can study at a state or state-recognised university in Germany, Switzerland or another EU country.
• If you finished school abroad: Applicants of all nationalities may apply for a Master’s programme or the advanced stage of a degree programme at a German university. To apply, you will need German language skills at level B2 or DSH 1 (a German university language examination). EU citizens must apply at least six months before the start of the Master’s programme; non-EU citizens must apply before the start of their studies.
• Refugees: You can apply to study for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Germany, regardless of your asylum status or which semester you are in.
• Grades: You’re doing very well at school or university.
• Engagement: You are socially engaged, take an interest in politics and share the Foundation’s values: democracy, environmental protection, solidarity and non-violence.
• Preferences: Preference will be given to students who receive BAföG, as well as to those whose parents did not complete a degree. Among applicants from non-EU countries, preference will be given to those who still live in a developing country, particularly if they obtained their first higher education qualification there.

How to apply

Online applications are accepted twice a year, by 1 March and 1 September respectively. The portal opens approximately six weeks before the respective deadline. Once your written application has been assessed, you will have a one-hour interview with a university lecturer who works in partnership with the Foundation. This will be followed by an online interview with the selection panel. The funding period usually begins on 1 October or 1 April.