Funding / Scholarships
Funding / Scholarships
The costs of studying abroad can be high, and the funding options can seem confusing at first glance. Below is an overview of some financing options.
Studying abroad
Studying in another European country
- Erasmus+ for a semester abroad at one of our European partner universities
- If Erasmus+ funding is not available, you can apply for a PROMOS scholarship.
Studying in a non-European country
Internships abroad
Funding schemes for internships abroad offered by the International Office
The International Office awards grants for work placements abroad under the following programmes:
- Erasmus+ internship (applications accepted on an ongoing basis)
- PROMOS scholarship Internship funding scheme (Application deadlines: 31 March and 30 September)
Write your thesis abroad
Under the PROMOS scholarship scheme, funding is available for writing your thesis abroad. Further information on the eligibility criteria and the amount of funding is available here:
PROMOS Scholarship: Study Programme
Alternatively, you can also collect data for your thesis as part of your internship. Fore more information see the ‘Internships abroad’ tab.
Conference and research trips abroad
Would you like to present your research findings at conferences or congresses abroad? Or are you planning an international research trip to find answers to your research question? Take advantage of the funding opportunities offered by the Research-based Learning project funding scheme run by forschen@studium, part of the Department for Studying and Teaching.
Find out more about about funding opportunities and application documents
BAföG abroad
Are you already receiving domestic BAföG? Please contact the relevant BAföG office early to apply for BaföG abroad.
No domestic BAföG? Due to the high additional costs incurred whilst studying abroad, students who would not be eligible for BAföG in Germany because their parents’ income is too high may, under certain circumstances, be eligible for BAföG. It is possible to submit an application for a preliminary decision to the relevant authority. If there isn’t enough time for this, you should submit your BAföG application straight away, at least six months before the start of your stay abroad.
BAföG abroad(in German)
Scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
You can also find a wide range of scholarships for studying abroad right on the DAAD website:
Scholarship database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)(in German)
Stay abroad as part of a scholarship
Do you already have a scholarship or would you like to obtain one? Ask your scholarship provider whether they can provide financial support for your stay abroad. Some foundations offer similar conditions to the Auslands-BAföG.
For more information on scholarships visit the pages of the ‘Scholarship Service Centre (UOL) or Arbeiterkind.de (in German). Find the right scholarship for you: MyStipendium.de (in German).
Students with a chronic illness or disability
If you have a disability or a chronic illness, you can find further information on support here:
Other financing options
- Education Loan Programme of the German Government (in German) - please note the terms and conditions of the loan and the repayment arrangements.
- Travel grants from the Schwarzkopf Foundation for Young Europe (in German) primarily for people with a migrant background or from rural areas who have had little opportunity to travel