• Residence permit for study purposes or the purpose of a doctorate (in general according to Section 16 of the German Residence Act - AufenthG)
• Monthly income during the scholarship period may not exceed EUR 450

All international students and doctoral candidates of the University of Oldenburg who find themselves in financial difficulties are eligible to apply.

Financial need is a prerequisite; voluntary work inside or outside the university is a plus.

Up to EUR 1,000 can be awarded. The scholarship is paid up to two instalments of up to EUR 500 each.

If a successful applicant has one or more part-time jobs which earn him or her more than EUR 450 before taxes per month, his or her scholarship for the respective month will be reduced by the difference as per DAAD requirements.

• Academic achievement. Proven by grades/grade average (students) or short reference letter of supervisor (doctoral candidates)
• Financial need (letter of recommendation or proof, e.g. loss of job due to corona crisis)
• Expected to graduate in the next two years (short reference letter, transcript)
• Personal situation (letter of motivation)
• Reference letter
• Pro-bono work is a plus

Please note that all required steps have to be completed by the application deadline.

Step 1: Your application

Following documents are required:

1. Completed application form (pdf)
2. Motivation letter (justification of the application)
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
4. Transcript with grade average (students) or letter of acceptance of doctorate committee (doctoral candidates)
5. Enrolment certificate
6. Copy of the residence permit
7. Proof of financial need: bank account statements for the last three months, if you are married: Information about your family’s total income, including proofIf available: proof of pro-bono work (brief confirmation of scope and duration
8. If available: proof of pro-bono work (brief confirmation of scope and duration)

Please combine the documents into a single pdf file. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Reference letter from supervisor by e-mail

In order to complete your application, we need a letter of reference from the supervisor of your thesis or doctorate or from a lecturer of your study programme. This reference letter must be sent by e-mail by the author to

The reference letter should answer the following questions:

1. How would you judge the applicant's study performance so far?
2. When is the applicant roughly going to finish his/her studies or doctorate and what results do you expect from the applicant?
3. How would you describe the applicant's personality/situation?