A scholarship is a long-term financial support for students or doctoral candidates. Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of special talent; they are the most common form of support for gifted students. The use of the funds is at the discretion of the scholarship holders.

Grants are comparable to scholarships. They are usually awarded on a similar basis. Grants at the University of Oldenburg are financial support for projects for which additional funds are used. They are therefore for a specific purpose.

The Servicepoint Scholarships is part of the Presidential Department of Studies and Teaching. It reports to the Vice-President for Studies and Teaching and manages seven different funding programmes.

It is in charge of applications for scholarships for German and international students, one scholarship for doctoral students and two awards:

• Deutschlandstipendium
• Landesstipendium Niedersachsen
• Wissenschaftspreis Niedersachsen (Kategorie IV)
• Dr. Dettling Stiftung
• Dr. h. c. Peter Waskönig Stiftung
• Heinz Neumüller Stiftung

In addition, the Servicepoint helps run two foundations directly linked to the University of Oldenburg on behalf of their executive boards. It also serves as a central point of contact for foundations and other organisations that award scholarships to students and doctoral candidates at Oldenburg University.

The International Office (IO) is a part of the Department of Student and Academic Affairs. It is the central point of contact both for international students in Oldenburg and for Oldenburg students who are planning to study abroad.

The IO manages various funding programmes with an international background, including grants and scholarships. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Scholarships for Oldenburg students studying abroad

• Erasmus+
• PROMOS scholarships
• Floyd- und Lili Biava-Zuschuss (in German)
• Fulbright-Stipendien (in German)

Scholarships for exchange students coming to Oldenburg

• Rotary
• Scholarships for international students and postgraduates

In Germany, there are 13 so-called "Begabtenförderungswerke" (organisations for the promotion of gifted students), which under the framework of a programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research provide study grants to students. This is done primarily by awarding full scholarships. Additional support programmes, such as workshops and seminars, which accompany the financial funding differ depending on the scholarship provider.

The 13 funding agencies are:

• Avicenna-Studienwerk (funding for Muslim students)
• Cusanuswerk (funding for Catholic students)
• Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst (funding for Protestant students)
• Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (funding for Jewish students)
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (close to the SPD political party)
• Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit (close to the FDP political party)
• Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung (close to the CSU political party)
• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (close to the unions)
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (close to the Greens political party)
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (close to the CDU political party)
• Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (Die-Linke-nah)
• Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (close to the employers)
• Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (politically and confessionally independent)

Information on the individual foundations are to be obtained by interested parties themselves. Although the Servicepoint Scholarships does not provide specific advice on individual funding programmes, it can establish contact with current funding recipients. It is also possible to contact one of the contact persons who are local advisors for the foundations.

Another nationwide scholarship provider is the

• Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (close to the IHK)

However, if you are looking for financing for your studies, you can sometimes reach your goal without a scholarship. The classic way is the BAföG (Federal Student Assistance Act). The Studierendenwerk Oldenburg, like other such organisations throughout Germany, provides advice on the following issues:

• BAföG
• Student loans
• Jobbing

In addition, there are now several online databases that provide information on funding opportunities:

• Database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• MyStipendium.de
• e-fellows-Datenbank (career network)
• Database of the Maecenata Institute