The Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes supports academically strong and socially engaged students across all disciplines and types of higher education. Eligible students pursue full-time degrees at recognised institutions in Germany or, subject to the formal rules, elsewhere in the European Union or Switzerland.
The scholarship combines monthly financial support with academic mentoring, interdisciplinary education and help for study-related periods abroad. Candidates enter through nomination routes or, for eligible first- and second-semester undergraduates, a computer-based self-application test followed by an application and selection seminar.
Benefits & funding
- Every scholarship holder receives a €300 monthly study-cost allowance.
- Depending on family finances, holders may receive up to €855 per month for living costs.
- Holders not insured through their parents may receive health and long-term-care insurance support, and holders with children may receive a childcare allowance.
- The scholarship does not have to be repaid.
- Non-financial support includes university-based mentors, one- or two-week summer academies, interdisciplinary exchange and possible extra support for study, research, internship or language-course periods abroad.
Eligibility
- Applicants must study full time at a state or state-recognised higher-education institution in Germany, or complete part or all of an eligible degree in an EU member state or Switzerland; part-time degrees are not funded.
- Applicants must also meet one of the applicable BAföG status routes: these include German citizens, people with qualifying permanent or protected status in Germany, and certain EU or EU-candidate citizens studying long term for a degree in Germany; the site also extends the latter route to students from Ukraine and Moldova.
- There is no formal age limit.
- A first consecutive master’s degree following a bachelor’s degree is generally eligible, but a change of field during the master’s normally excludes funding.
- Self-application is limited to full-time students whose registration winter semester is the first or second subject semester of an undergraduate degree; artistic and design subjects use separate procedures, and previous participation in a Studienstiftung selection procedure excludes this route.
- Nomination routes also exist through schools, higher-education institutions and partner organisations, including routes for more advanced students.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Master Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Check the formal study-location, full-time-enrolment and BAföG-status requirements.
- 2Use the nomination route available through a school, higher-education institution or partner organisation, or use self-application if the first- or second-semester rules apply.
- 3For self-application, register for the computer-based test; it covers study and career planning, language structures, diagrams and tables, and rule recognition.
- 4Strong test performers receive instructions by email to submit an application and are then invited to a selection seminar.
- 5At the seminar, complete two independent interviews of about 30 minutes each and join group rounds with four or five students from other disciplines, including a prepared short talk and moderated discussion.
- 6The selection commission decides admission using the published five criteria.
Program timeline
Registration opens for the spring self-application test; exact dates are still to be published.
January 2027, expected
Computer-based self-application test.
Spring 2027
Selection seminars for successful test participants.
June–July 2027, normally