The Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) supports young people through several programmes, and not every one of them is a study scholarship. This guide separates what we could verify in the regulations from what you should check directly on the foundation’s website.
Short answer: The KAS regulations we checked cover vocational training support: 300 euros per month over three years, online application, deadline 15 July (no year given in the document). Study scholarships follow separate rules that we could not fully verify. The reference value for scholarship foundations using BMFTR funds is up to 855 euros per month plus a 300 euro study cost allowance (as of October 2026).
The most important points
- Two programmes: KAS vocational training support and a study scholarship follow different rules.
- Vocational training support: 300 euros per month, funding period of three years, online application at campus.kas.de (regulations of March 2026).
- Training and study at the same time: the vocational training regulations exclude training that runs parallel to a degree.
- Selection: preliminary selection, a selection day about four months after the deadline, no legal entitlement.
- Study funding: the BMFTR reference rates are published by the Heinrich Böll Foundation (as of October 2026). Check the KAS rules on its website.
Vocational training support and a study scholarship are not the same
Many search queries mix two things. The regulations from March 2026 govern support for trainees in recognised occupations under the Vocational Training Act or the Crafts Code, as well as in federally regulated health care professions. Anyone who studies does not fall under this programme. Study funding follows its own regulations, which we can only place in context with the general BMFTR rates.
| Point (vocational training support) | Information from the regulations | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship | 300 euros per month, as an education allowance | Regulations March 2026 |
| Funding period | three years | Regulations March 2026 |
| Application | online at campus.kas.de | Regulations March 2026 |
| Deadline | 15 July (no year given in the document) | Regulations March 2026 |
| Training parallel to studies | excluded | Regulations March 2026 |
| German skills for foreign applicants | at least GoetheZertifikat B2 | Regulations March 2026 |
How does selection work at the KAS?
For vocational training support, the regulations describe a two-step process. First comes a preliminary selection based on the criteria. Candidates who pass are then invited to a selection day, which according to the regulations takes place about four months after the deadline. An independent selection committee decides, and the decision is communicated in writing without reasons. There is no legal entitlement.
- Apply online through the portal once you have read the regulations in full.
- Wait for the preliminary selection. You are invited to the selection day only if you pass it.
- Plan for the selection day in the autumn, since it falls about four months after the deadline.
- Ask the KAS whether a separate procedure applies to study funding before you transfer the training rules to your studies.
How high is the funding for studies?
The scholarship foundations receive BMFTR funds. According to the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the following rates apply as of October 2026. Whether the KAS adds supplements, book allowances or flat rates could not be seen in the vocational training regulations, because those regulate a different programme.
| Funding component (BMFTR funds) | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Study rate (maximum) | up to 855 euros per month | income-based under BAföG rules |
| Study cost allowance | 300 euros per month | not income-based |
| Basic scholarship for doctorates | up to 1,750 euros per month | maximum rate |
Assumption: you receive the vocational training support of 300 euros per month without interruption for all three funding years. That makes 3,600 euros per year and 10,800 euros over the funding period. Study funding is calculated with the BMFTR maximum rates instead, which can be reduced depending on income.
Does a KAS scholarship suit your situation?
The vocational training support suits you if you plan a recognised apprenticeship and can plan around a selection process with a selection day. It suits you less well if you want to study at the same time or need money within a few weeks, because selection and payment follow a fixed timetable.
- Likely suitable: you want to complete a recognised apprenticeship and can go through a selection with a selection day.
- Likely less suitable: you want to study or need money within a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get KAS vocational training support during my studies?
No, at least not under the programme described in the regulations of March 2026. There, training parallel to studies is excluded. For a study scholarship, you need to check the study funding regulations published on the foundation’s website.
Is there a legal entitlement to the funding?
Not according to the vocational training regulations. The foundation decides after a selection procedure, and rejections are communicated without reasons. You should factor that into your planning before you rely on this funding.
Do I need good German if I am a foreign national?
For vocational training support, the regulations require German skills at least equal to GoetheZertifikat B2 for applicants with foreign nationality. For a study scholarship, check the requirements of study funding separately.
Where can I find the current regulations?
The regulations are published as PDF files on the KAS website in the area of scholarships (in German). You will also find the documents for study funding there. Check the latest version before each application, since deadlines and amounts can change.
How much is a KAS study scholarship?
The sources we checked do not give a fixed sum for studies. The general BMFTR funds set a maximum of 855 euros per month, income-based, and a study cost allowance of 300 euros. Your actual amount depends on your income and on the rules of the foundation.
What to do next
- Download the current KAS regulations and decide whether you are looking for training support or study funding.
- Check the application portal and note the deadline, which the regulations give without a year.
- Treat the maximum rate as an upper limit and check with your income what is realistic.
- Compare the offer with the Studienstiftung, see Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Bewerbung, Auswahl und Förderung.
Related guides
- Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Bewerbung, Auswahl und Förderung
- Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements
- Stipendium bewerben: So überzeugst du die Auswahlgremien (in German)
- Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance
Sources: Konrad Adenauer Foundation, vocational training support regulations (as of March 2026, in German), Heinrich Böll Foundation, scholarship rates (as of October 2026, in German), Konrad Adenauer Foundation, website (as of October 2026, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
