The EXIST start-up scholarship is one of the best-known funding programmes for founding a business out of a German university. It also addresses students who want to turn a business idea into a business plan. This guide explains who may apply, which funding amounts the federal ministry names and how the route through your university works.
Short answer: Students who have completed at least half of their degree can apply for the EXIST scholarship. According to the ministry information sheet, the monthly scholarship rate for students is 1,000 euros, and the funding period is 12 months. Status: November 2025, check the figures with the project agency before you apply.
The most important points at a glance
- Eligible are, among others, students who have completed at least 50 percent of their studies, and graduates up to five years after their degree.
- According to the information sheet, funding runs for 12 months.
- Your university is the applicant and provides a workplace for one year.
- The application is submitted through the project agency Jülich, and the sheet names no fixed deadline.
- Before applying, you contact the founders network of your university and prepare an idea paper.
Who can apply for the EXIST scholarship?
According to the information sheet of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), teams of up to three founders are eligible if most of them are graduates. Students may also apply once they have completed at least half of their studies. Graduates are eligible up to five years after graduation. Academic staff members up to five years after leaving their post also belong to the group.
For you as a student, the timing is decisive. According to the information, the scholarship is not intended before you have completed half of your studies. Plan your founding idea so that you meet the formal requirements at the moment of application.
How high is the funding?
The information sheet names a monthly scholarship rate of 1,000 euros for students, plus a child supplement of 150 euros per child. For material expenses, a flat amount of 10,000 euros applies to a single founder and 30,000 euros to a team. A coaching allowance of 5,000 euros is added. The table summarises these values.
| Item | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholarship rate, students | 1,000 euros per month | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
| Child supplement | 150 euros per child and month | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
| Material expenses, single founder | 10,000 euros | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
| Material expenses, team | 30,000 euros | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
| Coaching allowance | 5,000 euros | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
| Funding period | 12 months | November 2025 | BMWE information sheet |
According to the programme, the funding mainly supports the phase in which the business plan is prepared. It therefore does not replace ongoing financing of business operations. If you include the sums in your planning, expect monthly amounts that may differ after social security contributions and tax. A tax adviser can clarify how the scholarship is treated in your case.
How does the application work?
The route leads through your university. First, you contact the founders network of your university. Together you develop an idea paper, and you find a mentor from the university or a research institution. Only after that comes the application, which the university submits as the applicant through the project agency Jülich.
- Contact the founders network of your university and present your idea.
- Prepare an idea paper with your team that describes the business model and target group.
- Win a mentor from the university or a research institution.
- Submit the application through the university and the project agency Jülich, without a fixed deadline.
The university also provides a workplace for one year. That is an important advantage, because office rent often weighs heavily in the early phase. Ask your university what further support it offers.
What should your idea paper contain?
A good idea paper describes the problem you solve, the target group and your proposal. It explains why your solution is new or better than existing offers. You should also outline who works in the founding team and which skills are available. The paper is not a finished business plan. It is the start of the coordination with your contact persons.
Have the paper reviewed by the founding advice centre of your university before you submit it. Experienced advisers quickly spot missing assumptions or figures that do not add up, and that saves you a loop.
Is the scholarship a good fit for you?
The scholarship fits founding ideas that are still in development and have a research or technology basis, or teams that want to develop their project with support from the university. If you already run a business with sales, check whether the funding logic still fits, because the programme targets the phase before market entry.
It is less suitable if you mainly need short-term money for living costs. The funding is tied to a founding project and is not a general allowance for studying. Other routes for financing your studies are covered in the German guide on study loans and student funding.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive the scholarship while I am still studying?
Yes, provided you meet the requirements. The scholarship is intended for the founding phase and enables you to prepare the business plan. Align your schedule with your studies, because the funding presupposes serious founding work.
Is there an application deadline?
According to the information sheet, applications are possible at any time, and there is no fixed deadline. Nevertheless, start the process with your university early, because the idea paper and the search for a mentor take time.
Who decides on the approval?
The funding runs through the project agency Jülich on behalf of the federal ministry. The agency also provides information on the procedure and current conditions. The ministry’s funding page likewise refers to the project agency for amounts and procedure.
Is the scholarship taxable?
The tax treatment depends on your situation and should be clarified with a tax adviser. The information sheet makes no binding statement on this, so do not rely on it alone.
What to do next
- Check whether you have completed half of your degree or meet the graduate rule.
- Write your idea paper and talk it through with the founders network of your university.
- Find a mentor and align the timing with your studies.
- Have the current funding figures confirmed by the project agency Jülich before you submit the application.
What happens after the twelve months?
After the funding period ends, the founding faces the question of how to continue. The outcome of the business plan decides whether you take the step into the market, apply for further funding or adjust the project. Plan this decision already during the funding, so that you have talks with advice centres in time.
Pay attention to bookkeeping, VAT and health insurance as soon as the project becomes an ongoing business. The rules depend on turnover and hours, so it is worth reading the German guides on the small business rule and on self-employment while studying.
Related reading
- Founding while studying: funding programmes and advice at a glance (in German)
- Online shop while studying: costs, registration and obligations (in German)
- Side job and self-employment in parallel: what students should note (in German)
- Small business threshold exceeded: what applies now (in German)
- Self-employed while studying: trade, tax and health insurance (in German)
Sources: BMWE: information sheet on the EXIST start-up scholarship 2025 (dated November 2025, German, retrieved 2 November 2026) | Existenzgründungsportal, BMWK information pool: EXIST start-up scholarship (German, undated)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
