Study abroad funding works best from several sources at once: BAföG for study abroad (Auslands-BAföG), Erasmus+ or a scholarship form the base, while a loan or a part-time job closes the gap. For a semester in Spain, Erasmus+ pays up to €540 per month in the 2026/27 programme year for up to four months, so up to €2,160. For France, €600 per month gives up to €2,400. This rarely covers everything, so the right combination and the deadlines matter.
The key points at a glance
- Apply for BAföG for study abroad at the office for your destination country, at the latest six months before departure. An informal application keeps the deadline.
- In 2026/27, Erasmus+ pays €540 or €600 per month depending on the country, for a semester at most four months.
- Scholarships and PROMOS do not have to be repaid, but their application deadlines often end long before departure.
- The Bildungskredit pays €100, €200 or €300 per month without an income check (4.09% effective, variable). The KfW student loan carries 6.38% effective.
- The statutory fund does not pay for medical repatriation abroad. Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, you generally need your own cover.
Which study abroad funding options are there?
Five sources can be combined: state support, university programmes, scholarships, loans and your own money. The table shows what each source provides and where the catch lies.
| Source | What you receive | Repayment | What to watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAföG for study abroad | Domestic rate plus supplements, for example for tuition fees and travel costs | Partly a grant, loan portion capped at €10,010 | Application at the latest six months before departure, to the office for your destination country |
| Erasmus+ | €540 to €600 per month, up to four months per semester | None | Places only at partner universities of your university |
| PROMOS and foundations | Grants depending on the programme | None | Deadlines and selection criteria differ widely |
| Bildungskredit | €100, €200 or €300 per month, for at most 24 months | Yes, €120 per month from four years after the first payment | Application before your 36th birthday, variable interest |
| KfW student loan | €100 to €650 per month | Yes, after the grace period | 6.38% effective, variable |
| Part-time job and savings | Depending on the amount | None | Under BAföG, €603 gross per month remains exempt from offset |
How does BAföG for study abroad work?
BAföG for study abroad is BAföG for study periods abroad. In the EU and Switzerland, the entire course can be funded. Outside these, funding is generally available for up to one year, and only after at least one year of study in Germany. The basis is your domestic rate, which is at most €992 per month if you have your own flat and your own health insurance (Studierendenwerke).
Which supplements are there?
On top of the standard rate come supplements that make studying abroad more expensive. The office calculates the need for your destination country individually.
- Tuition fees: according to the city of Heidelberg up to €5,600 for at most one year, entirely as a grant. The responsible office confirms the current amount.
- Travel costs: €250 per journey within Europe, €500 outside.
- Foreign-study supplement: only for study outside the EU and Switzerland. The amount depends on the country.
- Health insurance: a supplement covers the extra cost of travel health insurance. The travel and insurance supplements are each half grant and half loan.
- Childcare: €160 per child under 14 per month, as a grant.
The loan portion is capped: you repay at most €10,010, in instalments of €130 per month.
When and where do you apply?
The responsible office is the BAföG office for your destination country, not the office of your home university. There are 18 such offices in total. Apply at the latest six months before the start of your stay abroad, and an informal application keeps the deadline. A preliminary decision is possible up to one year before departure.
Important: the stay must last at least six months or one semester, and for university cooperation programmes twelve weeks is enough. In addition, your lecturer must confirm that the study abroad benefits your degree. There are no supplements for holidays before or after the stay. More on funding without a domestic BAföG entitlement is in the article on how to pay for your studies without BAföG (in German).
What does Erasmus+ pay for a semester abroad?
In 2026/27, Erasmus+ pays €600 per month in country group 1 and €540 per month in country groups 2 and 3. Universities set the duration and payment themselves, so ask the International Office for the figures at your university.
| Country group | Examples | Funding per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland | €600 |
| 2 | Spain, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic | €540 |
| 3 | Poland, Hungary, Romania, Turkey | €540 |
One semester is funded for at most four months, two semesters for at most eight. Further days count as “zero-grant” days and bring no funding. Example: one semester in Spain gives 4 × €540 = €2,160, one year in France 8 × €600 = €4,800. The minimum funding period is two months, and as a rule 70 per cent of the sum is paid in advance.
Students with a disability of at least 20 per cent, with a chronic illness, with a child, or who are the first in their family to study receive an additional €250 per month. The application, deadlines and process are covered in our article on Erasmus and exchange semesters (in German).
Which scholarships are there for study abroad?
Scholarships are grants without repayment and come from universities, foundations, funding organisations and destination countries. Application deadlines are often long before departure, so start your research at least a year ahead.
PROMOS and the DAAD database
Universities award PROMOS themselves, mainly for shorter stays such as a semester, an internship or a language course. Each university sets the conditions, amounts and deadlines, so you apply to your International Office. Programmes that match your subject and destination can be found in the DAAD scholarship database and in the Stipendienlotse of the Federal Ministry of Research.
Scholarship foundations and foundations
The federal government funds 13 scholarship foundations. In 2024, 31,447 students received this support. The maximum rate was €1,292 per month, without family or childcare supplements. Good performance and social commitment are expected. You must apply to the foundations yourself.
Beyond these, specialist foundations and companies award scholarships, sometimes with obligations such as an internship. The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 per month regardless of income, and your university makes the selection.
Scholarships from the destination country
Foreign universities and governments also fund international students. Well-known examples are the Fulbright Programme for the USA and the Chevening Scholarships for the United Kingdom. Both are highly competitive, and you will find the requirements and amounts directly with the programmes.
How do you make a strong application?
- Explain in your letter of motivation why this country and this university suit your study goal.
- Request letters of recommendation early, since lecturers need lead time.
- Apply for several programmes, because even a partial scholarship helps.
- Name your commitment, internships and language skills concretely, with dates and tasks.
When is a loan worth it for study abroad?
A loan is worthwhile if grants are not enough and you can realistically carry the repayment. The Studierendenwerke advise using loans only as a supplement: BAföG and scholarships come first, because they are cheaper.
Bildungskredit
The federal Bildungskredit explicitly names study periods abroad as a permitted purpose. You receive €100, €200 or €300 per month, for at most 24 months per stage of education. There is no income or assets check, and you can use it alongside BAföG. The interest rate is 4.09% effective, variable, and reset on 1 April and 1 October. You must be under 36 when you apply. Repayment of €120 per month begins four years after the first payment. You apply online to the Federal Administrative Office.
KfW student loan
The KfW student loan pays €100 to €650 per month, without collateral and without an income check. For contracts concluded since 1 October 2026, the rate is 6.38% effective, variable. The next adjustment follows on 1 April 2027. Applicants must be aged 18 to 44. The maximum sum depends on age: €54,600 (up to 24 years, up to 14 semesters), €39,000 (up to 34 years, 10 semesters) and €23,400 (up to 44 years, 6 semesters). Check the current terms, and whether your plans abroad are covered, directly with the KfW before you apply.
Private loans and education funds
Banks usually require regular income and generally do not count BAföG or child benefit towards it. Before you sign, compare the effective interest rate, check whether it is fixed or variable, and clarify when repayment starts and whether you can repay early. There is a 14-day right of withdrawal. With education funds, repayment depends on a share of your later income, and only a few providers currently accept new students. With a guarantor or co-borrower: the guarantor is liable only in case of default, while the co-borrower owes the full amount as well.
How do you finance a master’s degree abroad?
For a complete master’s degree abroad, you combine the same building blocks over a longer period. In the EU and Switzerland, BAföG for study abroad is possible for the entire course. Add scholarships, the Bildungskredit and the KfW student loan. If tuition fees apply at the host university, it is worth checking the tuition-fee supplement. How countries, applications and costs look is covered in the article on planning a master’s abroad (in German).
Work out in advance the total need up to graduation. A loan over several years adds up quickly, and interest keeps accruing until repayment. For the Bildungskredit, interest is deferred until repayment begins, however.
How are you insured abroad?
Within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, you remain in student health insurance as an enrolled student with a German residence, as long as you have not passed the age limit of 30. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers necessary benefits under the rules of the country of stay. Local co-payments apply, and the statutory fund does not pay for medical repatriation.
Outside these countries, you generally need insurance in the country of study or private travel health insurance. For stays of several months, you need long-term cover, because standard travel insurance often applies only for a limited number of days per trip. What applies to privately insured students is explained in the article on PKV during an exchange semester (in German). The BAföG supplement for health insurance helps you with the costs.
What can a part-time job, savings and family contribute?
Your own funds are the most reliable pillar, because no deadline and no selection process stands in the way. If you set aside a fixed amount each month for a year before departure, you build a cushion for the deposit, the flight and the first weeks. Under BAföG, your own income up to €603 gross per month has no effect, and above that the funding is reduced proportionately.
Abroad, working depends on the visa rules. Find out before you leave how many hours the host country allows. University jobs in the library or the department are often easy to fit around your timetable.
It is also worth talking to your parents. For students living away from home, the Studierendenwerke cite the Düsseldorf Table (as of 2025) as a guide: €990 per month, which does not include health and long-term care insurance. Present your family with a budget so that it is clear what the money is needed for. For a family loan, written agreements on repayment and term help.
Frequently asked questions
How do I finance a semester abroad?
Usually through a mix: Erasmus+ or PROMOS as the basic funding, BAföG for study abroad for supplements such as travel costs and tuition fees, and a part-time job or savings for the rest. If that is not enough, the Bildungskredit can close the gap. Start the applications at least six months before departure, because BAföG for study abroad requires exactly that deadline.
Is there BAföG for study abroad if I do not get any at home?
This cannot be said in general. Abroad, supplements such as travel costs, health insurance or tuition fees are added, and the need increases. Your entitlement is decided by the office responsible for your destination country. An informal application keeps the deadline, and you can submit the documents afterwards.
How much does Erasmus+ pay per month?
In 2026/27 it is €600 in country group 1 and €540 in groups 2 and 3, in each case for at most four months per semester. If you belong to students with fewer opportunities, €250 per month is added. Your university decides the exact payment.
Can I combine several sources of funding?
Yes. The Bildungskredit and BAföG run in parallel, and the Deutschlandstipendium is paid on top of other income. Clarify with the BAföG office how a scholarship affects your BAföG in your case, before you accept it.
So what should you do now
- Ask your International Office which Erasmus+ and PROMOS places your university offers and by when you must apply.
- At the latest six months before departure, submit an informal application for BAföG for study abroad to the responsible office.
- Search the DAAD database and the Stipendienlotse for programmes that match your subject and destination, and apply to several.
- Work out your total need first, and only then check whether you need the Bildungskredit or the KfW student loan.
- Clarify your health insurance cover for the destination country before you book.
Related reading
- Planning Erasmus and an exchange semester (in German)
- Planning a master’s abroad (in German)
- Paying for your studies without BAföG (in German)
- Culture shock during an exchange semester (in German)
- Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and work and travel (in German)
- BAföG for study abroad: requirements, amount, supplements (in German)
- Erasmus+ funding: rates and deadlines by target group (in German)
- BAföG standard rate (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This article provides general information and does not replace individual advice.
