The Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) supports students, doctoral candidates and young people in vocational training. Its scholarship belongs to the scholarship foundations that receive BMFTR funds. This guide shows the requirements named on the foundation’s website, how the application works and which amounts apply.
Short answer: The FES names no fixed minimum grade on its website. It expects good school, university or degree results and social commitment. According to the website, first-generation students and people with a migration background are explicitly welcome. The application runs through a separate page. The reference value for studies is up to 855 euros per month plus a 300 euro study cost allowance (BMFTR funds, as of October 2026).
The most important points
- No fixed grade: the website names no minimum grade but expects good results.
- Target groups: vocational training, studies and doctorates, from Germany and abroad.
- First degree: first-generation students are explicitly welcome according to the website.
- Application: the website links to a separate application page where the steps are listed.
- Questions: the FES study funding team in Bonn can be reached by phone at +49 228 883-7902, according to the website.
Which requirements does the FES name?
The website speaks of young people who are above average in talent and commitment. It names no specific grade. Instead, it asks for good results at school, in university or in the degree. That is a selection criterion, not a threshold you can measure in advance. If your grades are not outstanding, do not rule yourself out, but judge realistically how your results and your commitment fit together.
| Point | Information on the website | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum grade | none named | good results as a criterion |
| Age limit | not named | check on the application page |
| Nationality | German and foreign applicants | from Germany and abroad, according to the website |
| Application deadlines | not on the start page | deadlines on the application page |
| Funding areas | vocational training, studies, doctorates | each area may weigh requirements differently |
How does the application work at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation?
The start page links by button to the actual application page. There you find the steps, the deadlines and the documents. We did not evaluate the application page in full, so we name no deadlines or documents here. For questions, the start page names the study funding team in Bonn with a phone number, the safest route for clarification.
- Open the application page through the button on the website and read the requirements in full.
- Note the deadline and the required documents before you start your cover letter.
- Call the study funding team in Bonn if something is unclear. The number is on the website.
- Check the application page for notes on study periods abroad, because the start page says nothing about them.
How high is the funding at the FES?
The FES start page gives no amount. As a scholarship foundation, it receives BMFTR funds. The Heinrich Böll Foundation published the reference rates for these funds in October 2026. Whether the FES adds supplements or flat rates has to be checked on the application or funding pages.
| Funding component (BMFTR funds) | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Study rate (maximum), income-based | up to 855 euros per month | October 2026 |
| Study cost allowance, not income-based | 300 euros per month | October 2026 |
| Basic scholarship for doctorates | up to 1,750 euros per month | October 2026 |
| Research cost allowance for doctorates | 100 euros per month | October 2026 |
Assumption: you are a first-generation student in a bachelor programme and receive the full study rate of 855 euros. Assumption: your countable income leads to no reduction, and the study cost allowance of 300 euros is added. That gives 1,155 euros per month or 13,860 euros per year. A reduction based on income lowers the amount accordingly.
Does FES funding suit your situation?
A FES scholarship suits you well if you are a first-generation student, can show commitment and can plan for an application process that takes several months. It suits you less well if you need money immediately or plan a complete degree abroad with full funding, because the website does not name that case as a focus.
- Likely suitable: you are a first-generation student and can meet application deadlines.
- Likely less suitable: you need the money at short notice or plan a complete degree abroad.
How does this fit with BAföG and other funding?
A FES scholarship does not automatically replace BAföG. As with all scholarship foundations, the study rate depends on your income. How to combine a scholarship with BAföG and which rules apply is explained in Stipendium im Studium finden: Arten, Anbieter und Voraussetzungen (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum grade for the FES?
The website names no fixed grade. It asks for good results at school, in university or in the degree. This is a question of selection, which you can clarify with the team before you decide.
Are first-generation students preferred?
The website explicitly names first-generation students as welcome applicants. That does not mean other applications are excluded. The start page makes no statement about any preference in the selection.
Is the FES open to people with a migration background?
Yes, the website explicitly names people with a migration background as a welcome target group. The application steps are the same. Check the documents on the application page.
How can I reach the study funding team?
The website names the study funding team of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Bonn and the telephone number +49 228 883-7902 for questions. Use this route before you give up on an application, because questions about deadlines and documents are often quicker to settle by phone.
Does the funding also cover a doctorate?
According to the website, the FES funds vocational training, studies and doctorates. For doctorates, the BMFTR rates list a basic scholarship of up to 1,750 euros per month (as of October 2026). Our guide Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German) explains how to finance a doctorate as a whole.
What to do next
- Open the FES application page and check the requirements step by step.
- Call the study funding team in Bonn if questions remain.
- Treat the maximum rate as an upper limit and check what your income actually allows.
- Compare the offers of the scholarship foundations, for example with Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Bewerbung, Auswahl und Förderung.
Related guides
- Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Bewerbung, Auswahl und Förderung
- Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Stipendium, Bewerbung und Förderung
- Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements
- Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance
Sources: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, study funding, website (as of October 2026, in German), Heinrich Böll Foundation, scholarship rates of the scholarship foundations (as of October 2026, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
