Heinrich Böll Foundation: Scholarship, Application and Funding

The Heinrich Böll Foundation supports students and doctoral candidates with an interest in social commitment. This guide explains the foundation’s access rules, the application through the online portal and the funding components as of October 2026.

The most important points

• Semester limit: according to the website, applications for a first degree are possible up to the 3rd semester.
• Change: from 1 March 2027, the foundation accepts applications only for first degrees.
• Deadlines: 1 March and 1 September. Registration in the portal opens six weeks before the deadline.
• Priority: according to the website, BAföG recipients and likely recipients have priority, and first-generation academics are explicitly asked to apply.
• Abroad: a complete degree abroad is not funded.

Who can apply, and until when?

The website names German and international students as its target group. An application for a first degree is possible up to the 3rd semester. This limit matters most if you have already changed course or aim for a master’s degree, because the foundation then no longer accepts applications. From 1 March 2027, according to the website, only first-degree students are admitted. If you start your studies later, check the timing early.

How does the application work in the portal?

Applications run through the foundation’s online portal. Registration opens six weeks before the deadline. After that, you complete the information and documents in the portal and submit the application once the upload is finished. According to the website, the documents include a specialist report and a reference on your social commitment. Plan at least two weeks for the documents so that you reach the deadline safely.

1. Register in the portal six weeks before the deadline, that is by mid-January at the latest for 1 March.
2. Obtain the specialist report and the reference on your commitment before you upload.
3. Complete all information in the portal and upload the documents.
4. Submit the application before the deadline and save the confirmation.

How is selection done, and which priority applies?

According to the website, students who receive BAföG or are likely to receive it have priority. In addition, first-generation academics are explicitly asked to apply. For the selection itself, the foundation refers to its own FAQ pages on selection criteria and procedures. We did not evaluate these pages in full, so we name no procedural stages. If you are unsure, ask the foundation before the deadline passes.

How high is the funding?

The start page of the foundation gives no amount. The reference values for scholarship foundations using BMFTR funds were published by the Heinrich Böll Foundation itself, in a PDF dated October 2026. The figures apply to studies and to doctorates, and they are the reference values you should calculate with.

Assumption: you are in the 2nd semester of a first degree and receive the full study rate of 855 euros and the study cost allowance of 300 euros. Assumption: your countable income leads to no reduction. That gives 1,155 euros per month and 13,860 euros per year. An income-based reduction lowers the amount accordingly.

Does the foundation suit your situation?

A Heinrich Böll scholarship suits you if you apply early in your first degree, are a first-generation student and can show commitment. It suits you less well if you plan a full degree abroad or only start a master’s degree, because the foundation does not accept applications for that.

• Likely suitable: you are within the first degree up to the 3rd semester and can meet the deadline.
• Likely less suitable: you want to study a full degree abroad or only apply for a master’s degree.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a master’s degree?

According to the website, the funding is directed at the first degree, and a master’s application is not intended. Check this for your case with the foundation before you build your plans on it.

When is the next deadline?

The deadlines are 1 March and 1 September. From 1 March 2027, the first-degree note applies. Check the current page before every application, because dates can change.

Do I need to submit a report?

Yes, according to the website a specialist report is part of the documents. The foundation also asks for a reference on your social commitment. Settle early who can write the report, because that often takes the longest.

Can I get the funding without BAföG?

Yes. BAföG recipients have priority according to the website, but the funding is not limited to them. The amount of the study rate still depends on your income, because it follows BAföG rules. The classification is in Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements.

How are scholarships taxed?

Whether a scholarship is taxable and which social insurance applies depends on the individual case. An overview is in Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance. A binding answer comes from the tax office or your health insurer.

What to do next

1. Check whether you are within the first degree up to the 3rd semester and note 1 March or 1 September.
2. Register in the portal six weeks before the deadline.
3. Clarify the specialist report and the reference on your commitment early.
4. Compare the funding with other offers, for example Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Stipendium, Bewerbung und Förderung.

Related guides

• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung: Stipendium, Bewerbung und Förderung
• Scholarships for students: Types, providers, requirements
• Is a Scholarship Taxable? Tax and Social Insurance
• Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German)

Sources: Heinrich Böll Foundation, application for a scholarship, website (as of October 2026, in German), Heinrich Böll Foundation, scholarship rates (as of October 2026, in German).

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.