A scholarship during your studies is financial support that you generally do not have to pay back. Common routes are the Deutschlandstipendium of €300 a month, the 13 scholarship foundations (Begabtenförderungswerke), the Aufstiegsstipendium for people with work experience, and the programmes of private foundations. Funding is not based on grades alone: commitment and personal circumstances also count.
Key facts
- The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 a month, regardless of income, and is awarded by your university.
- The 13 scholarship foundations fund only a small share of all students.
- The Aufstiegsstipendium is aimed at people with work experience, and the Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) states the current amounts for full-time and part-time study.
- Foundations set their own priorities. A scholarship without top grades is possible, but not guaranteed.
What is a scholarship, and how does it differ from BAföG?
A scholarship is funding based on performance, commitment or particular personal circumstances. With BAföG (federal student financial aid), by contrast, need decides, and half of the funding is a loan. Scholarships are usually pure grants.
Both routes can often be combined. According to the student services organisations, the Deutschlandstipendium is paid in addition to BAföG and other income. How another scholarship affects BAföG depends on the individual case and should be clarified with the BAföG office in advance. How BAföG itself works is explained in BAföG: entitlement, amount and repayment explained (in German).
Which types of scholarship are there?
For students there are essentially five routes. The table shows what they fund and where you apply.
| Funding | Amount | For whom | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandstipendium | €300 a month, regardless of income | Students with good performance and commitment | Your own university |
| Scholarship foundations (Begabtenförderungswerke) | Maximum rate €1,292 a month (BAföG maximum rate plus study cost allowance, without family or childcare supplement) | Performance, social commitment | Directly with the respective foundation |
| Aufstiegsstipendium | Fixed monthly amount, stated by the SBB | People with vocational training and outstanding achievement, with work experience | Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) |
| Foundations and associations | Depends on the foundation | Own priorities, for example subject, region or origin | Directly with the foundation |
| Erasmus+ | Monthly rate depending on the destination country, stated by your university | Study abroad at a partner university | International office of your university |
For Erasmus+, the universities set instalments and funding duration within the requirements. Ask there for the current values.
How does the Deutschlandstipendium work?
The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 a month, which is €3,600 a year. Half comes from the federal government, the other half from private funders such as foundations, companies or individuals. Your parents’ income plays no role.
Your university selects the recipients, usually once a year for the winter semester. Alongside performance and commitment, personal circumstances can also count, for example a disability, a family without an academic background or a migration background. The funding initially runs for two semesters and can be extended to the end of the standard period of study. Each university sets its own application deadlines.
Example (assumption): you are funded from the third semester, the standard period of study is six semesters, and the funding is extended each time. That makes four semesters, or two years at €3,600 each, €7,200 in total.
What do the scholarship foundations offer?
There are 13 scholarship foundations (Begabtenförderungswerke). They fund students and doctoral candidates, but only a small share of all students.
The maximum rate is €1,292. This corresponds to the BAföG maximum rate of €992 plus a study cost allowance of €300. The figures come from a government answer of 14 January 2026. According to scholarship portals, the allowance is independent of income, while the basic scholarship follows the BAföG rates and therefore depends on parental income.
Supplements are available, similar to BAföG, including for health and long-term care insurance. How the contribution is regulated there is explained in PKV and BAföG: is your insurance subsidised? (in German).
Who is the Aufstiegsstipendium for?
The Aufstiegsstipendium is aimed at people with work experience. You need completed vocational training, several years of employment afterwards, and an outstanding professional achievement, for example a very good qualification or an advanced vocational training such as Meister or Fachwirt. The school-leaving qualification does not matter, and there is no age limit.
It funds a first academic degree, usually up to the bachelor’s. The funding is independent of income, and the amounts for full-time and part-time study are stated by the SBB. More information is on the SBB website.
Is there a scholarship without good grades?
Yes, but not for every programme. For the Deutschlandstipendium, commitment and personal circumstances count alongside performance. For the Aufstiegsstipendium, professional achievement matters, and the school-leaving qualification does not. Many foundations look specifically for certain subjects, regions or life paths.
For the scholarship foundations, performance is one of the central criteria, supplemented by commitment. So do not assume that grades play no role everywhere. Instead, check each foundation’s call for applications against its criteria.
Where do you find suitable scholarships?
Searching databases is worthwhile. The Stipendienlotse is the database of the Federal Ministry of Research. There is also the DAAD scholarship database, bildungsserver.de, stiftungssuche.de from the Federal Association of German Foundations, and mystipendium.de. An overview by the student services organisations lists further routes.
Also ask your university about its own or regional programmes. There you may find programmes that are not advertised nationwide.
How do you apply for a scholarship?
An application usually consists of a CV, a letter of motivation and evidence, and some programmes add a selection interview. Which mistakes to avoid and what convinces selection committees is covered in How to apply successfully for a scholarship (in German).
Is it worth the effort?
Calculate with the minimum wage: to earn €300 at a gross rate of €13.90 an hour, you need around 22 hours of work a month. A scholarship can keep this time free. What a degree costs in total is shown in Semester fees and tuition fees: the cost of a degree (in German). General tuition fees exist in no federal state.
If you do not receive a scholarship, you have alternatives. Side jobs during your studies remain a common route; in addition there are BAföG and loans.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay back a scholarship?
As a rule, no. The Deutschlandstipendium, the scholarship foundations and the Aufstiegsstipendium are grants. Unlike BAföG, there is no loan share. For foundations, however, check the conditions, such as reporting duties or minimum performance requirements, which can end a funding.
Can I receive a scholarship alongside BAföG?
According to the student services organisations, the Deutschlandstipendium is paid in addition to BAföG and other income. Whether and how another scholarship is offset depends on the programme. Ask the BAföG office before you accept, so that you have no unpleasant surprises.
How many students receive a scholarship?
Only a small share of students receive a scholarship from the scholarship foundations. The rate is low, so it is worth checking several programmes rather than relying on just one.
When should I apply?
It depends on the programme. The Deutschlandstipendium is usually awarded once a year for the winter semester, and the university sets the deadline. For the Aufstiegsstipendium there are two selection procedures a year, and you can apply before you start your studies.
Your next steps
- Ask the student service office about the deadlines for the Deutschlandstipendium at your university.
- Search the Stipendienlotse and mystipendium.de for programmes that match your subject, background and CV.
- If you have work experience, check whether you meet the requirements of the Aufstiegsstipendium.
- Clarify with the BAföG office how a scholarship affects your funding.
- Prepare your CV and letter of motivation before the deadlines run out.
Related articles
- Applying for a scholarship: how to convince selection committees (in German)
- BAföG 2026: entitlement, amount and repayment explained (in German)
- Student loans compared: providers, interest and alternatives (in German)
- Earning money alongside your studies: the options that pay off (in German)
- Health insurance as a doctoral candidate (in German)
- Financing a degree over 30: BAföG, scholarship, loan and side job (in German)
Related guides
- Living and studying in Germany
- Studying over 30: funding, health insurance, daily life
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Affordable student housing: strategy, portals and costs
- German original (in German)
Information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative. Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.
