Financal and non-material funding
Scholarships are a way to provide non-material and financial support for your study. Not all scholarships for students cover the financing of living expenses. A distinction must be made between one-off payments and regular grants. In addition, various scholarships do not offer financial support, but only non-material support (e.g. in the form of coaching or mentoring programs). Thereforeit's important to find out which benefits are included in a scholarship.
Depending on the foundation or sponsor, certain admission requirements apply to the application. For example, various scholarship programs are aimed at students from certain disciplines, from certain regions or according to other specific criteria. The application procedures are as varied as the programs and the application requirements. In addition to performance-related criteria, social and honorary commitment play an important role in the selection of scholarship candidates.
Which Scholarships are offered for Students at German Univerisities?
The most important foundations for supporting high-achieving students are the are thirteen organizations for the promotion of young talent which have come together under the umbrella of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to provide support to students and young researchers with special talents. These are foundations that are affiliated with religious parties or business/trade unions, as well as the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation). What they all have in common is that they award merit scholarships to particularly high-achieving and committed students. In the case of the 13 scholarships for gifted students, the financial support is based on the BAföG rate to which the selected students would be entitled. Regardless of income, the scholarship holders receive a flat-rate tuition fee of 300 euros per month. In addition, there are a variety of non-material offers. However, students may only receive financial support from one of the scholarship funds.
In addition, there are special offers for professionally qualified students, low-income students, students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses and other special circumstances.
The Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB) organises an information event about scholarships every semester. On its website you will find important dates and presentation slides.
University of Konstanz’s "Deutschlandstipendium" scholarship
As a student at the University of Konstanz you may apply for the "Deutschlandstipendium" (without doctoral and visiting students). Your academic achievements are the deciding factors when applying for this scholarship. The scholarship amounts to 300 euros per month and is awarded without regard to income for a minimum of two semesters. Applications are submitted and processed during the winter semester; scholarships are awarded and paid in the following summer semester. The submission period for the online application begins on 1 September and ends on 31 October every year (cut-off date). General regulations for and information about the Deutschlandstipendium can be found on the Federal Ministry of Education and Research website (BMBF).