Are you planning to apply for a degree program or have you just started?
At the beginning of your studies, all doors are open to you - many scholarship providers want to accompany and support students throughout their entire academic journey. Applying for scholarships is often possible even before starting your studies. Since each foundation has different selection procedures and criteria, it's worth applying for multiple scholarships simultaneously. Scholarship databases provide information about scholarship providers. If you are not successful at first, don't be discouraged, because during your studies, you will change and refine your profile. So, it makes sense to try again at different points in time.
Are you already in a higher semester?
If you are already studying, you may be able to qualify for a scholarship by earning exceptional grades. Many scholarship providers not only support incoming students, but also those who are already enrolled.
Are you a foreign student in the last stage of your studies?
It is also a good idea to apply for a scholarship during the final phase of your studies. There are scholarship opportunities, especially for international students before they complete their degree, including at Goethe University. Some scholarship providers are interested in the research results of the thesis and would like to support it financially. This may include funding for research abroad. In order to apply for a degree-completion scholarship, a project description for the final thesis is usually required.
Receiving a scholarship during your doctoral studies relieves you of additional workload and helps you focus on your research project. The major foundations are also among the most important sources of scholarships. Other scholarships support doctoral research in specific fields. Depending on the scholarship, the application may require a project proposal and other documentation, such as admission to the doctoral program. In general, it is important to select and apply for a scholarship early, as many scholarship providers do not support doctoral studies that have already begun.
At Goethe University, research scholarships are awarded to international doctoral students. The Goethe Graduate Academy (GRADE) provides information on this topic.
There are a variety of scholarships available to finance a stay abroad of several weeks to several months. For more information, see "Going Abroad" and the website of the university's Global Office.
Are you the first in your family to attend university?
In these cases, applying for a scholarship can be quite promising. Often it is considered a positive in the selection process. Besides the usual counseling services, you can get help with the application process, especially from Arbeiterkind.de.
The Deutsche Universitätsstiftung offers a special scholarship program for students from families without an academic background. Clickhere to learn more about the TANDEM scholarship program.
Some scholarship providers specifically support students with a migration background, while others rate this criterion very highly, e.g. foundations for the promotion of talented students (Stiftungen der Begabtenförderwerke).
You're from another country and want to study here?
There are also many opportunities for international students to receive scholarships in Germany. Some scholarships are tied to eligibility for BAföG (§8 BAföG). In addition, some large foundations award scholarships regardless of nationality, such as the Deutschlandstipendium or several of the Begabtenförderungswerke.
There are also scholarships for students from certain countries of origin. These can be found in the database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD) offers various scholarship programs for foreign students, postgraduates, and scholars from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern and Southeastern Europe. For more information on each program, please click on the provided links. For KAAD scholarship holders at Goethe University, Prof. Dr. Thomas Schreijäck (schreijaeck@em.uni-frankfurt.de) is the academic advisor and contact.
Do you have previous education or work experience?
Students who have started their studies after working (e.g. those pursuing a second educational path) are often considered to be too old for the usual scholarships. But there are also supplementary scholarships, such as the career advancement scholarship (Aufstiegsstipendium), a scholarship from the Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB), or various scholarship programs that support distance learning.
Specifically for students with a refugee background, Goethe University offers the "Academic Welcome Program for highly qualified refugees," which aims to provide further education in specific fields of knowledge and help with orientation in the academic teaching and learning culture in Germany. Asylum seekers, applicants, and recognized refugees who have access to higher education in Germany or have already studied in their home country can participate in this program.
Financial and moral support for bachelor's and master's students with a refugee background is also available through scholarship programs such as those offered by the Deutsche Universitätsstiftung and the HessenFonds for refugee students, doctoral candidates, and researchers at state-run universities in Hesse.
