Scholarships for Master’s Studies in Germany

If you want to study in Germany as an international student you can search out and apply for one of the scholarships available for international students to study in Germany. These scholarships provide great opportunities that make your studies more affordable, enabling you to concentrate on your academic program without the added stress of tuition and living expenses. Here is a list of scholarships you can apply for if you have interest in pursuing a Master’s degree in Germany.

University scholarships

The Goethe Goes Global Master Scholarship

• University: Goethe University Frankfurt
• Scholarship award: €1,000/month for the standard period of a master’s program (generally 2 years)
• Scholarship requirements: Hold or be on track for an excellent Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a university outside Germany.
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Deutschlandstipendium at HTW Berlin

• University: HTW (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) Berlin
• Scholarship award: €300/month
• Scholarship requirements: Students with proven outstanding performance
• Standout features: Students with professional experience can apply for a special scholarship called the Aufstiegsstipendium
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

RWTH Aachen University Exchange Scholarships

• University: RWTH Aachen University, Aachen
• Period: 1 semester
• Scholarship award: €1,000 in total (covers a portion of costs for accommodation and living expenses)
• Note: Includes a free one-month German language course in September
• Scholarship requirements: Be enrolled at one of the following partner universities of RWTH Aachen
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Christian Wulff Scholarship

• University: Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
• Scholarship value: The scholarship covers 50% of the tuition fees from the beginning of your studies.
• Scholarship requirements: BA or MA student with outstanding academic achievements and engagement within the BI community.

BSBI – Leadership and Enterprise Scholarship

• University: Berlin School of Business and Innovation
• Scholarship value: Partial Funding, varies
• Scholarship requirements: The student must be enroll in a full-time course at the university. Academic reference letter, academic transcript/worksheet and IELTS or PTE result, short motivational letter to university (250 words) are required
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Jacobs University Scholarships

• University: Jacob University, Bremen
• Scholarship award: Based on candidates’ school grade point average (GPA) of up to €8,000 in total. As EU students, students are eligible for a minimum guaranteed scholarship of €4,000.
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Citizens of all nationalities are eligible.
  • Courses or Subjects: The scholarship will be awarded for two-year master’s degree programs such as MSc in Data Engineering, MSc in Data Science for Society & Business and MSc in Supply Chain Management.
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Scholarships funded by governmental bodies and external organizations

DAAD scholarships

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is a great opportunity for international students to study in Germany. This is the world’s largest funding organization for the international exchange of students and researchers, and the scholarships are funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

• University: Various universities in Germany for international students
• Period: Between 10 and 24 months, as part of a whole postgraduate or Master’s degree program in Germany or one year of study in Germany as part of a second or Master’s degree completed at your home university.
• Scholarship award: €934/month. Payments towards health, accident, personal liability insurance, and travel + study allowances are covered. Also offers the Green Mobility Top Up (Support for climate-friendly travel). It does not cover tuition fees. Free German language courses are also included.
• Scholarship requirements: You must have completed your first degree at the latest by the time the funding period begins. You also have to register via the DAAD portal.
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s scholarships

The Erasmus Mundus Program offers EU-funded scholarships for Third Country students and EU/EEA students who have applied to and have been accepted by the Euroculture Master’s Course. There are around 22 grants available each year.

• University: Various universities
• Period: 24 months program duration
• Scholarship award: €1,000/month for living costs. Participation costs and a contribution to travel and installation costs are covered. Also includes Euroculture participation costs of €9.000 (EU students) / €18.000 (non-EU students), including health insurance coverage 24 months.
• Scholarship requirements: Hold a Bachelor’s degree on time. For example, scholarship applicants must hold a higher education degree by 15 January 2025 to start the program in 2025.
• For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

KAAD (Catholic Academic Exchange Service) scholarships

Germany’s KAAD Scholarship provides fully funded master’s program for students in postgraduate (Master’s, PhD) degree programs.

• University: Various universities in Germany for international students
• Scholarship award: Fully Funded scholarship. The monthly stipend depends on the cost of living. Travel reimbursement for getting to and from Germany and health insurance included. Free German language course.
• Standout features: There are 3 types of scholarships for international students of different profiles.
• Requirements:
• Program 1
  • For students from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America
  • Have a university degree and professional experience in their home country
  • Belong to a Christian denomination
  • German language proficiency.
• Program 2:
  • For students from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America
  • Currently studying in Germany and have at least 10 months of study remaining.
  • Belong to a Christian denomination
  • Basic knowledge of the German language
• Program 3:
  • Applicants from Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus are eligible.
  • Applicants must be of Catholic denomination (in exceptional cases, applicants of another Christian denomination may be considered if they are proposed by Catholic partners).
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Scholarships

Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Scholarships facilitate fully funded master’s programs for international students. The funds for this program are made available by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt).

• University: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung
• Period: 24 months program duration
• Scholarship award: €850/month along with a lump sum of €20. Additional subsidies for health and nursing insurance of no more than €86 are also available
• Scholarship requirements:
  • High academic and professional qualifications (proof of above-average academic performance at school and/or university).
  • All world countries are eligible Good knowledge of English.
  • German language proficiency (B2 level or above)
  • Courses or subjects: Master’s and PhD degrees in any subject, except for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary medicine
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Major-specific scholarships

ERP Study Scholarships – Economics and Business Administration

ERP Study Scholarships are sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) to allow foreign students to gain a Master’s Degree in Germany.

• University: various international universities
• Period: 18 – 24 months. Scholarships are awarded for degree courses with a duration of 3 or 4 semesters.
• Scholarship award: Fully funded master’s program. €850/month and study allowance of €460 a year. Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance are covered, together with a travel allowance. German language course offered.
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Highly-qualified graduates who have completed a first degree (Bachelor’s, Diploma or comparable academic degree)
  • Courses or Subjects: Economics and Business Administration
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

IU University of Applied Sciences Scholarships

• University: International University of Applied Science, Berlin or online
• Period: 18 – 24 months. Scholarships are awarded for degree courses with a duration of 3 or 4 semesters.
• Scholarship award: Up to 67% tuition fee waiver
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Citizen from Africa or Asia
  • Strong academic achievements
  • Courses or subjects: Data Science, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Finance, Accounting, Engineering Management
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Neufert-Foundation Scholarships

• University: various international universities
• Period: 1.5 to 2 years
• Scholarship award: €2,500 in total
• Scholarship requirements:
  • English or German language proficiency
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Courses or subjects: Architecture, Landscaping, Urban Development
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Helmut-Schmidt-Program (Masters Scholarships for Public Policy and Good Governance – PPGG) 

• Member universities and related courses:
  • Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg: Social Protection
  • University of Duisburg-Essen: Development and Governance
  • Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt: Public Policy
  • University Magdeburg: Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Hochschule Osnabrück: Management in Non-Profit Organisations
  • Universität Passau: Development Studies
  • University of Passau: Governance and Public Policy
• Scholarship award: €934. The scholarship also includes contributions to health insurance, travel allowance, a study and research grants as well as rent subsidies and/or allowances for spouses and/or children where applicable.
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Candidates from Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa; Latin America; Asia and the Pacific, Western, Central, South-Eastern Europe; Eastern Europe, Central Asia & South Caucasus; and the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Hold a well-qualified university degree in the fields of social and political sciences, law, economics, public policy and administration.
  • Scholarship holders must also attend a 6-month mandatory German language course.
  • Courses or Subjects: Social and political sciences, law, economics, public policy and administration
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Privately funded scholarships

Heinrich Böll Scholarships for International Students

• Scholarship award: Fully-funded, complete scholarships which cover the entire duration of the program
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Good university academic performance, political interest.
  • All world countries are eligible.
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarships

• Scholarship award: Up to €744/month. There is a monthly flat-rate study fee of €300, a contribution to health insurance of up to €71 and a long-term care insurance of up to €15/month. Scholars with children have a family allowance of €155/month.
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Students with limited financial opportunities or who come from families with a migration background.
  • Be committed to society (in active participation in the student council, youth work, participation in associations and NGOs or in political organizations.
  • German language skills for foreign candidates.
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

educations.com Master’s in Europe Scholarship

• Scholarship award: one-time payment of €5,000
• Scholarship requirements:
  • The degree program must be studied either within Europe or online via distance learning from a European institute.
  • You must meet the entry requirements for the university or graduate school, including a Bachelor’s degree and a language certificate (if applicable)
  • You must be studying abroad in a country where you do not hold citizenship and that you do not currently reside in (unless currently studying abroad).
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website

Mawista Scholarship

• Scholarship award: one-time payment of €3,000
• Scholarship requirements:
  • Be a student-parent
  • Currently studying abroad
  • No other specific eligibility criteria
  • For more on this see the Scholarship Official Website