How to apply for a Scholarship in German Universities for Summer Semester 2022: Everything you need to know

A scholarship is a financial grant for brilliant students to continue their further education which is mainly centered on various criteria, such as educational excellence, athletic ability, financial requirement, and many more. In simple words, if a student gets a scholarship then the payment of his further studies will be paid by that particular scholarship’s sponsor but many students are confused about how to apply for a scholarship. Give it a read and get your queries solved!

Why Scholarship?

No option can be better for students to finance their studies other than scholarships. Usually, public universities in Germany do not charge a tuition fee, so a scholarship means earning something extra that can finance your student life. The scholarship provides financial support so that students could focus on their education instead of earning. It motivates students to study further and hard.

Scholarship options for students

Students can apply at their University for scholarships or can achieve one from outer organizations.

• Scholarships by the University

Most of the universities in Germany offer scholarships to brilliant students. Students can get scholarships from their universities. They have to apply for a scholarship as per the procedure given by the University. The procedure of scholarship application varies according to the university in which the student has enrolled. Information about the same can be easily accessible through the official website of the particular university.

Some Universities that provides on-campus scholarships are:-

1. University of Konstanz
2. University of Heidelberg
3. SRH University Berlin
4. Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
5. Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
6. University of Gottingen

•  Scholarships by the Organizations

Apart from the Universities, many other scholarship programs are offered by some specific organizations. Some of them are:-

1. DAAD Scholarships

DAAD’s Scholarships program is the organization’s core. Capitalized with 522 million Euros, it supports over 140,000 scholars. Any one of DAAD’s 365 member organizations provides scholarships based on the subjects such as chemical engineering, linguistics, and musical performance.

DAAD WISE Scholarship Program (for Indian Students)

Students pursuing bachelor, Combined, or Dual programs from selected Indian universities are eligible to apply for this program. Students can apply in different streams such as Engineering, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences, etc. With a wide variety of extensive and innovative courses, DAAD scholarships have the most popular internship programs available for students. Once a student gets selected, a DAAD WISE scholar will receive 750 EUR/month for living expenses, 1,075 EUR as travel allowance, and health insurance.

Eligibility requirements to apply for DAAD Scholarship:-

• The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree which should be at most 6 years old.
• Eligible candidates must have completed their previous degree with a minimum aggregate of 85%.
• The candidate must have at least two years of work experience which could be in terms of field research, employment, or graduate assistantship.
• Candidates must have received an invitation letter from their administrators at eligible German universities.

Documents requirements at the time of application process:-

1. ‘No Objection Certificate’ filled and stamped by the home university
2. DAAD form
3. Approval Form by German Host filled by German administrator
4. Full curriculum vitae
5. Invitation letter of German supervisor
6. Online application form
7. University degree certificates indicating final grade(s)

2. Erasmus Scholarships (for European students)

Erasmus is an EU-wide scholarship program that is sponsored by the EU’s member states, which was created in 1987. It offers funds for one year for international students at German universities. It has helped more than 3 million students in achieving their academic goals.

Eligibility requirements to apply for Erasmus Scholarships:-

• Applicant must have already obtained a first higher education degree of an equivalent level of learning according to rules by the application deadline.
• The list of countries whose citizens are eligible for a scholarship is provided by the organization.
• There is a difference between program country students and partner country students. Only 25% of the total number of scholarships available will be given to program country students.
• Students from partner countries who have done their principal pursuit (studies, work, etc.) for more than 12 months in the last five years in any of the program countries (EU + Turkey, Macedonia, Norway, Lichtenstein, Iceland) will be recognized as program country applicants
• For one academic year candidates can apply for a maximum of three distinctive joint programs approved by the Erasmus scholarships.
• A complete and appropriate application is necessary to apply for the scholarship program.

Documents requirement at the time of application process:-

1. Degree of bachelor’s or diploma
2. List of grades and courses
3. English test results, i.e IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
4. Two recommendation letters
5. CV of the candidate
6. Scanned passport or identity card
7. Digital Passport-sized photograph
8. Papers and thesis only if applicable
9. Motivation Letter

How to apply: Scholarship in German Universities

Students can apply through online portals (official websites) of the institution. It is not rocket science to apply for scholarships. You only need to match with the eligibility and document requirements as per the institute you choose and you are ready to apply.

There are other organizations too, offering scholarships to international students in Germany. In a nutshell, students have many options available for scholarships. They can get achieve it from their University or any of the recognized organizations. The procedure of the application is to be followed as per the institute’s instructions.

If you are planning for moving to Germany, give it a read: Cost of living in Germany, which you should know about.