Scholarships That Make Studying in Germany Even Cheaper: Germany’s Most Comprehensive Funding Network

Germany not only offers some of the lowest tuition costs in Europe — with most public universities charging no tuition fees at all for undergraduate and many consecutive master’s programmes but also a substantial ecosystem of scholarships that make study even cheaper. Key funding programmes include DAAD Scholarships for graduate and postgraduate study with monthly stipends and travel support, the Deutschlandstipendium national merit scholarship, foundation-based awards such as the Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarship, and targeted programmes like the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarships. Many of these provide monthly stipends, health insurance support, travel allowances, and research funding, dramatically lowering the cost of study and living in Germany.

1. DAAD Scholarships — Germany’s Most Comprehensive Funding Network

One of the most significant pillars of scholarship support for international students in Germany is the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, or German Academic Exchange Service), the nation’s principal organisation for international academic exchange and funding. DAAD administers hundreds of targeted scholarship programmes for international students at the master’s, doctoral, and research levels each year, offering a range of benefits that go far beyond modest tuition support to include substantial monthly stipends, travel allowances, health insurance coverage, and sometimes additional research allowances or family support. These awards are among the most respected globally for their breadth, transparency, and impact, and they form a core reason why Germany is considered one of the most accessible study destinations for international learners.† *

The DAAD master’s scholarship schemes, for example, typically provide monthly stipends around €934 to €992 for students pursuing taught or research degrees in subjects ranging from engineering to the humanities. This stipend is designed not only to cover essential living expenses such as food, housing, and transport but also to give scholars the freedom to focus on their academic work without undue financial stress. In addition to monthly payments, many DAAD award packages include travel allowances for initial relocation or fieldwork and health insurance contributions — all prerequisites to securing and maintaining a student visa in Germany. These combined supports make DAAD programmes not merely discounts on cost but substantive enablers of international study.† *

For doctoral candidates, DAAD’s scholarships are even more generous, often awarding monthly payments in the region of about €1,200 or higher, alongside additional research funds and family allowances where relevant. These doctoral awards are consonant with Germany’s emphasis on supporting research excellence and international academic collaboration; through them, students are more likely to complete substantial research projects — often with university supervision — without the burden of significant personal financial cost. Importantly, DAAD operates a searchable database of all scholarship programmes on its official portal, allowing applicants to identify opportunities that match their nationality, field of study, and degree level.† *

The DAAD scholarship system also tends to be transparent about its application deadlines, which vary by programme but commonly fall between October and January for awards beginning in the autumn term of the following year. Applicants are typically evaluated on academic achievement, motivation, and the quality or relevance of their proposed study or research plans, reinforcing the fact that DAAD awards are merit-based and competitive. Because the benefits often offset both living costs and ancillary expenses, many international students consider DAAD support a cornerstone strategy for making German study financially sustainable — particularly for postgraduate and research study where living costs can otherwise pose a sizeable barrier.† *

At its best, a DAAD award transforms Germany from a low-cost destination into a low-cost destination with additional financial security and academic support, a unique combination that few countries offer at this scale. What sets DAAD apart is not merely the amount of funding but the breadth of opportunities that span disciplines, academic levels, and individual student needs — from technical sciences to cultural studies, from full-time masters to complex PhD research projects.† *

2. National and Federal Public Scholarships — Deutschlandstipendium and Regional Programmes

While DAAD represents a supra-institutional ecosystem of external funding, Germany also has robust national scholarship structures that directly benefit students across public universities. Among these, the Deutschlandstipendium (National Scholarship Programme) stands out as a cornerstone for domestic and international students alike, reflecting a unique public-private partnership model that emphasizes merit, social engagement, and academic promise. In participating German universities, students are eligible for a monthly scholarship of €300, which may be renewed each semester and often lasts for the standard duration of the degree programme. Half of this scholarship is funded by the federal government, and the other half by private sponsors such as companies, foundations, or alumni networks, creating an unusually broad base of support that rewards excellence and social contribution without means testing.† *

The Deutschlandstipendium’s design is distinctive because it is institutionally accessed — meaning applicants typically apply through the university where they have been admitted, and selection criteria include not just GPA but also extracurricular achievements, leadership, and community involvement. Because the stipend is independent of personal or family income, it functions as a pure merit reward and does not interact with other financial aid such as BAföG (German federal student aid), giving recipients the leeway to benefit from multiple sources simultaneously. The net effect is a meaningful supplemental income that significantly reduces the need to take on part-time work or personal loans for essentials such as books, transport, or daily expenses.† *

Beyond Deutschlandstipendium, various state-level and regional scholarship frameworks augment national funding. For example, German federal states and municipal governments often operate their own support programmes or co-fund scholarships with universities and private partners, especially in fields like science, technology, and engineering where policy priorities encourage international competence and research excellence. While these state-level funds differ in criteria and award size, their existence broadens the pathways by which international students can receive supplementary financial support as part of a cohesive national scholarship landscape.† *

A key advantage of national and regional scholarships in Germany is that they can often be combined with external awards such as DAAD grants or foundation funding, because they are not typically exclusive. A student might, for instance, receive a DAAD stipend while also benefiting from a Deutschlandstipendium or state award — layering financial supports in a way that dramatically reduces net cost. The broad coverage of these national funds underscores how Germany’s public scholarship architecture makes quality study more accessible, lowering barriers even further beyond tuition-free undergraduate and many master’s programmes.† *

Finally, because these programmes are administered locally or through universities, they tend to be more flexible and responsive to student needs than centralised awards alone. Universities and states often combine scholarship payments with mentoring, networking, and internship opportunities, giving recipients not just money but integration into local academic and professional communities that supports long-term success in Germany and beyond.† *

3. Foundation and Private Scholarships — Heinrich Böll, Konrad-Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, and More

Germany’s rich civil society and tradition of foundations sponsoring education create another crucial scholarship tier that makes study in Germany even cheaper: foundation-backed scholarships. These awards are typically funded by political, cultural, religious, or philanthropic foundations and are open to international students who meet specific criteria emphasizing both academic excellence and social engagement. Among the most prominent is the Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarship, which supports students of all nationalities and disciplines who demonstrate academic achievement, political or social commitment, and alignment with the foundation’s values such as human rights and sustainability. Heinrich Böll scholarships often include a monthly stipend between approximately €850 and €1,200, travel support, and additional allowances — making them substantial supplements or full funding partners to other scholarship incomes.† *

Similarly, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Scholarship is available for postgraduate and doctoral students, particularly those with interests in politics, law, and leadership — reflecting the foundation’s focus on civic education and democratic values. KAS awards typically provide monthly stipends (often in the range of €861 to €1,200 depending on study level) along with German-language course funding, mentoring, and networking opportunities that can be especially valuable for students planning careers in public policy or international relations.† *

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarship (FES), aligned with social democratic values, targets socially engaged students with strong academic records and often includes monthly stipends of about €830–€850 for Bachelor’s and Master’s candidates and higher for doctoral students, health insurance coverage, and family allowances where applicable — a comprehensive package that helps defray both educational and living costs.† *

Other foundation opportunities include the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Scholarships, which support students committed to social justice and political engagement with stipends and research support; and various church-affiliated or specialist scholarships like those from the International Max Planck Research School for PhD candidates, which combine research funding with monthly allowances that help cover living costs. These foundation awards are particularly noteworthy because they often do not depend strictly on nationality or income — instead favouring academic merit, personal engagement, or alignment with foundation aims — which can expand access for students from diverse backgrounds.† *

Compounding their financial impact, many foundation scholarships allow recipients to use across living allowances, research expenses, travel for conferences or fieldwork, and even supplementary German language courses — a key consideration given that living costs in cities like Berlin or Munich can be significant. Taken together with other awards (national or DAAD), foundation scholarships can make studying in Germany not just cheaper, but financially secure from start to finish of a degree programme.† *

4. European and Exchange Scholarships — Erasmus+, International Partnerships, and Beyond

In addition to Germany-specific awards, European Union funding programmes make study in Germany cheaper by subsidising tuition, travel, and living costs for students engaged in mobility or joint-degree programmes. Perhaps the best-known among these is Erasmus+, the flagship EU scholarship and mobility scheme that supports students from EU/EEA and partner countries to study in participating institutions across Europe, including in Germany. Erasmus+ awards do not typically cover full living costs, but they provide significant monthly grants and travel support for exchange or joint-degree study stays, which can substantially lower the net cost of time spent in Germany. These grants make short-term study and mobility more affordable for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students alike, especially those enrolled in European collaborative programmes.† *

Beyond Erasmus+, other bilateral or multilateral agreements between German universities and foreign institutions provide exchange scholarships that include tuition waivers and stipends, meaning students can spend a semester or a year in Germany without paying additional fees beyond their home university obligations or travel costs. These programmes often have embedded financial support mechanisms that can cover a significant portion of a student’s period abroad.† *

International partnerships — such as joint master’s degrees co-awarded by German and foreign universities — also attract funding from both German foundations and EU sources that reduce the price of international study. Some European Council and Erasmus+ joint master’s programmes come with full scholarships that cover tuition, living allowances, and mobility costs across partner institutions, which might include a German university as one of the host locations. These integrated multi-country programmes make the international study experience, including time in Germany, financially accessible in ways that standalone national programmes sometimes cannot match.† *

The strategic advantage of these EU-linked awards — Erasmus+ and related mobility scholarships — is that they can be layered with other German support: a student might receive Erasmus+ funding for the exchange period and a DAAD scholarship or Deutschlandstipendium for the rest of their degree, cumulatively lowering the total cost of study and living. This layered approach is especially useful for students from outside the EU who seek both mobility exposure and long-term study in Germany.† *

Finally, because European programmes emphasise network building, cross-cultural exchange, and credit portability, they add academic and professional value beyond pure financial support — making them integral components of a broader strategy to make international study in Germany both affordable and enriching.† *

5. University-Specific and Merit-Based Scholarships — Institutional Financial Support

In addition to state, foundation, and EU programs, many German universities offer their own scholarship funds and merit-based financial awards that specifically reduce the out-of-pocket cost for international students. These awards range from partial tuition coverage and monthly stipends to full funding for outstanding candidates, and they are often tailored to individual institutions’ strategic priorities — including excellence in research, diversity goals, and support for students in uncommon fields.† *

For example, technical and research universities such as Technische Universität München (TUM) and RWTH Aachen University provide targeted scholarships funded through university endowments, regional government partnerships, or the national Deutschlandstipendium scheme, awarding monthly stipends or tuition reductions based on academic performance or financial need. These merit scholarships acknowledge academic excellence and facilitate study by directly reducing one’s financial burden.† *

Similarly, university-specific programmes supported by organisations like DAAD-STIBET (Scholarship and Student Support Initiatives) offer monthly awards, mentoring, and integration support for international students, creating both financial relief and a structured support network for academic progression. Many universities also maintain international office funds or donor-backed awards that provide additional supplemental support for students facing financial hardship or pursuing specific research projects that require travel or specialised resources.† *

Some institutions also leverage industry sponsorships and partnerships with local chambers of commerce or technology alliances to fund scholarships for students in high-demand fields such as engineering, computer science, and business analytics. These industrial scholarships sometimes come with internship pathways or guaranteed interviews, adding professional development value on top of financial support.† *

Importantly, these university-specific scholarships can often be stacked with national, foundation, or EU awards, meaning a student might combine institutional support with DAAD funding and a Deutschlandstipendium, for example. This multi-layered approach dramatically increases the likelihood that international study in Germany can be financed sustainably, even without family support or personal savings.† *

Finally, because university awards are usually administered directly through departmental or international offices rather than central government portals, students have the opportunity to craft strong applications that highlight fit with institutional missions, making these scholarships a powerful complement to broader German and European funding avenues.† *

Comparison Tables for Featured Snippets

Major Scholarships That Make Germany Cheaper

University-Specific Scholarships (Examples)

Conclusion

Germany’s scholarship landscape for international students is both deep and diverse, spanning national government funding and federal programmes (like DAAD and Deutschlandstipendium), foundation awards (such as Heinrich Böll and Konrad-Adenauer), European mobility funding like Erasmus+, and university-specific scholarships. Collectively, these funding sources not only reduce out-of-pocket costs but often cover living expenses, insurance, travel, and research costs, making studying in Germany financially accessible on a global scale even for students from low-resource backgrounds.

By combining multiple awards — for example, stacking DAAD support with a Deutschlandstipendium or foundation scholarship — an international student can effectively cover the vast majority of study and living costs, enabling focus on academic success rather than financial strain. Moreover, because many programs are open to all nationalities and levels of study, effective scholarship planning can turn a German degree into one of the most cost-efficient and globally competitive international education pathways available today.