Financing stays abroad
Because a stay abroad is usually associated with significant costs, you should find out about suitable funding opportunities in good time. The following list gives you an overview of the main scholarships available for the various destination countries and regions.
Finding the right scholarship
Most scholarship programs provide financial support for stays abroad that students organize themselves and that do not form part of exchange schemes. This makes them particularly suitable for students who are arranging their stay abroad as a so-called free mover.
Sometimes, however, you can combine the grant that you automatically receive as part of an exchange scheme with other scholarship programs. Talk to staff in the International Office to find out about the various funding opportunities.
Global scholarships
The University of Bonn’s PROMOS program awards scholarships for self-organized stays anywhere outside Germany.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a joint organization of German institutions of higher education and their student bodies with a mission to cultivate international relations. The DAAD is the world’s largest funding organization for international exchanges of students and researchers.
One of its core duties is to award scholarships to German and foreign students, interns, researchers and university professors to help fund their stays abroad. The scholarship database contains detailed information on the DAAD’s scholarship programs and the terms and conditions attached to the respective funding.
The International BAföG is designed to provide financial support to students who are pursuing studies or an internship abroad. The BAföG is awarded half as a grant and half as an interest-free loan that has to be repaid.
You can still apply for the International BAföG even if you do not receive the BAföG in Germany. Note that you should submit your application at least six months before you leave for your stay abroad as they take several months to process. There are BAföG offices across Germany, each covering different destination countries.
How much funding you can claim for your stay abroad will depend on your host country and how long you are staying there.
The International BAföG covers the following:
- Tuition fees: up to €4,600 for up to one year
- Travel expenses: €250 each for one outward and one return journey within Europe, or €500 each for one outward and one return journey outside Europe
- Any additional health insurance costs
- Country-specific supplements to cover the higher cost of living faced by students outside the EU and Switzerland
The Studis online website will tell you which BAföG office is responsible for your particular destination and what the requirements for an application are.
The German government’s Education Loan program for funding stays abroad is time-limited and attracts a particularly favorable interest rate. Unlike the BAföG, it is awarded irrespective of the student’s or their parents’ income and assets. The Education Loan is suitable for students at an advanced stage or nearing the end of their education and can be put toward a semester or internship abroad.
Scholarships in Europe
Major cities in Eastern Europe – scholarship program offered by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation
The program is designed for cosmopolitan students who are looking to study or undertake a research project in one of the countries involved. In most cases, funding is provided for year-long study projects that boast a high degree of individuality. No previous experience of Eastern European countries is required.
Association for Student Exchange in Central and Eastern Europe (GFPS)
The GFPS is an organization run by students on a voluntary basis that awards scholarships for internships, study visits and residential language courses in Poland and the Czech Republic, among other things.
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French-German Youth Office (FGYO)
The FGYO is an independent international organization geared toward strengthening the bond between young people in Germany and France. It focuses on supporting mobility for school and university students and early-career researchers. Among other things, the FGYO gives out scholarships for internships related to a student’s degree program as well as for intensive language courses in France.
Eiffel Scholarship
The French government’s Eiffel Scholarship funds stays abroad for master’s and doctoral students of engineering, economics/management, law and politics.
Learn more
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British Council
The British Council is a not-for-profit U.K. institution that promotes international relations and offers various scholarships and funding opportunities for the purpose.
Scholarships in North America
Fulbright Commission
The Fulbright Program is a scholarship scheme that promotes exchange with the U.S. It has been running since as long ago as 1946 and is designed for students and graduates who are keen to do something for German-American cultural exchange. As well as study scholarships for a four- to nine-month full-time master’s degree program, Fulbright also offers travel scholarships for students studying at a U.S. university on an exchange scheme (such as the Global Exchange Program or PROMOS). Doctoral students are eligible for funding for four to six-month research stays at a university or academic institution of their choice.
ERP scholarship program offered by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation
The scholarship program aims to strengthen transatlantic relationships and to support and connect up highly qualified graduates seeking a career in the public sector. Funding is available for master’s and doctoral students to spend one to two years researching and studying at top U.S. universities.
McCloy scholarship program offered by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation
The scholarship program aims to strengthen transatlantic relationships and to support and connect up scholarship recipients beyond the scope of their degree program. Highly qualified students in all subjects can apply for a two-year master’s degree program for up-and-coming managers at Harvard Kennedy School. Scholarship recipients can choose from a range of master’s programs and must also complete a compulsory internship.
Stiftung für Kanada-Studien (SKS)/ Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien in den deutschsprachigen Ländern (GKS)
The Stiftung für Kanada-Studien (Foundation for Canada Studies, SKS) sets out to support and promote Canada studies in German-speaking countries by providing targeted funding to early-career researchers. To this end, it works closely with the Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien in den deutschsprachigen Ländern (Society for Canada Studies in German-Speaking Countries, GKS), providing subsidies for travel expenses and living costs in particular.
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Scholarships in Australia and New Zealand
GOzealand
Scholarships for study visits in New Zealand.
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Institut Ranke Heinemann
Scholarships for study visits in Australia and New Zealand.
Learn more2017
Scholarships in Asia
Jasso Scholarship for Japan
The state-run Japanese Student Service Organization (Jasso) awards various scholarships every year to promote international exchange in Japan. Various scholarships are available to apply for, albeit not directly: applications are submitted via your home university, which will usually have to be engaged in cooperation with the respective Japanese university.
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MEXT Scholarship
The Japanese government’s MEXT Scholarship funds study visits for researchers planning a stay in Japan. It is available to students in any subject and is awarded for a funding period of between 18 months and two years. Although applicants need no prior knowledge of Japanese, recipients of a scholarship will be expected to be willing to learn the language.
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Research Fellowship for highly qualified postdocs from Germany
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Research Fellowship supports you as a highly qualified postdoc from Germany in conducting your research in Japan – regardless of discipline.
There are two separate funding lines: short-term postdoctoral fellowships, which sponsors research stays of 1–12 months, and standard postdoctoral fellowships for research stays lasting from 12–24 months. The Humboldt Foundation pre-selects applicants for fellowships of six months or more on behalf of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); the DAAD selects the fellows applying for shorter funding periods in the short-term programme. Up to 17 short-term postdoctoral fellowships and up to 12 standard postdoctoral fellowships may be awarded per year.
Learn more about JSPS and its fellowships here.
China Scholarship program offered by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation
The scholarship program aims to give German students the opportunity to develop an extensive knowledge of China by funding year-long study visits and residential language courses at prestigious Chinese universities. They can also complete a work- or research-based internship after their second semester. Prior knowledge of the language is desirable but not essential.
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Scholarships from the Taiwanese Ministry of Education
The Taiwanese Ministry of Education awards two different scholarships for German citizens in Germany. The Huayu Enrichment Scholarship is for language acquisition and is awarded for either 6 or 12 months. A scholarship in the Taiwan Scholarship Program is awarded for a complete course of study with a degree (Bachelor, Master or PhD). In Germany, we work together with the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) for the application and selection process. The DAAD will accept your applications for the academic year 2025/26 until September 28, 2024.
Click here for the scholarship conditions and the application portal:
Huayu Enrichment Scholarship
Taiwan Scholarship Program
If you have any questions, please contact Melanie Faber (email), Education Department of the Taipei Representation in Germany.
Celestina Trost
0.002
Poppelsdorfer Allee 53
53115 Bonn (Germany)
Office hours
Please make an appointment via eCampus
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