STUDENTS

A) The following requirements apply to German citizens, EU citizens and students who have gained their university entrance qualifications from a German school:

The maintenance scholarships which are awarded to German citizens, EU citizens and students who have gained their university entrance qualifications from a German school will be calculated on the same basis as BAföG, depending on your parent’s income and/or your own income and personal assets. Irrespective of this, an independent book grant of 80 € per month will be awarded to all successful applicants.

You are entitled to receiving a scholarship if you are enrolled at a state or state-recognized institution of higher education (university, college or equivalent) in Germany, Switzerland or in a member state of the EU.

• Earliest application date: if you intend to enrol for a Bachelor degree, for a Diploma, Magister or State Examination, you can apply for a scholarship before your studies begin, but the earliest date for receiving payment will be the beginning of the first semester. We advise you to make your application in time for the start of your studies. 
• Latest application date: within the prescribed maximum period of study you should still have at least four semesters before your final examinations. That way, the foundation can support you for at least three semesters past your successful application.

The scholarship is open to undergraduate students, only. Graduate students in a Master's programme can only receive a scholarship if they have previously been funded by Heinrich Böll Foundation during their undergraduate studies.

B) The following requirements apply to foreign applicants (except EU citizens) who wish to study in Germany:

You must be enrolled at a state-recognized university or college (e.g. Fachhochschule) in Germany at the time the scholarship payments begin.

• You should provide proof that you have already graduated with an initial professional qualification. This programme mainly supports students aiming for a Masters degree.
• You need a good knowledge of German, and we kindly ask you to provide proof of your proficiency. Please note that the selection workshop (interviews, group discussions) will normally be in German. Exceptions (interview in English) are, however, possible.
• Unfortunately, the current guidelines specify that we can not support foreign scholarship holders for stays abroad in third countries for more than four weeks. 
  

DOCTORAL STUDIES (PhD)

A) The following requirements apply to German applicants, applicants from other EU countries and PhD-students who have gained their university entrance qualifications from a German school:

• Approval: applicants for a PhD-scholarship must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent from an officially accredited institution of higher education in Germany or abroad. Furthermore, they must have been accepted as a doctoral student by an institution of higher education in Germany or in another EU country.
• Duration of funding: normally, the scholarship will be awarded for the period of two years, plus a maximum extension of two half years, if applicable.

B) The following requirements apply to PhD-students from outside the EU:

• Approval: applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent and must have been accepted as a doctoral student by a German institution of higher education.