FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
About the Deutschlandstipendium
What does the funding include?
The scholarship holders receive a monthly grant of EUR 300 for one year. Half of the scholarships are financed by private sponsors (companies, individuals, foundations and associations) and the other half by the federal government.
What are my duties as a scholarship holder?
As a scholarship holder, you undertake to immediately notify all changes that are important for the award of the scholarship. This includes, for example, changes to address, account details, notice of leave of absence, change of study programme, termination of study and receipt of another scholarship.
In addition, you must inform the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in order to fulfil your obligation to provide information in accordance with 134 para. 2 No. 1 Para. 4 StipG (Guideline § 5).
Of course, we are also happy if you attend the scholarship ceremony in autumn/winter to get to know your sponsor. However, there is no obligation to participate.
In addition, you must inform the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in order to fulfil your obligation to provide information in accordance with 134 para. 2 No. 1 Para. 4 StipG (Guideline § 5).
Of course, we are also happy if you attend the scholarship ceremony in autumn/winter to get to know your sponsor. However, there is no obligation to participate.
How often is the Deutschlandstipendium awarded?
The Deutschlandstipendium is always awarded in the winter semester.
Will there be a new application phase for the summer semester?
No. The Deutschlandstipendium is awarded every year in the winter semester for a period of one year.
How many Deutschlandstipendium are awarded at KIT?
Up to 300 scholarships are expected to be awarded during the winter semester.
Which laws are the basis of the Deutschlandstipendium?
Application and selection procedures
Who can apply?
Students and newcomers to KIT can apply. HECTOR School, Carl Benz School of Engineering and Studienkolleg Students are unable to apply.
How does the application work?
The application is exclusively online. Please note that all required documents must be submitted when completing the online application. Certain documents may be submitted later. Please note the instructions in the application.
What are the selection criteria?
The Deutschlandstipendium supports students whose previous career leads to outstanding academic achievements. In addition to special achievements at school and/or university, the criteria for funding include social involvement, for example in associations or university politics, in church or political organisations, as well as involvement in the social environment, in the family or in a social institution. Consideration is also given to overcoming particular biographical barriers arising from family or cultural origin. Further information on the selection criteria can be found here.
Is the standard period of study relevant for the application?
Yes. During the entire funding period, i. e. in the winter semester 2024/25 and in the summer semester 2025, you must be in the regular study period of your degree programme. Funding may be granted up to the end of the regular period of study. An extension of the maximum period of funding in the context of the Deutschlandstipendium beyond the standard period of study is only permitted in special cases. If the duration of studies is extended for serious reasons (e. g. disability, pregnancy, care and upbringing of a child or study-related stay abroad), the maximum duration of funding may be extended upon application.
Can I apply if I finish my studies during the term of the scholarship?
Yes, even then an application is possible. The payment is discontinued at the end of the month in which the scholarship holder has completed his or her last examination, has dropped out of studies, changes the subject or is expelled. In the event of a change of university while retaining the same subject, the scholarship may be paid for one semester.
Can I apply if I have not yet received the certificate of university entrance qualification?
Yes. You can postpone the certificate of university entrance qualification.
Can I apply for the Deutschlandstipendium, even though I have not yet applied for a study at KIT?
Yes. Before the final decision on the award of the scholarship in September, we will check whether you have submitted an application to KIT. The KIT application does not have to be submitted separately to us.
an I apply if I am doing a second or postgraduate degree?
Yes. Postgraduate and secondary studies are also eligible for funding.
Can I apply even if I don't have grades yet?
Yes.
A transcript of grades is requested, but I have not received any grades at KIT yet. What do you want me to do?
In this case, please submit your Abitur certificate instead.
What should the proof of my social, political or university commitment look like?
Your certificate should show how intensively you are engaged and what kind of engagement it is. The proof of a voluntary activity, which is still practicing today, must not be older than one year, otherwise we can no longer consider it a current voluntary activity.
What counts as a personal hurdle?
Personal hurdles include, for example, students with children, caring for relatives, personal physical and psychological limitations, a non-academic home, experience of flight and political persecution, or a proven, ongoing precarious financial situation.
What should the proof of my personal hurdles look like?
Your proof should state what kind of hurdle it is and to what extent it affects you during your studies. The proof must be dated and signed by an authorised person.
If you want to prove a migration background, you can, for example, submit a copy of your passport and/or a copy of the passport/visa of a parent with a migration background.
If you want to prove that you have a non-academic home, you can, for example, provide a short written explanation/self-information. It must be signed and contain a reference to true information.
If you want to prove a migration background, you can, for example, submit a copy of your passport and/or a copy of the passport/visa of a parent with a migration background.
If you want to prove that you have a non-academic home, you can, for example, provide a short written explanation/self-information. It must be signed and contain a reference to true information.
Can foreign students apply?
Yes. The Deutschlandstipendium is open to students of all nationalities.
What grade point average should I have in order to have a promising chance of obtaining a scholarship?
The award of the scholarships is not subject to a grade average. The individual applications will be considered in their overall context, with academic achievements in addition to other (social, social, voluntary and political) commitments as well as particular biographical hurdles being only one criterion.
What are special circumstances (personal, family or financial)?
You can describe special biographical hurdles on a separate page. Personal, family or financial circumstances that you have had to cope with in the past or have to cope with in the present will be taken into account when awarding the scholarships, in addition to academic achievements or social, voluntary or political commitment. Please note that the selection committee can only take into account information that is documented by supporting documents when evaluating your application.
I have a Hiwi job/side job, should I also upload a proof of this?
You can do a Hiwi job or a side job in addition to the Deutschlandstipendium. We do not need any proof or information for this.
I am studying at 2 faculties, do I have to choose a course of study during the application process?
Yes. When applying online, please choose one of the two courses of study and specify it. Only the credit points and the grade average of this degree program count.
Can the payment of the scholarship be suspended?
Yes. Reasons for this are, for example, maternity leave, parental leave or studying abroad funded by the DAAD. During the leave of absence, the scholarship is not paid. If you continue your studies at KIT, the scholarship may be resumed, but only until the end of the promised period.
How is it decided who will receive a Deutschlandstipendium?
A selection committee of the respective faculty decides on the award of the Deutschlandstipendium.
Is there an age limit for the application?
No.
I'm doing my PhD, can I also apply?
No. The Deutschlandstipendium is only awarded to students up to a diploma or master's degree.
Are there any prospective interviews?
No, there are no interviews scheduled.
Are scholarship holders directly assigned to a sponsor?
Yes, each scholarship holder is assigned to a sponsor.
Can I apply again after a rejection at a later date?
Yes. A rejection does not mean that one has been rejected “forever”. You can re-apply at each call for tenders. However, given the currently relatively small number of scholarships, one should be among the best of his class and his faculty.
I am studying for a master's degree, do I have to submit my bachelor
Yes. The Bachelor's certificate is used to assess your eligibility for funding.
Eligibility criteria and duration of funding
Does the scholarship have to be repaid?
No.
Which degree programmes are eligible for funding?
Students of all disciplines can apply.
I am doing a semester abroad/internship abroad. Can I still receive the scholarship?
Semester Abroad:The scholarship is also paid if you are on a study-related stay abroad. Provided that you go abroad for the duration of the grant. This applies regardless of a possible leave of absence from the university awarding the scholarship. If you study abroad through the ERASMUS programme, the Germany scholarship is paid even if you receive a mobility grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as a scholarship holder.Internship abroad: A distinction must be made between compulsory internships at home and abroad and other internships. Compulsory internships are integrated into the study programme and do not prevent payment of the scholarship. The same applies to internships abroad insofar as they are provided for in the respective study regulations; they may be regarded as "subject-related stays abroad". If the scholarship holder takes leave of absence for other internships that are not provided for in the respective study regulations, the scholarship will no longer be paid during this period.
I exceed my regular study period during the funding period, can I still apply?
Everyone can also apply for a scholarship at the end of their studies. It is at the discretion of the respective faculty which applications are considered and whether your application is successful or not.
If I change university, will my scholarship be lost?
If you CONTINUE to study in the Bachelor or Master and continue to study the same subject, you can continue to pay the scholarship for one semester in the event of a change of university.
Can I be promoted after one year?
Yes. A new application is admissible.
Are there any conditions attached to the scholarship, e. g. by the sponsoring company?
No.
I am in a vacation semester, can I still receive the scholarship?
In the case of maternity leave, parental leave or a study abroad funded by the DAAD, you can also take leave of absence from the Deutschlandstipendium. During the leave of absence, the scholarship is not paid. In the case of a study-related stay abroad, the scholarship is continued. This applies regardless of a possible leave of absence from the university awarding the scholarship. If you study abroad through the ERASMUS programme, the Germany scholarship is paid even if you receive a mobility grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as a scholarship holder. Those who receive a DAAD full scholarship cannot receive the Deutschlandstipendium at the same time, as both scholarships are dependent on talent and performance. If, on the other hand, you receive a partial scholarship from the DAAD, you can also receive the Deutschlandstipendium.
Procedure if the study is terminated early
The submission of the Master's thesis counts as the final examination achievement. You can still receive the scholarship for a maximum of two months, if the grading has not taken place before. So please let us know when you submitted your master's thesis and when it was graded. If the grading did not take place two months after submission, we terminate the scholarship two months after submission of the Master's thesis. Otherwise, the scholarship is terminated in the month of grading.
Compatibility with other subsidies
I get BAföG. Can I combine that with the scholarship?
Yes. The scholarship is not taken into account in the BAföG calculation. Students can take advantage of both funding opportunities at the same time without discounts.
I get a scholarship from the Federal Gifted Scholarship Fund. Can I apply?
Double financial support with the organisations for the promotion of gifted persons and other support organisations is excluded if the sum of this support exceeds a monthly average of 30 €.
I'm getting another scholarship paid out. Can I still receive funding through the Deutschlandstipendium?
This depends on the amount and type of scholarship. Those who already receive a gift- and performance-related material grant amounting to more than 30 euros per month will not receive a Deutschlandstipend during the grant period. An overview of the admissibility of receiving other scholarships at the same time with the Deutschlandstipendium can be found here.
Can the scholarship be regarded as "additional income" for tax purposes?
Short answer: The Deutschlandstipendium is tax-free and, according to §5 Abs. 3 StipG, is usually not credited as income for social benefits. The Deutschlandstipendium therefore does not constitute remuneration for a specific occupation and - like all other comparable scholarships - is not to be considered as income for social security benefits.
Questions about the online application
I do not know if my application has been submitted successfully. How can I check that?
Upon successful registration you will receive a confirmation email. Please keep this email until the end of the selection process. If you have not received a confirmation email, please contact us immediately at deutschlandstipendium.kit.edu so that we can check the receipt.
Data protection
Will the scholarship provider receive my application?
Yes, but only with your consent.
Why should I give my consent to pass on my contact details to the scholarship provider?
KIT sees the Deutschlandstipendium not only as financial aid, but also wants to promote contact between scholarship holders and scholarship providers at an early stage. This may lead to longer-term networking opportunities.
Data protection information
Here you can have a look at the data protection information for your application and also at the Declaration of the applicant .