While students in the United Kingdom are paying £38,000 a year in tuition fees and students in the United States are taking out loans they will spend the next two decades repaying, international students from over 130 countries are sitting in lecture halls at some of Germany’s most prestigious universities, paying nothing, and receiving a monthly stipend thanks to the many fully funded scholarships that Germany universities offer.
Germany is home to TU Munich, Heidelberg University, LMU Munich, RWTH Aachen, and Humboldt University Berlin, institutions that consistently rank among the top 100 universities in the world, and every single one of them charges international students zero tuition. You pay a semester contribution of around €350 twice a year for administrative costs and a public transport pass, and beyond that, the cost of your degree is nothing. Then the scholarships kick in, and suddenly Germany is not just affordable, it is actively paying you to be there.
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation pays up to €850 per month to international undergraduate students enrolled at German universities. The Heinrich Böll Foundation pays €992 per month. The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 per month and is available at over 300 universities across the country to students of any nationality. These are not bursaries or emergency funds or one-time awards. These are monthly payments, deposited regularly, for the full duration of your undergraduate degree, and they exist specifically because Germany wants talented international students to come.
To help you study in Germany for free here is a list of some of the best scholarships offered by Germany uiniversities:
1. Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship)
What you get: €300 per month for a minimum of two semesters. The scholarship is jointly funded, half from the German federal government and half from private sponsors. It does not count against BAföG or other public support. Non-material support including mentoring, networking events with sponsors, and professional development is also included.
Who can apply: Students of all nationalities enrolled at or beginning studies at any public or state-recognised German university. Open to first-semester students and continuing students. Selection is based on outstanding academic achievement, social engagement, and personal circumstances such as overcoming biographical challenges. No language requirement beyond what your chosen programme requires.
Timeline: The next application phase is expected to open in spring 2026. At KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), the 2026 application period ran from 13 April to 30 April 2026. Each university manages its own Deutschlandstipendium process with its own deadline. Check the website of the specific German university where you are enrolled or intend to enrol.
The Deutschlandstipendium is the most widely distributed scholarship in Germany, with over 28,000 students from 130 nationalities receiving it in recent years. It is open to international students regardless of where you come from, and the application is submitted directly to your university rather than through a central body. This means the competition pool is limited to your university, not the entire country. That matters enormously, because it means you are not competing against every international student in the country, only those at your specific institution.
Apply here: Deutschlandstipendium
2. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Friedrich Ebert Foundation) Scholarship
What you get: Monthly basic stipend of up to €850 plus a €300 book allowance per month. Health insurance contributions, family allowances, and childcare support available where applicable. Funding continues for the standard period of study and is renewable.
Who can apply: International students who are already enrolled at a state-recognised German university at the time of application. Undergraduate (bachelor’s) students must have submitted their first graded academic results. German language skills are required. The foundation particularly welcomes applications from women, students from non-academic family backgrounds, students with migrant backgrounds, and students facing social disadvantage.
2026 to 2027 deadline: For undergraduate students, the deadline for the winter semester is October 31, 2026. For the summer semester it is April 30, 2026. Note that bachelor’s students must apply after the first semester and no later than three semesters before the end of their standard study period.
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation is affiliated with Germany’s Social Democratic Party and is one of the largest scholarship programmes in the country, funding over 2,000 students annually. It is explicitly not just a grades scholarship. It looks at who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to do with your education. Students who are politically and socially engaged, who come from difficult backgrounds, and who bring a genuine perspective to the question of social justice are exactly the kind of candidates this foundation wants to fund.
Apply here: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Scholarship
3. Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Heinrich Böll Foundation) Scholarship
What you get: For non-EU international students studying in Germany, €992 per month plus a €300 book allowance. Additional allowances for family, childcare, and health insurance where applicable. Funding covers the standard period of study.
Who can apply: International students already enrolled at a state-recognised German university. German language proficiency at B2 level (DSH II) is required and must be documented. Priority is given to students from DAC countries (the OECD’s list of developing countries) who have not yet taken up residence in Germany at the time of application. The foundation aligns with Green politics and places strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, gender equality, and democratic values.
2026 to 2027 deadline: Applications are accepted twice a year. Fall 2026 window: 15 July 2026 to 1 September 2026. Spring 2027 window: 15 January 2027 to 1 March 2027.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is the Green political foundation of Germany and funds approximately 1,650 students per year across all academic disciplines. It is one of the most internationally minded of Germany’s 13 scholarship foundations, with a stated preference for applicants from developing countries. If you care about the environment, human rights, or democratic governance, and you can demonstrate that through your actions not just your words, this foundation is worth a serious application. The twice-yearly deadline means you always have a window within reach.
Apply here: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Scholarship
4. Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (Rosa Luxemburg Foundation) Scholarship
What you get: Monthly basic stipend equivalent to BAföG maximum rate plus a €300 book allowance per month. The exact amount reflects the standard German scholarship support level. Funding continues for the standard study period.
Who can apply: Both domestic and international students of all disciplines enrolled at a German university or a university in an EU country or Switzerland are eligible. International students studying in Germany are explicitly welcomed. The foundation gives preference to women, people in social need, and people with disabilities. Students in scientific, technical, and engineering disciplines, as well as public administration, are actively encouraged to apply. You must demonstrate a strong commitment to the values of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, which centres on democratic socialism, social justice, and equality.
Timeline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed annual deadline for undergraduate students. Check the official Rosa Luxemburg Foundation scholarship page for the current application window.
The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation is affiliated with Die Linke, Germany’s left-wing party, and is one of the most inclusive of the German political foundations in terms of who it actively seeks to fund. It explicitly looks beyond grades and emphasises social disadvantage, gender equity, and political engagement. If you come from a background where studying abroad was not considered possible, and you have the academic record and the commitment to prove it, this foundation wants to hear from you.
Apply here: Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Scholarship
5. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Konrad Adenauer Foundation) Scholarship
What you get: Monthly stipend of €850 for undergraduate students, plus a €300 book allowance and various additional allowances. Access to a worldwide network of over 14,000 alumni and a broad seminar programme.
Who can apply: The KAS international scholarship programme for study in Germany is primarily aimed at graduates who want to complete postgraduate or master’s studies. However, the foundation does have a domestic undergraduate track open to German nationals and students educated in Germany. International students from outside Germany applying for bachelor’s study should contact their nearest KAS regional office to confirm the current eligibility for their specific country and situation, as the international programme structure varies by region.
Timeline: Deadlines and eligibility vary by country and regional KAS office. The KAS Nairobi office has regional selection interviews scheduled for May 2026 for applicants from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Check the official KAS international talent development page for your region.
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is affiliated with Germany’s Christian Democratic Union and is one of the largest and most internationally active scholarship foundations in the country. Its network spans over 200 countries. The KAS scholarship is particularly strong in connecting scholars to professional and political networks that open doors long after graduation.
Apply here: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung International Scholarship
6. Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation)
What you get: Monthly stipend of €752 for undergraduate students, plus a €300 book allowance and support for research trips, language courses, summer academies, and workshops. One of the most comprehensive non-material support packages of any scholarship in Germany.
Who can apply: The Studienstiftung is Germany’s largest and most prestigious scholarship foundation, funding fewer than 0.5% of German students. Access is by nomination only. You cannot apply directly. You must be nominated by a teacher, professor, or university rector. International students enrolled at German universities can be nominated by their professors. The selection process is highly competitive and focuses on exceptional academic and artistic talent combined with strong personal qualities and social responsibility.
Timeline: Nominations can be submitted at any time through the official portal. There are no fixed annual deadlines for the nomination process. However, the selection process takes several months after nomination.
This is Germany’s equivalent of a Rhodes Scholarship in terms of prestige. Being a Studienstiftung scholar is a mark of exceptional distinction that opens doors across every sector in Germany and internationally. If you are enrolled at a German university and a professor believes you are extraordinary, ask them to nominate you. The conversation is worth having.
Apply here: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
7. DAAD Scholarship (German Academic Exchange Service)
What you get: Monthly stipend of €992 for graduates, €1,400 for doctoral candidates. Travel allowance, health and accident insurance, and a one-time study allowance. Additional benefits available under certain circumstances including family allowances.
Who can apply: DAAD administers 86 different scholarship programmes. The majority are for master’s and doctoral students. However, DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) is specifically open to undergraduate students in STEM fields for summer research placements at German universities and research institutions. For the 2026 summer cycle, the DAAD RISE Germany deadline was November 30, 2025. The next RISE cycle for summer 2027 is expected to open in autumn 2026.
Timeline for DAAD RISE: The programme for summer 2027 is expected to open in autumn 2026. For the main study scholarship, the deadline for programmes starting October 2027 is 15 October 2026.
DAAD is the world’s largest academic exchange organisation and funds over 140,000 scholars annually. For undergraduate students, DAAD RISE is the most direct entry point. It places you in a German research lab for a summer alongside a German doctoral student, and it pays you to be there. For students planning to pursue graduate study in Germany afterward, this is one of the most strategic investments you can make. The experience, the connections, and the DAAD name on your CV all carry significant weight in subsequent graduate scholarship applications.
Apply here: DAAD Scholarship Database
8. Expatrio Scholarship
What you get: One of 10 prizes from a total fund of over €40,000. The prizes are distributed among the winners and cover study-related costs.
Who can apply: International students who are Expatrio Value Package customers and are beginning their studies in Germany in the Winter Semester 2026. The application requires a short video of no more than two minutes answering the question: what inspired you to choose Germany for your future? The video can be filmed in any language as long as English or German subtitles are included.
2026 to 2027 deadline: September 30, 2026.
This is the most accessible scholarship on this list in terms of application requirements. If you are already using Expatrio for your blocked account (which most international students in Germany need to open), you are already eligible. The application is a two-minute video. The deadline is September 30, 2026. If you are heading to Germany this winter, this application takes one afternoon and could put money directly in your pocket.
Apply here: Expatrio Scholarship 2026
Final Thoughts
Let us put this in context. A year of study in the UK costs £25,000 to £38,000 in tuition alone. In the United States, annual tuition at a private university averages over $55,000. In Germany, your tuition at a public university is €0. Add a Deutschlandstipendium of €300 per month and you have €3,600 per year toward your living costs. Add a Friedrich Ebert or Heinrich Böll foundation scholarship of up to €850 per month and you have €10,200 per year covering your rent, food, and books. In a city like Leipzig or Jena where student rents average €350 to €450 per month, that is genuinely comfortable.
Germany also offers over 1,800 English-taught degree programmes at undergraduate level. You do not need to speak German to study in Germany, though learning the language will significantly improve your scholarship chances and your life there. The most important thing you can do right now is find your German university first. Choose your programme, apply for admission, and then layer these scholarships on top. The Deutschlandstipendium in particular is applied for through your university, which means your first step is getting enrolled.
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