Financing Your Studies

Essentially, students who are eligible for BAföG are those who have a prospect of remaining in Germany and have been integrated into society. This could be someone who has the right of permanent residence according to the EU law stipulating freedom of movement, a permanent EU residence or a settlement permit.

Since regulations are very complex, we recommend contacting the BAföG Office at an early stage.
More information is available from the Studierendenwerk Mannheim or from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The International Office offers scholarships for particularly committed international students of the University of Mannheim. These scholarships are provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and financed with funds from the Federal Foreign Office. A selection committee consisting of the International Office and the schools decides on the awarding of scholarships. Applicants are required to have had good grades and show outstanding commitment in the social or intercultural context at or outside the university. Applications for a scholarship are made via the International Office.

The equal opportunity scholarship provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is funded by the Federal Foreign Office. It is aimed at international students who are confronted with special social challenges during their studies. These include experiences of flight, health restrictions (e.g., a chronic illness), relatives in need of care, a special care situation for the child(ren) or other comparable reasons. Funding generally lasts four months and is currently possible in the fall semester (from August to November) only.

The DAAD graduation scholarship, funded by the Federal Foreign Office, is intended to provide financial support to international students in the final phase of their studies . A selection committee consisting of the International Office and the schools decides on the awarding of scholarships. The funding period at the University of Mannheim is usually four months. In order to be eligible, students must prove their need for financial aid. As part of the application documents, an expert opinion must be submitted. The application criteria are weighed as follows: Letter of motivation/description of the current personal situation (30 %), financial situation (30 %), expert opinion (20 %), average grade (20 %). The call for applications for a graduation scholarship is issued twice a year by the International Office.

The website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides information about study programs for both German and international students, graduates, and post-doctoral researchers. The online magazine offers a valuable insight into the activities of the organization, its scholarship holders, and alumni. In addition, the Stipendiendatenbank (scholarship database) compiles scholarships for various study programs.