Deutschland Scholarship

There are many people who achieve outstanding performance even at a young age. The Deutschland Scholarship is intended to support excellent students and aims to give them the opportunity for social commitment and personal development alongside their studies. Scholarship holders receive EUR 300 per month – one half from the federal government and the other half from private sponsors and funding organizations. In the current funding period 2023/2024, 123 Deutschland Scholarships are being awarded at the University of Mannheim. In addition to receiving financial funding, it is possible for scholarship holders to stay in close contact with the sponsors which facilitates further, non-material support.

For further information, please see the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

How to apply

  • Requirements

     

    The main selection criterion is outstanding performance at school and university. Moreover, the university looks for excellent extra-curricular activity such as sports achievements and/or social commitment.

    Special personal circumstances such as having a migrant or non-academic background are also taken into account.

     

    Students of any bachelor’s, master’s or state examination program may apply for the Deutschland Scholarship. They need to be enrolled at the University of Mannheim and complete their degree within the standard period of study. Students may apply for a Deutschland Scholarship already while applying for a study place in a bachelor's, master’s or state examination program. However, they will only receive funding provided that they actually start pursuing a degree program at the University of Mannheim.

  • Application deadlines

    We will only consider applications submitted in due time and form and including all requested documents. We do not accept any subsequent submissions of individual proofs or certificates.

    Application deadlines vary by program and degree status:

    27 March to 31 May 2024

    Application period for applicants to a master's program and application period for students of all degrees and subjects who are already enrolled at the University of Mannheim and who are in the standard period of study.

    1 June to 15 July 2024

    Application period for applicants to a bachelor's program.

You need to submit the following documents

  • Letter of motivation

    In your letter of motivation, you should give a thorough (not excessive) explanation of why you apply for the Deutschland Scholarship. Consider the following questions when composing your letter of motivation:

    • Why do you apply for a Deutschland Scholarship?
    • What makes you stand out personally and in your field of competence?
    • What significance does the scholarship have for your professional career?
    • Is there any additional information relevant for the decision to award a scholarship that hat has not yet been mentioned?

    Please do not exceed the maximum number of 3,800 characters. Please take the number of characters indicated in Word as a guideline.

    Please direct your letter of motivation to the selection committee.

  • CV

    You need a detailed, current curriculum vitae (CV).

  • University entrance qualification

    Please include your university entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur or equivalent qualification).

  • Latest Transcript of Records

    You can obtain a Transcript of Records from the Express Service. Please make sure to include your current average grade if you have already acquired more than 30 ECTS. We accept a transcript of records automatically produced by the Express Service that is valid without signature. The overview of grades from Portal2 is not sufficient.

  • Degree certificates from previous degree programs.

    If you have already graduated from another program of study, please present your degree certificate.

  • Proof of outstanding achievements

    These include awards or prizes in national or international competitions in science, arts or sports or other outstanding achievements. The respective achievements must not be older than two years.

  • Proof of professional experience

    Proof of previous professional activity and completed vocational training, dating back no longer than five years and lasting at least two years (including training).

    Proof of internships, part-time positions, and tutorials that do not date back more than five years and have lasted at least eight weeks. Only evidence indicating the total duration and the number of working hours completed will be taken into account.

  • Proof of social commitment

    Proof of voluntary work, social or political commitment or participation in religious communities, associations or clubs: The activity must not date back more than two years and must have comprised at least four weeks or 160 hours per year.

    Proof of participation in an accredited student organization or departmental student committee: The activity must not date back more than two years and must have comprised at least four weeks or 160 hours per year.

    Proof of assuming an elective office within the self-governance processes of the university (including student organizations): The activity must not date back more than two years and should have lasted at least one semester.

    Please attach a signed certificate to your documents, which includes a description of the activity, the institution/organization/association etc. as well as the exact period of your active membership (total duration and number of working hours you have completed).

     

  • Proof of voluntary services

    The activity should not date back more than five years.

  • Proof of special circumstances, if applicable

Applicants for a place to study have to apply for a place to study first before applying for the scholarship via the application portal.

Responses (confirmations and rejections) will be sent by email in Fall.

Scholarship payments will begin in October and will be effected retrospectively as of August.


Frequently asked questions

General questions

  • How many Deutschland Scholarships are awarded?

    The number of scholarships awarded depends on the total number of students at the university and the private funds that the university is able to raise. In the 2020/2021 academic year, 133 scholarships are being awarded.

  • What does the scholarship include?

    Funding amounts to EUR 300 per month. In addition, the university establishes contact between funding organizations and scholarship holders. This can lead to non-material support such as internship opportunities, invitations to events, or inclusion in a talent development program. The University of Mannheim also hosts a scholarship ceremony at the beginning of each fall semester.

  • How long do scholarship holders receive financial support?

    The university strives to award scholarships for the duration of the standard period of study in a degree program. But the scholarship is initially granted for one year. An extension of the funding period depends on the scholarship holder’s academic performance and on further funding agreements with funding organizations. Student performance is verified each spring.

  • Who will decide on the allocation of scholarships?

    The selection committee of the respective school will decide on who is going to receive a scholarship.

  • Which criteria are used to select scholarship holders?

    The focus is essentially on performance in school and at university. But the university also looks for social engagement or sports achievements. Personal circumstances such as a migrant, non-academic background, the upbringing of a child or the care for a relative are also taken into account.

Questions regarding the application requirements

Questions regrading the application

Questions regarding international students

Questions regarding the scholarship’s compatibility with other grants / BAföG

Questions regarding an academic leave of absence for an internship or semester abroad

  • I am going to take an internship semester / academic leave of absence / a semester abroad. Can I still apply?

    Yes, you may apply. Usually, scholarship payments will be suspended during your leave of absence. When you return to studying, the duration of your academic leave of absence will be added on to the duration of your funding period. You must inform the Deutschland Scholarship coordinators at the University of Mannheim of your academic leave of absence immediately. Otherwise, you may lose your entitlement to the scholarship.
    Provided that the scholarship holder spends a subject-related semester abroad, funding payments may be granted even if the student is on an academic leave of absence. However, please consider whether the Deutschland Scholarship is compatible with other funding programs (see above).

  • Next semester, I will take an academic leave of absence. Does that mean I can no longer receive the Deutschland Scholarship?

    Scholarship payments will be suspended during your leave of absence. As soon as you resume your studies, the funding period will be extended by the duration of your leave of absence. You must inform the Deutschland Scholarship coordinators at the University of Mannheim of your academic leave of absence immediately. Otherwise, you may lose your entitlement to the scholarship.

  • Will the Deutschland Scholarship continue to be awarded to me during my leave of absence?

    A differentiation has to be made between a compulsory internship and other internships. Compulsory internships form part of the program of study and are no obstacle to the payment of the scholarship. If the scholarship holder takes an academic leave of absence for another internship that is not included in the study regulations, scholarship payments will be suspended during this time.

Questions regarding data protection

  • Why does the funding organization need my contact details?

    The University of Mannheim considers the Deutschland Scholarships to be more than just financial support, and therefore would like to facilitate contact between scholarship holders and sponsors. This enables them to network in the long term.

  • Will the funding organization see my application?

    No. The employees of the University of Mannheim who are tasked with the selection and decision-making process will only see your application. In the case that you are granted a scholarship, the funding organization will be provided with your contact information. However, this will only happen if you have given your consent in the form of a data protection declaration or if you have agreed to share your data with a sponsor in the section “contact data”.