Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship

You can apply for the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship if you are currently studying or if you have applied for a Bachelor program at the University of Mannheim. Candidates applying for a Master program at the University of Mannheim are excluded from the scholarship program. We accept applications from all schools and departments and from all semesters. However, we require good grades and regular course attendance and coursework. When deciding on the allocation of scholarships, we consider the economic, family-related, and personal circumstances of each student. These include, for example, urgent emergencies, a lack of support from family, disabilities, illnesses, or taking care of relatives.

The Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship will not be offered this year. The application deadlines for the academic year 2026/27 will be announced in spring 2026.

The completed online application.

Please include a detailed, current Curriculum Vitae (CV).

The letter of motivation (one to two A4 pages) offers the opportunity to explain in detail why you apply for the scholarship. Please consider the following questions when composing your letter of motivation:

• Why do you apply for an Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship?
• What does your financial situation look like? What kind of financial distress are you experiencing at the moment?
• What is your current personal situation?
• What are your professional and personal plans for the future?
• Is there any information that should be considered when deciding on the allocation of scholarships that has not been requested in the online application?
• International students: How do you intend to meet the financial requirements for your visa?

Please direct your letter of motivation to the selection committee.

Please submit a copy of your university entrance qualification. For example, your Abitur or an equivalent qualification.

Please submit a copy of your university degrees, if available. For example, a bachelor’s degree certificate or other university degree certificates.

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. The transcript of records including the overview of grades from Portal² is sufficient, too.

Proof of your financial situation with appropriate supporting documents. Please indicate of all financial resources – including any financial support for example from your parents – available to you each month on the online application and assure the truthfulness of your indication. The foundation can request the submission of relevant proof after the application.

Official notice of approval or rejection regarding the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) to state why the applicant does not receive BAföG.

Please inform us of all circumstances that are relevant for the application. If documents only exist in a different language, they need to be translated into German or English.

Declarations of Consent of the father/mother/partner to collection, processing and transfer of personal data (if documents from third-parties are submitted or will subsequently be submitted on request).

These include, for example, proof of professional experience, vocational training certificates, prizes, awards, birth certificates of children, etc., if applicable and relevant for the application. If these documents only exist in a different language, they need to be translated into German or English. If these documents contain information that is not relevant to the application, it may be blackened. In the case of birth certificates, only the name of the child, the date of birth and the name of the applicant must be visible.

This only applies to international students.

If you are an international student: information on how you plan to meet the financial requirements for a student visa.

The Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship is financed by donations made to the University of Mannheim Foundation. The term “Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship” currently covers scholarships from the Rheinhyp Unterstützungsfond (RUFE) support fund and private endowments. There is a uniform application process for the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship. The number of scholarships awarded differs from year to year

The foundation grants scholarships for a maximum funding period of one year. If you have not yet finished your studies once the funding period is over, you can reapply.

No. Unfortunately, we only accept applications for the fall semester.

A selection committee will decide on the allocation of the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarships. Representatives of private sponsors and funding organizations are also members of the committee. We will treat your data confidentially. Please carefully read the data protection policy in the scholarship online application.

No.

There is no fixed maximum funding amount. Please indicate the amount of money that you will absolutely need each month. You can give a detailed list of your income and expenses in the online application. The difference between income and expenses will help you to estimate the desired amount of funding.

We consider every application in its individual context. Therefore, there is no predefined grade average requested by the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship.

We are planning to send out responses (confirmations and rejections) by August.

All students studying within the standard period of study are eligible to apply. Given an exceptional situation, applicants can be funded even beyond the standard period of study.

Yes. The foundation also funds students pursuing a second or additional degree program.

Please submit your bachelor's degree certificate.

No. Unfortunately, doctoral programs cannot be funded with this scholarship. For information on scholarships for doctoral candidates, please visit the web pages of the University of Mannheim.

This is determined by the amount and type of scholarship. Talent- and performance-based grants exceeding the amount of EUR 30 per month cannot be combined with the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship.

Yes. You may also apply for other scholarship programs in addition to your application for an Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship. However, usually, it is not possible to receive multiple scholarships at the same time. Please also see the previous question.

Yes. You may apply again for a later funding period.

Copies and printed versions of scanned documents are sufficient proof. You do not have to have the copies certified.

Please submit all documents in either German or English. If your documents are written in a different language, please add a translation to the original (or copy) of the document. You can translate the respective documents yourself.

If possible, please provide proof of total duration and number of working hours you have completed.

Please list your expected monthly expenses in the online application. Under “current” expenses, please indicate the average expenses that you have had in the past three months (international students can, for example, refer to expenses in their country of origin). The information under “expected” expenses refers to future expenses during the period of your studies in Mannheim.

Provided that you are a German citizen, every application has to include a BAföG letter of approval or refusal. Otherwise, please refer to the questions concerning international students listed further down in order to get more information.

No. International applicants are also eligible to apply for a scholarship. You must be enrolled or have applied for a study place at the University of Mannheim.

Every university entrance qualification accepted for enrollment at the University of Mannheim can also be used to apply for an Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship.

Provided that you are a German citizen, every application has to include a BAföG letter of approval or refusal.
In special cases, international students can also receive BAföG payments. This applies to students

• with one parent holding German citizenship,
• who are or have been married to a German citizen,
• who are entitled to asylum, are stateless, or have found refuge in Germany,
• of whom one parent has been legally employed in Germany for three years within six years prior to the start of the applicant’s studies, or
• who themselves were legally employed in Germany for at least five years prior to the beginning of their studies.
• In addition, the applicants have to meet further requirements determined by BAföG.

International students who do not meet any of the requirements listed above should give a short statement hereto in their application. In this case, the applicant does not have to submit a BAföG application.

Yes. If you have not yet received a residence card, please hand it in later and indicate so in your application.

The Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship is aimed at students showing a high level of commitment in their program of study who experience persistent financial need. The scholarship aims to support them in continuing their studies despite straining circumstances. As a prerequisite for receiving the Opportunity Mannheim Scholarship, the beginning, continuation or completion of the applicant’s studies must be severely endangered due to personal circumstances. These may differ widely in each individual case. In order for the selection committee to be able to make a just decision, it is thus important that all circumstances are known and confirmed. For further information, please read the data protection policy in the online application.

You disclose your data to the University of Mannheim and the University of Mannheim Foundation. Additionally, members of the selection committee have access to your personal data. Representatives of private sponsors and funding organizations are also part of the committee. The selection committee will be provided with your data in summarized and tabular form. Furthermore, the members of the committee receive your letter of motivation and your curriculum vitae. In case you are awarded a scholarship, your data will be transferred to the funding organization. However, this is only possible if you have given your consent in the application. For further information, please read the data protection policy in the online application.