Ques­tions & An­swers

Students of all degree programmes at the Humboldt-Universität can apply. In addition, there are also Deutschlandstipendiuen in Research Classes, to which students of certain courses can apply.

No. Only students up to the level of a consecutive master's degree are eligible for this scholarship per the Scholarship Programme Act (StipG). Numerous other foundations and programmes for talented up-and-coming academics offer scholarships for doctoral students. Information on this can be found on the Research Service Centre website.

Yes. Please state your final grade from your secondary school leaving examination in the application form and upload a scan of the certificate of your higher education qualification/university entrance qualification to the online application portal.

Yes. Please state the subject of your first degree and your final grade for it in the application form.

No. The Humboldt-Universität can only award Deutschlandstipendien to students enrolled at the Humboldt-Universität or applicants to the Humboldt-Universität. Please ask your university whether Deutschlandstipendien are awarded there.

Yes. All students enrolled at the Humboldt-Universität and applicants to the Humboldt-Universität can apply. If you obtained your first degree abroad, please convert your grades to the decimal system if necessary. If you do not have a grade, please enter "0" and add a corresponding note in the comments field at the end of the form.

Yes, you can apply. Payment of the scholarship will either be paused or will continue for the period you are on leave (depending on the reason for the leave). The funding period will be extended by the duration of the period of leave upon resumption of your studies. You are obliged to inform the Deutschlandstipendium team at the Humboldt-Universität of your leave immediately.

(Please note that applicants for a Deutschlandstipendium in one of the Research Classes must study at the Humboldt-Universität for two semesters within the standard period of study and must also be present at the Humboldt-Universität for both semesters.)

Yes, you can apply so long as you will be within the standard period of study in the coming summer semester (the duration of the scholarship is then six months). Please note that you can only receive the Deutschlandstipendium if you are within the standard period of study or can give reasons for why you are exceeding the standard period of study. These include, for example, study-related stays abroad or bringing up a child. Please refer to § 7 of the Scholarship Programme Act for detailed information on the maximum duration of funding. (Please note that applicants for a Deutschlandstipendium in one of the two Research Classes must study at the Humboldt-Universität for two semesters within the standard period of study and must also be present at the Humboldt-Universität for both semesters.)

Yes. Under "Desired degree", please enter the degree you will acquire next (so, “BA”, since you are studying for a bachelor's degree). Then, for the “Expected end of studies”, you should state the point at which will acquire your master’s degree. You can also add a note in the free “Comments” field indicating that the funding is also supposed to relate to your master’s degree.

Yes, you can apply. Please state your final grade in your school-leaving examinations/your BA grade in the application form and upload your school-leaving certificate/BA certificate as proof of your performance. Please also submit an AGNES transcript of records (Leistungsspiegel), even if it is “empty”. Please enter 0 in the form under "Performance to date” and add a corresponding note in the “Comments” field at the end of the application form. There, you can also outline your previous performance and achievements, or point out your expected performance/achievements. If you are in the first semester of your studies and do not yet have any exam results, we still need this empty AGNES excerpt (even if you don’t yet have any grades to show).

Yes. You can also use the free “Comments” field to outline your previous performance/achievements or indicate your expected performance/achievements. As a first-year student, please enter your final grade from your secondary school leaving examination in the application form and upload a scan of your school-leaving certificate to the online application portal. If you have already studied at another higher education institution, have changed subject or already hold a BA degree, please enter your academic performance/achievements so far. If you are in your first semester of studies and do not yet have any exam results, we still need the empty AGNES excerpt (even if you don’t yet have any grades to show).

Yes, you can apply within the scope of the standard study period. As proof of performance, you can specify your credits – if awarded on your course of studies. In all other cases, please upload scans of your certificates of coursework completed (Leistungsscheine –all those you have attained) to the online application portal and enter "0" in the application form.

Double funding through combination with scholarships from organisations that provide grants to gifted students is not possible (even if you only receive money for books). Under the law, only one instance of material support is permitted, which must not exceed 29.99 euros/month.

According to the Humboldt-Universität’s policy on the Deutschlandstipendium (PDF) (§ 4, para. 2), applications can only be submitted for a student’s major subject, and not for minor subjects.

No. Charité students have their own Deutschlandstipendium programme at the Charité. Further information about the Deutschlandstipendium for Charité students can be found at: http://nachwuchs.charite.de/studierende/deutschlandstipendium/

Contact for students: deutschlandstipendium@charite.de

No, you do not have to specify. If subject specific scholarships are available for your degree program, we will automatically consider you for those in the first place. If you are not selected for one of the subject specific scholarships, we will still consider your application for a non-subject specific scholarship.

No. The scholarships are income-independent and are not set off against BAföG.

However, recipients of housing benefit must be aware that, as with other scholarships, half of the Deutschlandstipendium is taken into account when calculating their annual income. For more information on the subject of the scholarship and housing benefit, please contact your responsible housing benefit office.

As of 1st January 2012, all income and earnings, thus including the Deutschlandstipendium, no longer affect child benefit on principle. Under the 2011 Tax Simplification Act (Steuervereinfachungsgesetz), means testing in the event of adult children no longer applies up until the completion of their first vocational training qualification or first course of studies. Up until 1st January 2012, the Deutschlandstipendium was taken into account when receiving child benefit, though – without the addition of further income – it fell under the allowance of 8,004 euros.

Yes. The Deutschlandstipendium is taken into account for child maintenance in that it reduces the level of need. Adult students are obliged to first support themselves from their own resources before asserting claims against their parents. The Deutschlandstipendium counts as part of the scholarship holder’s own income.

This depends on the nature of the scholarship and the level of funding. In principle, if you already receive talent- and merit-based material funding of an average of 29.99 euros/month or more, you cannot receive a Deutschlandstipendium.

Anyone who receives a full DAAD scholarship cannot receive the Deutschlandstipendium at the same time, since both scholarships are talent- and merit-based. If you take leave while in receipt of a full DAAD scholarship, you can pause your Deutschlandstipendium. If, on the other hand, you receive a partial scholarship from the DAAD, you can receive the Deutschlandstipendium in parallel.

No. However, please indicate this in your tabular CV when applying.

During the application period, you can change and adapt your application at any time. Please note that you must have submitted your application by the application deadline. If you have any questions, problems, corrections to make, etc., please send an email to deutschlandstipendium@hu-berlin.de.

Please enter the degree you will acquire next (if you are studying for a bachelor’s degree, then “BA”; if you are already studying for a master’s degree, then “MA”).

First degree is the first degree you have completed, up to your first consecutive master’s degree. This means a consecutive master’s degree does not count as a second degree. A second degree is a completely new, further course of study that is commenced after you have successfully completed a different course of study. Master’s programmes that follow on from a bachelor’s degree are not included. If you are studying two master’s degree programmes at the same time, the last master’s degree you started then counts as a second degree.

You can see the current status of your ECTS credits in your study account overview in the AGNES online examination service. You will receive a transcript of records with a provisional overall grade from your examination office.

Yes, please upload your secondary school leaving certificate to the online application portal, even if you already have a university degree.

Yes, you can apply for several Deutschlandstipendien at the same time – both individual scholarships and Humboldt Research Classes. On the application form, please tick the scholarships you would like to apply for.

Applications for scholarships in Research Classes require a set task to be solved in addition to the personal statement in the application form. Details can be found on the Humboldt-Universität’s Deutschlandstipendium website.

You can change and adapt your application at any time during the application period. Please note that you must have submitted your application by the application deadline. If you are unable to submit your transcript of records from the examination office or a certificate of your extra-curricular commitments and voluntary work on time, please note this in the comments field at the end of the application form and send an email with the same note to deutschlandstipendium@hu-berlin.de.

No. A letter of recommendation is not required.

Please enter 0 for “Academic performance to date, single/core subject (ECTS/credits)” and for “Current average grade (calculated by the examination office)”. Please do not forget to enter your bachelor’s grade under “Grade, bachelor’s”. If you do not yet have a bachelor’s degree certificate, please upload a transcript of your grades from your bachelor’s degree to the online application portal together with your other documents.

Please indicate your “provisional” bachelor's degree grade with which you applied for the provisional master’s degree in the “Grade, bachelor’s” field. In the “Comments” field at the end of the application form, please briefly explain that this is your “provisional” grade and that you will submit the final grade as soon as possible.

The awarding of Deutschlandstipendien at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is governed by the Scholarship Programme Act (StipG) and the HU’s internal Charter and Policy:

• Charter for the Award of Deutschlandstipendien to Students of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin [PDF]
• Policy on the Award of Deutschlandstipendien at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin [PDF]
• Scholarship Programme Act (StipG) [externer Link]
• Scholarship Programme Ordinance (StipV) [externer Link]

The selection committees of the university in question decide who the scholarships are awarded to. These consist of professors, students and one member of the President’s Executive Council.

Yes, you can potentially apply for an extension or reapply for funding after one year.

During any leave of absence from studies, e.g., due to maternity leave, parental leave or illness, the scholarship will not be paid out. Upon resumption of your studies, the funding period will be extended by the duration of your leave of absence. Special rules apply in the case of practical placements.

There is a distinction here between compulsory practical placements in Germany and abroad and other practical placements. Compulsory practical placements in Germany are integrated into the degree programme and do not stand in the way of the scholarship being paid out. The situation is similar with practical placements abroad, insofar as they are provided for in the relevant study regulations; they can be regarded as “stays abroad related to one’s field of study”. If the scholarship holder takes leave for other practical placements not provided for in the relevant study regulations, the scholarship will not be paid during this time.

The scholarship will also continue to be paid if you are staying abroad in connection with your field of study. This is provided that you go abroad during the period of funding. This applies regardless of any leave taken at the university awarding the scholarship. If you study abroad via the ERASMUS programme, the Deutschlandstipendium will even continue to be paid if you simultaneously receive a mobility allowance from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as a scholarship holder.

Yes, for example, for periods spent studying abroad that are funded by the DAAD, or for the duration of other funding that cannot be received at the same time as the Deutschlandstipendium.

If a student changes university within the same discipline, a transition semester is granted (within the approved funding period); i.e., the scholarship will continue to be paid for one semester. This gives the student the opportunity to apply for a scholarship at the new university. Otherwise, the scholarship will end at the end of the month in which the scholarship holder withdraws from their studies, changes subject or is exmatriculated.

The Scholarship Programme Act (StipG) was designed so as to generally treat Deutschlandstipendien as not subject to income tax or social security contributions.

The Deutschlandstipendium has no effect on contributions to statutory health insurance as long as the scholarship holder is compulsorily insured under the statutory health insurance scheme (usually until completion of the 14th semester or until reaching thirty years of age). The situation is different if the scholarship holder is (subsequently) insured voluntarily. The legislature has prescribed that minimum contributions be collected for those voluntarily insured. The contributions are then calculated on an assessment basis of currently 875 euros. If the sum of the insured person’s income that is subject to contributions (which includes scholarships) exceeds this value, the corresponding income is subject to contributions.

No. In contrast to funding under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), scholarship holders do not have to repay the funds received.