We recommend you come to an individual advising session before you submit your online application. Applications can be submitted by the following deadlines:

1 June (for period of funding from 1 July–31 December)
1 December (for period of funding from 1 January–30 June)

If you have any further questions, please contact the program coordinators. There is no legal entitlement to funding. Good luck with your application!

For the relevant application periods, please use the corresponding application link and log yourself in using your STiNE ID (detailed instructions on applying online are available here):

Application deadlines 1 June/1 December

Application link 1 December

Online applications require the following documents:

• tabular CV
• reason for your application
• tabular schedule detailing all steps leading to your final examination
• an evaluation from the supervisor of your final thesis

Forms: Evaluation for a Universität Hamburg Degree Completion Grant (PDF)

You must upload these documents to the online application portal.

Only applications completed in full and submitted within the application deadline can be considered. Please start gathering together your application documents early and have these ready to upload to the application portal.

For your application you will require an evaluation from your examiner. Your examiner must be a professor employed at Universität Hamburg full time who teaches and researches independently in his or her discipline. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept evaluations from acting professors, Privatdozenten, or retired professors.

The evaluation must demonstrate that you are expected to complete your final examination within the period of funding for which you are applying. Please ensure that the evaluation is submitted by the deadline.

After you have submitted your online application, please submit the following documents in person to the program coordinator (Ms. Daniela Pérez y Effinger) during office hours by the application deadline:

• your residency permit
• copies of bank statements from all checking and savings accounts from the last 3 months together with evidence of any other assets you hold.

Merit scholarships are awarded by a committee comprising members of the faculties and the ASTA (student council).

We will notify you via email roughly 4 weeks after the application deadline. For an update on the current status of your application, please see the notifications in the portal.

Selection is based upon financial need.

Degree completion grants are disbursed on the first day of each month of funding. Funding awarded in the application round ending on 1 June commences on 1 July. For funding in application rounds ending on 1 December, on the first day of January of the following year.

Payment of the instalments in January and July can only be made in the middle/end of the respective month due to the selection process.

Scholarships cannot be paid into foreign bank accounts. Academic leave during the period of funding is not permitted.

Can I apply if I hold both German and a foreign citizenship?

No. Students holding both German a further foreign citizenship are not eligible for funding because they are eligible for BAföG.

Can I apply despite not having registered my final thesis with the examinations office?

Yes. This is possible if you are very near to your final examination period and are currently preparing for your examination.

May I receive other funding in addition to the degree completion grant?

Receipt of two types of funding for the same purpose is not explicitly excluded by the funding body. You must state any further sources of funding in your application. We may check these in certain circumstances.