Degree completion grants for international students enrolled at Universität Hamburg

Universität Hamburg supports its international students on their way to the successful completion of their degrees with degree completion grants.

Persons entitled to funding are students who:

are enrolled at Universität Hamburg
are not German citizens;
are not eligible for BAföG (federal student loan scheme);
are preparing for or are in the final examination phase of their studies;
have no financial support during this phase (proof required).

International students studying fee-based degree programs are eligible for this grant in exceptional cases, but they will not have priority in the selection procedure.

Amount of funding / funding period
Degree completion grants are usually awarded for 6 months. The monthly amount of funding ranges between €200 and a maximum of €720. The individual funding amount is calculated according to the respective income.
If the final examination is not completed within the 6-month period, an extension may be requested. The maximum funding period is 12 months.

Students pursuing Diplom, Magister, or Staatsexamen degrees may apply for a 12-month grant with their first application.

The following groups are excluded from funding:

international students who fulfill the requirements of Section 8 of the German federal training assistance act (Bundesgesetz über individuelle Förderung der Ausbildung, BAföG))
doctoral researchers

Application deadlines

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!

Online 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 (PDF)):

Application deadlines 1 June/1 December

Application link 1 June

Application link 1 December

Online applications require the following documents:

CV
reason for your application
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.

Application documents

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.

Documents

After you have submitted your online application, please submit the following documents in person to the program coordinator 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.

Because access to University Administration rooms remains restricted, documents must be presented in a digital office hour. To arrange an appointment, please click here.

Selection procedure

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 criteria

Selection is based upon financial need.

Disbursement of scholarship

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.

FAQs

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.