Can I apply if I have both German and foreign citizenship?
No. You cannot, as you are eligible for BAföG in this case
Who can issue an evaluation?
• full-time professors or other university teachers holding a doctoral degree at University of Hamburg.
• professors emeriti of Universität Hamburg who are active in teaching
• acting professors (Vertretungsprofessorinnen und Vertretungsprofessoren) at Universität Hamburg
• senior physicians at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (for students in a medical degree program)
How can I obtain an evaluation?
Reach out to lecturers from your department. Ideally, they should know you well—you attended one of their seminars or wrote a term paper for them, for example. Contact your evaluators at least 6 weeks before you apply for funding to ensure the evaluations are prepared in time. Give them the evaluation template to use.
Will my application be accepted if I only submit 1 evaluation?
No. Your application is only complete when it includes 2 evaluations.
Is it allowed to work part-time while receiving a merit scholarship?
During the period in which you receive the scholarship, you may earn a maximum of 603 euros per month additionally.
As a scholarship holder, am I allowed to spend a semester abroad or time outside of Hamburg during the lecture period?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to receive funding through the merit scholarship program during a semester abroad. Please reach out to us if you are planning a longer leave during the lecture period.
Are merit scholarship holders able to apply for further funding?
No, additional funding from other sources is not permitted.
How can I upload my application documents?
You first need to fill out and submit the application form. Afterwards, you will receive an email with your login information for the Mobility-Online portal, where you can upload your application documents.
Can the funding be extended?
You can reapply after receiving a one-year scholarship. To do so, you must resubmit all updated documents online by the relevant deadline (see ‘Application’ section for more information). Your documents will not be kept. The maximum funding period is 2 years.
How can I submit my application?
You only need to ensure that you have uploaded all required application documents correctly in the application portal.
What are my chances of receiving a merit scholarship?
Unfortunately, funding for the merit scholarships program is limited. Therefore, it may happen that even very good applications cannot be considered in case of a high number of applications.
For your orientation, here are the funding rates from the last three application rounds:
- April 2025: 11%
- October 2024: 18%
- April 2024: 28%
Can doctoral researchers apply for a merit scholarship?
No, doctoral researchers cannot apply for a merit scholarship. If you are a doctoral researcher, you can find information about scholarships and other funding options on the website of the Hamburg Research Academy.
I have not been awarded a merit scholarship, but I need financial support for my studies. Who can I contact?
The Campus Center provides a detailed overview of options for financing your studies.
The Counselling Centre for Study Financing advises students on funding their studies—for example, by working part-time or applying for financial aid through the federal student loan scheme.
The Counselling Centre for Social and International Affairs can answer questions about part-time jobs and health insurance.
Is there an age limit?
No. As of the Winter Semester 2015/16, there are no age restrictions.
