Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships

The Foundation supports socially involved, politically interested young people who share its values: democracy and human rights, ecology and sustainability, gender equality and anti-discrimination, and the arts and culture. For international applicants it offers two routes. Students who completed their first degree abroad can apply before starting a master's degree at a state-recognised German university, in any subject, provided the programme lasts at least four semesters. Doctoral candidates who completed their graduate degree abroad can apply for a PhD in Germany once they have a topic, a supervisor and an exposé.

Priority goes to applicants from DAC countries who do not yet live in Germany when they apply. Refugees can apply whatever their nationality or residence status. Everyone needs good German, at DSH II or B2, even for a programme taught in English, because application documents are expected in German and the selection interviews are generally held in German.

International scholars from outside the EU who qualified for university abroad are funded by the Federal Foreign Office. Master's students receive a base scholarship of 992 euros a month and PhD candidates 1,500 euros. Depending on their situation they can also receive tuition fees in Germany of up to 10,000 euros a year, German course fees, a flat 38 euros a month, and family and child allowances.

Parts of a degree or PhD may be spent abroad if academically necessary, but without extra funding. Other income is offset against the scholarship above the limit for marginal employment, and the scholarship cannot be combined with another scholarship, BAföG or a Deutschlandstipendium for the same purpose. Earlier funding for the same doctorate counts toward the maximum PhD funding period.

The Foundation also offers what it calls non-material support: an event programme built on education for sustainable development, exchange across disciplines, political education and help getting ready for a career. It expects scholars from DAC countries to promote good relations between their home country and Germany. The Scholarship Department follows an anti-discrimination guideline across selection and support.