Penniless in Seattle? No! Funding options for your stay abroad

Solid financial planning is an important part of your stay abroad. We will show you which financial support options are available.

If you go abroad on an exchange programme between the University of Konstanz and one of its partner universities, you will not need to pay tuition at your host university, i.e. you are given a tuition waiver. You may have to pay some individual campus-specific fees, however. Not having to pay tuition is a major financial advantage. At the same time, living abroad is sometimes more expensive than at home and you will have to cover some additional costs (like a visa fee, long-distance plane ticket, health insurance for stays abroad). The following support is available to help you cover living expenses in your host country:

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides, among other things, funding for year-long stays abroad in any field of study. Visit the DAAD website for programme dates. The dates for the most popular programmes are summarised here.

Even if you are applying for an exchange placement at a university that does not have a partnership agreement (exchange programme) with the University of Konstanz, you can still apply for a full scholarship (Vollstipendium) from the DAAD. This DAAD scholarship provides a monthly stipend and covers the tuition costs up to a set maximum amount. Please apply directly to the respective DAAD division. 

Baden-Württemberg foundation (BWS)

The Baden-Württemberg foundation (BWS) funds non-profit projects with the goal of investing in the future of Baden-Württemberg and its people. Each year, the foundation opens the competition for the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for students after receiving approval from the Baden-Württemberg foundation’s board of directors.

The programme promotes the international exchange between highly-qualified German and international students. Applications are accepted by exceptionally qualified students in any field of study, from any country, who are enrolled at the University of Konstanz and are nominated for one of the university’s exchange programmes to a country outside Europe. Particular attention will be paid to social and intercultural competencies. More information about the foundation and its scholarship is available from www.bw-stipendium.de and www.bwstiftung.de.

Application
Please submit your application for the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM online. The University of Konstanz’s 明升体育_足球竞彩网-官网 Office will send you the relevant link for the online application after you have been nominated for an exchange programme outside Europe (approximately in February/March). Check our information sheet (in German) for the application dates and funding amounts. Please note the following information for BAf?G federal student aid recipients.

Selection process
The Baden-Württemberg foundation makes the final selection of scholarship recipients after the University of Konstanz has provided it with a list of qualified prospective candidates. The decision is based on the written application for the exchange placement as well as a subsequent interview and the scholarship application letter. The Baden-Württemberg foundation will inform all applicants of the results. 

PROMOS

PROMOS Reportage

The DAAD programme PROMOS, which promotes international exchanges by German students, provides universities with funding for short-term stays abroad (up to six months). The University of Konstanz provides several funding options within this programme, including:

  • Semester-long study stays as part of University of Konstanz exchange programmes at partner universities around the world (non-ERASMUS countries), open to all fields of study
  • Research stays to complete a thesis (bachelor’s, master’s, German Diplom and state examination), outside Germany (non-ERASMUS countries), open to all fields of study
  • (Only until 2022: Internship stays abroad in non-ERASMUS countries, open to all fields of study)

The DAAD has a set funding amount for each country. Funding can only be provided if no travel warning has been issued by the German Federal Foreign Office for the respective country or region of the country. An exception to this are corona-related travel warnings, in the case of which funding of the physical stay is possible subject to compliance with certain special regulations. Scholarship recipients with a disability (at least 50%) can apply for additional funding.

Application requirements
All students enrolled at the University of Konstanz may apply. Since 2015, even students without German citizenship may apply, as long as they are enrolled at a German university and are pursuing a degree there. In these cases, however, students may not apply for funding in order to stay in their country of citizenship.

Application
Read the current call for applications for more information about the application documents and deadlines.

Call for application 2023

-> online application form (available from April 17th, 2023)

Please fill out the application form online, print and sign it and upload all required documents in PDF format completely in the online portal by the application deadline.

Please make sure to follow the checklist for application documents.

Information on the general security precautions of the DAAD (only in German)

Selection process
The decision to award PROMOS semester-long study abroad scholarships is based on the written application for the exchange placement as well as a subsequent interview and the scholarship application letter. For all other programme lines (travel and research stay grants) the Committee for 明升体育_足球竞彩网-官网 Scholarships/Grants makes its decision based on the written PROMOS application and, where necessary, an interview. Being able to demonstrate academic achievements, the meaningfulness of a stay abroad as well as the relevant language skills is particularly important for the decision to award scholarships. The 明升体育_足球竞彩网-官网 Office requires all returning students to turn in a signed experience report (2-5 pages) afterwards.

Fulbright Germany

For all Fulbright programmes, German citizenship is a main application requirement.

If you are a student who has been accepted to an exchange programme with the USA, you can apply for a Fulbright travel grant. Both bachelor’s and master’s students who participate in a one or two semester exchange programme may apply. The call for applications is usually published at the beginning of December; the deadline is usually in early February. The Fulbright Commission makes the decision to award funding.

In addition, the Fulbright Commission provides scholarships for study abroad stays in the USA for graduates in any field. The call for applications is usually published at the beginning of May; the deadline is usually the beginning of July.  You can find more detailed information on the Fulbright Germany’s website.

Auslands-BAf?G funding

Since a stay abroad can involve additional costs, sometimes students who are not eligible for BAf?G in Germany may however receive Auslands-BAf?G (federal student aid for studying abroad). In order to apply for Auslands-BAf?G, you will need to demonstrate that part of the coursework you complete abroad will count towards your studies in Germany. You are also required to have adequate language skills. You can find additional information in the guide to Auslands-BAf?G or on the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) website.

Erasmus+

If you take part in an Erasmus+ exchange programme you will also receive an Erasmus+ mobility grant. The grant amount varies depending on the number of Erasmus+ outgoing students and the funding provided by the EU. You can find additional information on the Erasmus+ study abroad or Erasmus+ internship abroad pages. Visit our study abroad with special needs page to find a list of additional funding options.

Erasmus+ also provides loan grants for pursuing a master’s degree in select European countries. At the moment, students who go to Spain, France or Great Britain for their master’s studies can receive this funding. This funding option will be extended successively to other countries. If you are interested in the programme, you can find more detailed information on the DAAD website

Other scholarship opportunities

Additional funding (e.g. through GoEast or Eastern university partnerships) is available for study abroad stays at Eastern-European universities. For more information about these funding options, please consult the 明升体育_足球竞彩网-官网 Office directly.

If you are a student receiving a scholarship for your studies in Germany from an organisation promoting gifted and talented students, there is also a good chance the same organisation will continue to fund you abroad. Some foundations also cooperate with partners to offer special scholarship programmes for study abroad stays, e.g. the Studienstiftung.

Study loan

In addition to these scholarship opportunities, you can also take out a study loan or an educational loan from multiple providers. These loans can also be used to finance a stay abroad. The Centre for Higher Education (CHE) regularly compares study and educational loans offered in Germany. You can use the results of this study (only available in German) as a decision-making aid.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has also put together some general information about educational loans. In addition, Seezeit student services provides information and advice about study and educational loans.