Scholarships for Germany
So Many Subjects to Study
From German beer to art and architecture, if you’re studying in Germany you have an incomparable international experience ahead of you. Almost any discipline of study is available in programs ranging from summer to yearlong. Germany offers a rich historical background and cities such as Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Heidelberg in which to seek the best in arts, culture and entertainment.
Students are engaged in high-tech studies, international business and commerce, political studies, language and literature, and hospitality and tourism to name just a few.
Private Funding
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a German organization whose primary focus is to provide educational exchange between international undergraduate and graduate students. Through its many international centers, DAAD provides advertising for education in Germany as well as scholarships that attract top talent and highly-qualified students who consider a study abroad program in Germany a critical piece of their academic experience:
- Undergraduate Scholarships are widely given to U.S. students who are top in their academic class. Applicants may be undergraduate or graduate students with a highly defined research project or program of study applicable to a period of study time in Germany. To be eligible candidates must also be proficient in the language. The program is open for semester and yearlong programs. Recipients are awarded a monthly allowance.
- Study Scholarships pick up where the Undergraduate Scholarships leave off. The awards are available for graduate students who have majored in almost anything, but whose further educational goals demand a stint of time in Germany, at least a year and possibly more. Generous monthly stipends, partial travel expenses and health insurance are all included.
- RISE Scholarships (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) are carefully handed out to highly motivated and ambitious undergrads whose fields of study include the sciences, mathematics and engineering. The program brings together post-graduate German students, whose research could use some assistance, and U.S. undergrads who are interested in working closely with such scholars in German colleges and universities. Some travel expenses and monthly stipends are included.
CDS International, Inc. is a German-based company founded immediately following the close of World War II just when Germany was at her lowest. The organization has since been dedicated to providing lasting collaboration and professional opportunities between the U.S. and Germany. To these ends CDS is instrumental in funding a large number of generous scholarships that achieve the desired ends. Students at all levels of study and whose career tracks are likely to carry them into international waters, business and global finance, are encouraged to explore the funding opportunities available:
- Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to pursue a year of study in their major at a German university. The goal of the program is to offer applicants a unique cultural exchange and learning opportunity. Eligible applicants must be engaged in technical studies or agriculture to be considered.
- Students interested in a unique political studies opportunity may qualify for a short-term internship with the German government through the Émigré Memorial German Internship Program.
- Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program is directed at graduate level professionals whose interests lie in international business or from the realm of political sciences. Special interest is given to those whose field of interest is specifically related to Germany.
- Community college students are encouraged to explore the WISP Scholarships. This program is uniquely designed to allow vocational or technical students a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience an international work setting. Awardees actually work in certain German businesses, much as they would in a co-op learning situation in the U.S. With a more international experience of their field of study it is believed that professionals are more prepared to function in an increasingly global marketplace.
German Chancellor Scholarships awarded by the Humboldt Foundation pit only the most ambitious professional upstarts and academics against each other in competition for the limited number of highly sought after positions. Applicants must have highly evolved research projects related to a stay in Germany and scholarships cover a year of study. No need to have advanced knowledge of German, either; the awards fund a fast-paced language component.
College Scholarships
If you are interested in studying at Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany you may qualify for partial tuition scholarships. Many courses are taught in English and in a wide range of disciplines. Scholarships for U.S. students include:
- Ben Franklin awards are handed out to a few dozen American students interested in heading to Germany for a study abroad experience. Applications are reviewed based on academic standing, current financial situation and program of study.
- HBCU Awards are given to academically talented and financial needy students whose home institution is one of the Historically Black Colleges or Universities.
Rutgers University students may choose between interdisciplinary courses located in historic Constance, Germany or the uniquely designed Landscape Architecture program in Munich. Those heading off to study in Germany may wish to apply for a couple of study abroad scholarships specifically designed to offset the attendant costs of international travel:
- Lillian Rodig Prize is awarded to a qualified applicant going to Germany for a year of study.
- German Alumnae Prize.
The University of Kentucky German Studies department has formed an exchange alliance with the University of Heidelberg in Germany that enables more seamless exchange and collaboration between students. Heidelberg Scholarships are ultra-competitive awards that pit only the most academically proficient against each other for the two available awards. Scholarships cover nearly all expenses for a year of study in Heidelberg.
