External Scholarship Providers

Here you can find detailed information on funding programs and scholarships offered and awarded by TH Köln (e.g. Erasmus +; PROMOS).

The Auslands-BAföG (website in German) is a state financial aid through which a whole course, a partial course or an internship in European and non-European countries is financially supported.

A separate application must be made so that you can receive BAföG abroad (Auslands-BAföG). The BAföG funding that you receive in Germany cannot simply be transferred abroad. If you are eligible for domestic BAföG (Inlands-BAföG), then you will most certainly also receive Auslands-BAföG. If you are not entitled to Inlands-BAföG, you may still receive Auslands-BAföG, as the higher costs abroad mean that many more students are entitled.

The application for and processing of Auslands-BAföG is the responsibility of the offices for educational grants depending on your target country.

Benefits

• Education grant, depending on the income of the students and the income of the parents or spouse. Half of this is granted as a non-interest-bearing loan and the other half as a grant
•  Possible foreign surcharges for higher cost of living outside the EU and Switzerland depending on the respective country
• Travel expenses for a return trip (within Europe € 250, outside Europe € 500)
•  Surcharge for a foreign health insurance
•  Verifiable necessary tuition fees of up to € 4,600 for a maximum of 12 months

Application

You should apply for Auslands-BAföG as early as possible. Since the income of the parents or spouse is relevant for the calculation of the exact funding benefit, a lot of documents have to be collected. Each country has a special office for educational support. Further information on Auslands-BAföG can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (only in German).

DAAD Scholarship Database

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is one of the largest German scholarship providers and offers a wide range of funding opportunities. Study-related internship stays, study-related semester or annual stays at recognized host universities abroad, specialization and postgraduate courses for graduates as well as doctoral and research grants support your individual foreign project. The HAW.international Scholarship and many other programs with the associated application deadlines can be found in the

DAAD Scholarship Database (only in German)

DAAD foreign scholarships are awarded on the basis of professional qualifications and personal suitability. They are available for degree-seeking German students, interns, doctoral students and scientists from state or state-recognized universities. Comprehensive information on application requirements, information on preparation, documents to download and important deadlines can be found on the DAAD - Information for Students website.

You apply online and directly at the DAAD for the scholarship programs offered by the DAAD. The Department of International Affairs will be happy to offer you consultation appointments and will be at your side during the application process so that formal errors do not lead to your application being rejected.

The DAAD has also created a database for those interested in abroad in which you can find information on individual countries, universities, subjects and much more.

The Federal Government's educational loan program (Bildungskredit) offers a temporary low-interest loan to support students in advanced training phases to finance their studies. This financial support is available alongside or in addition to the benefits under the BAföG (see above).
You can find more information about the Bildungskredit on the website of the Central Service Agency of the Federal Government.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) offers an interactive platform (in German) on which you can search for a suitable scholarship based on your own criteria. The comprehensive scholarship database can be filtered according to many different criteria such as training phases, subjects or target regions. The scholarship guide is the central point of contact for national and international scholarships in the private and public sector.

Every year the Fulbright Commission awards full, partial and travel grants for supplementing and deepening studies at an American university and for encounters with the USA. The German-American Fulbright program realizes the visionary idea of ​​Senator Fulbright: the promotion of mutual understanding between the USA and Germany through academic and cultural exchange. As the largest and most diverse Fulbright program in the world, the German-American Fulbright Program has funded more than 40,000 Americans and Germans since its inception in 1952. The special feature of the German-American Fulbright program is the student exchange.

Purpose of the Grant

The Fulbright Commission supports study visits within the framework of annual scholarships, which aim at deepening technical studies at American universities in the USA at the level of graduate studies.

Benefits

• pro rata financing of living expenses and tuition up to $ 34,500
• Placement of study places by the Fulbright Commission
• Traveling expenses
• Flat rate for additional costs for health certificate and language tests
• Health / accident insurance
• Visa application free of charge
• Supervision by the Fulbright Commission
• Participation in the preparatory meeting
• Participation in Fulbright Cultural Enrichment Seminars in the USA

The exact description of the application process as well as the corresponding templates can be found in the program announcements of the Fulbright Commission.

The application process for the scholarships offered by the Fulbright Commission runs for students through the international offices of the home university. Students at TH Köln therefore submit their complete application documents to the Department of International Affairs. Graduates send their application directly to the Fulbright Commission. We are happy to offer you consultation appointments and are available to help you during the application process so that formal errors do not lead to your application being rejected.

The Franco-German Youth Office supports study-related internships in France. Students from all disciplines who are completing a bachelor's degree can apply. In addition, the FGYO also supports research stays that serve to prepare theses. Anyone who would like to research information or conduct interviews with institutions located there or with certain people in France can also apply for a scholarship. In addition to a monthly grant, a flat rate for the outward and return journey is also granted.

Application deadline: at least 1 month before the start of the internship or the start of the research stay.

Further information on the two funding lines for internships can be found on the FGYO website.

The foundation aims to promote science and international exchange by awarding scholarships to students at home and abroad. Time-limited, scientifically qualifying stays by Germans abroad and by foreign students in Germany are funded. Eligible stays are global summer courses, semester stays, participation in or development of scientific projects.

By May 31 of each year, students can apply up to the age of 28 - in justified exceptional cases up to the age of 33.

Further information can be found on the website of the Heinrich J. Klein Foundation.

Female students who take their child(ren) abroad with them to study or internship during their Erasmus+ or PROMOS mobility and are funded through Erasmus+ or PROMOS can receive an additional EUR 300 per month as a flat rate. Full months are calculated from the month in which the study or internship abroad starts to the month in which the study or internship ends. The first installment, amounting to 80% of the total grant, is paid out when you start your studies or internship and the remaining 20% ​​as the second installment after completing your studies or internship and receipt of the required evidence and reports (analogous to Erasmus+ funding). When applying for the mobility grant, which was previously called the "Mathilde von Mevissen grant", copies of the children's birth certificates and evidence of the accompanied stay of the children abroad (e.g. travel documents, proof of childcare on site) must be submitted before the stay abroad. Max. € 10,000 per year is available for applications submitted to the Department of International Affairs.

The scholarship programme "nrw:exchange - Your UK Scholarship" for funding short stays for Bachelor's and Master's students in the United Kingdom was announced for the first time in 2024.

The programme gives students from North Rhine-Westphalia access to universities and research institutions in the United Kingdom after Erasmus+ funding has been discontinued.

You can find the call for applications at:

nrw:exchange - Your UK Scholarship - DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service

Applications are possible from May to the end of June and the selection will be carried out by a DAAD committee.

Private, political and denominational foundations and associations not only award study grants in Germany, but also often support stays abroad for various purposes. Private scholarship search engines also help students find the right funding opportunity.

You can find a comprehensive overview of this on the website of the TH Köln's Office of Student and Examination Services (in German).