FAQ-Area

How many Germany scholarships will be awarded at the KIT?

In the winter semester 2019/20 we will award up to 300 scholarships.

What does the support entail?

The scholarship holders receive a monthly support of € 300 for one year. Half of the scholarship is financed by private sponsors (enterprises, private individuals, endowments and associations) and half is financed by the German federation.

When will the Germany scholarship be awarded?

The Germany scholarship is awarded yearly to the start of the winter term.

Is there a new application phase in the summer semester?

No. The Germany scholarship is only awarded once a year, at the start of the winter term.

May I write my application in English?

The application can be written in English. However, applications in languages other than German or English will not be accepted. Please also make sure to have your certificates translated if they are not written in English or German.

Who can apply for a scholarship?

The prerequisite for a Germany scholarship is admittance or enrolment at the KIT. Exchange students who are enrolled at their home university and are completing their stays abroad at the KIT, are excluded.

Could foreign applicants also be awarded a Germany Scholarship?

Yes. The Germany Scholarship is open to students of all nationalities.

How does the application work?

The application is done exclusively online. Please make sure, that all necessary documents need to be uploaded while filling out the online application.

Can I apply if I have not yet received my university access authorization certificate yet?

Yes. They can be handed in until the 31st of July, 2019.

I have not yet applied for a place at the KIT, can I already apply for the scholarship?

Yes. 

What should the proof for my social, political and extra-curricular activities look like?

Your proof should detail the length of your activity, the completed tasks and responsibilities as well as the average weekly workload.

I study at two faculties; do I need to decide which one I use for my application?

Yes. Please decide for one of them. Be aware that only the Credit points and the average mark achieved at the chosen faculty count towards your application.

Can I be supported for more than one year?

Yes. To be supported for more than one year, a yearly reapplication is necessary.

Must the scholarship be paid back?

No.

Which study programs are eligible for a sponsorship?

Every study program at a state or state-approved institution of higher learning is eligible for a sponsorship. So for example, a second degree or complementary studies, a masters study program or an extra or dual study program. However, you can only receive a scholarship from the institution that you are enrolled at.

I changed my university, do I lose my scholarship?

No. You will continue to receive scholarship payments for one semester.

Will the Germany Scholarship still payed when a whole or part of the time sponsored is spent abroad?

The scholarship will continue to be paid if one is absent due to a study-related stay abroad, provided that one stays abroad for the duration of the sponsorship. This applies even in the case of a potential leave of absence from the university who has awarded the scholarship. If one studies abroad via the ERASMUS Program, the Germany Scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium) will also continue to be funded, even when one simultaneously receives a student mobility allowance from the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst –DAAD) as a scholarship holder.

Could I receive both, BAföG and the Germany Scholarship, simultaneously?

Yes.

Is there an age limit for the application?

No.

Will letters of application actually be read?

Yes. They play a big role for the central KIT selection panel. The faculties establish a ranking of received applicants. Afterwards, the central selection panel makes their final selection and when similar credentials are evident, the application letter often plays a deciding role.

Is the scholarship to be regarded as "additional income" according to tax law?

The Germany Scholarship is tax-free and will according to §5 section. 3 StipG i.d.R. not be calculated as income with social benefits. Consequently, the Germany Scholarship does not represent any kind of paid compensation for a particular occupation and is – as are all other comparable scholarships as well – not to be considered as pay.

Will scholarship holders be assigned a sponsor?

Yes.

Could the scholarship payment be suspended?

Yes. Reasons for this are e.g. maternity leave, parental leave or a DAAD-sponsored study stay abroad. The scholarship will not be paid out during the leave of absence. With the resumption of studies at the KIT, the appropriation period extends for the period of leave.

Should ERASMUS support be categorized as ability and performance-related?

No, as long as you are fully enrolled at the KIT, the National Scholarship Program will continue to be paid during an ERASMUS stay – it will by the way also be paid during study-related internships abroad.

Is German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD-promotions) possible aside from the Germany Scholarship?

Due to the fact that the DAAD carries out various means of support, these are to be reviewed individually. The following counts for guidance: Mobility allowance is not in competition with the Germany Scholarship. Should support for living nevertheless exist, and amount to or exceed the 30 Euros per month, then the Germany Scholarship cannot be remitted during this period. Basically, a “suspension of payment” is only possible for scholarships that are already in effect. In these cases, payment after the DAAD-promotion can be resumed until the end of the authorized period, provided that one continues one’s previously pursued study program at the KIT.