Sure JobsGermany is the academic home for many international students due to their numerous scholarship opportunities that attract hundreds of thousands of foreign students to German universities annually.
In Germany, there are tens to hundreds of scholarship programs for international students who are interested in studying in German universities. Some of these scholarship programs, like DAAD, absorb over 150,000 international students from across the globe annually.
Although there are many international scholarship programs for foreign students in Germany, not many of them are recognised globally; hence, we are only going to focus our discussion on top scholarships for international students to study in Germany. So, if you are a foreign student who wants to study at a German university through a scholarship but doesn’t know the best scholarship program to apply for, look no further because we have got you covered.
Top Scholarships for International Students to Study in Germany
There are many top scholarship programs for international students who want to study in Germany. Some of these scholarships are course-specific, which means that they are designated for a particular course, while others are for all foreign students, regardless of their course of study.
1. DAAD scholarships
This is one of the most popular scholarship programs for international students in Germany. As of 2025, it is the largest scholarship program for international students in Germany and it is fully funded by the German government. DAAD offers scholarships to over 150,000 international students annually to enable them to study at any German university of their choice.
This scholarship opportunity is available for both bachelor, master, Ph.D., and postdoc students from different foreign nationals globally.
DAAD Scholarships Requirements
To apply for and secure a DAAD scholarship as an international student, you are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You must have an outstanding academic record
- Past academic records (transcript), if you are applying for masters or Ph.D.
- Well-detailed statement of purpose
- Language proficiency certificate
- Work experience where applicable. Â
Worth of DAAD scholarships
The overall worth of a DAAD scholarship is not fixed; it varies depending on the program. Meanwhile, the monthly stipend for international graduate students under DAAD scholarship is €992, while for doctoral students, it is €1,300. Apart from the monthly stipends, the beneficiaries of this scholarship also receive an annual study allowance, a travel allowance, health insurance coverage and other benefits.
How to Apply: To apply for DAAD scholarship, go to daad.de and complete the application form.
2. Expatrio Scholarship
The Expatrio scholarship program is another international scholarship program for foreign students who want to study in Germany. Although this scholarship opportunity is available for all international students from across the globe, interested students will need to apply for the Expatrio Value Package and must be ready to resume studies as soon as possible. Just like other scholarship programs, to apply for and get the Expatrio Scholarship as a foreign student, you must have excellent academic records.
Expatrio Scholarship Requirements
Foreign students who want to apply for this Expatrio Scholarship are expected to submit a 2-minute video in MP4 format explaining why they want to study in Germany. This video is very important because students are going to be assessed based on the video. Once your video exceeds 2 minutes or it contains copyrighted content, you will be disqualified automatically.
Expatrio Scholarship Worth
Ordinarily, the Expatrio Scholarship Selection Committee will pick the three best winners. The best overall winner will be given €12,000, the first runner-up will receive €6,000, and the third-place winner will get €3,000. Meanwhile, other winners will get consolation prizes depending on the quality of their video.
How to Apply: Visit expatrio.com.
3. Erasmus+ Scholarship Programs
If you are an international student who is used to Germany scholarship programs, you may have heard of Erasmus+ Scholarship Programs. This scholarship program is for foreign students who want to study in Germany. It is open for international students in short-cycle, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. This means that any international student can apply for this scholarship, regardless of their level of study. This scholarship program is more of an exchange program for international students who want to have experience at German universities. Although this scholarship program favours international students from EU Member States and their associates, there is still provision for students from other foreign nations.
Erasmus+ Scholarship Program Requirements
The requirements for this scholarship program are listed below:
- Interested student must be enrolled in any recognised tertiary institution
- Good academic records with outstanding CGPA
- English or German language proficiency certification
- Motivation Letter
Erasmus+ Scholarship Worth
The worth of the Erasmus+ Scholarship is not fixed, but the scholarship program covers a monthly stipend to cover living costs in Germany, one-time travel grants, exemption from registration, tuition, examination and other related fees.
How to Apply: If you have the requirements above, you can visit erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu to start your application.
4. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
The next top scholarship program for international students to study in Germany on our list is Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships. This scholarship opportunity is open to all international students who are doing their master or doctoral program in any German university. This means that before you can get this scholarship as an international student, you must first of all be enrolled in any German university of applied sciences or universities of the arts in Germany as a master or doctoral student.
Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships Requirements
The requirement is not the same for masters and doctoral students.
The requirements for master students are:
- Original copy of degree certificate or first professional qualification
- Past academic achievement through transcript
- Evidence of social engagement
- Letter of motivation
For Doctoral students
- Proof of admission for docatorals study at any German university
- Outstanding academic records
- Excellent research qualities
- Evidence of social engagement
- Motivation letter
Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships Worth
Masters students get up to €992 monthly with health insurance and other benefits. Doctoral students receive a basic scholarship of €1,450 monthly, plus a monthly €100 allowance and other personalised benefits.
5. Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program
The Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program is a German scholarship program that is designed for international students who are already studying in German universities or want to enrol in German institutions that are partners of the program. However, this scholarship program is only for international students who are already studying in Germany or have concluded their plan to resume studies in any German university soon.
Requirements for Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program
There is no general procedure for applying for the Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program since they are granted by participating German universities. This means that as a foreign student studying or wanting to resume studies in Germany, you should inquire from your institution on whether they are partners of the Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program or not. If the institution you are studying is partnering with the scholarship program, then you can request the requirements from your institution and subsequently apply. Meanwhile, the general requirements often include excellent academic records, evidence of social engagement, personal achievement, etc.
Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program
The Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program gives out 3,600 euros to benefiting students throughout their studying period.
How to Apply: To start your application, click this Link
6. Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships
The last but not the least top scholarship for international students to study in Germany on our list is Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships. This scholarship opportunity is for international master and doctoral students who are accepted into German states that are recognised by the universities in Germany. To access this scholarship as a foreign student, you must be ready to contribute to social democracy in Germany and beyond. In addition, you must be ready to take your studies seriously.
Requirements for Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships
Just like other international scholarship programs in Germany that we discussed earlier, to access Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships, you must meet some requirements and they are listed below:
- Detailed information about your personality and family background
- Motivation letter or statement of purpose
- Evidence of your social-political commitment
- Those going for doctoral program are required to submit their Research plan
In addition to the above requirements, if you pass through the first screening, you will need to provide these additional requirements:
- Two academic references,
- Detailed CV
- Relevant certificates,
- Proof of enrolment at a German university.
Worth of Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships
Master students who are beneficiaries of Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships get monthly stipends of €992, while doctoral students get €1,400 monthly for the three years that their programs will last.
Conclusion
So far, we have discussed extensively Top Scholarships for International Students to Study in Germany, where we enumerated different German scholarships for international students, like DAAD scholarships, Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarships, Deutschland Stipendium Scholarship Program, Erasmus+ Scholarship Program, Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships, etc. So, it is left for you as an international student to apply for any of them that suit you.
Sure Jobs