Costs and Financing for International Students

International students and working towards a degree at the University of Bonn can apply for three different types of scholarships from April 2025:

• Degree completion scholarship
• Equal opportunity scholarship
• Scholarship recognizing exceptional voluntary work or community engagement

Formal application criteria

• Enrollment at the University of Bonn as a regular student (Bachelor’s, Master’s or state exam, no exchange students)
• Foreign nationality (dual nationals must not hold German citizenship)
• University entrance qualification obtained outside Germany

To apply for a scholarship, students must meet all three criteria.

Further information on the funding amount, application documents and the application deadline will be published in April 2025.

International students working toward a degree at the University of Bonn can apply for an Equal Opportunity Scholarship. These scholarships are intended to support international students facing special circumstances and challenges as they work on their degree program. Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria in order to be eligible for the scholarship:

• Refugee background
• Recognized disability level of at least 50% or chronic condition
• Caring for children under 18 in their own household (especially single parents)
• Caring for first- and second-degree relatives

Further formal application criteria

• Enrollment at the University of Bonn as regular students (i.e. not exchange students)
• Foreign citizenship (dual nationals must not hold German citizenship)
• University entrance qualification from outside Germany

To apply for a scholarship, students must fulfill all three requirements.

Funding amount and guidelines
Worth €650 a month, the scholarships will be awarded for a period of five months from October 01, 2025 onward. The scholarships draw on funds from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and are granted in accordance with the DAAD’s guidelines. If you already receive financial support from the DAAD, further funding is not possible. If you receive funding from other public sources, only a top-up is possible. 

Application documents
To be in with a chance of a successful application, please complete the application form and upload the following documents as PDF files:

• One- to two-page letter of motivation
• Curriculum vitae
• Certificate of enrollment from the current semester (summer semester 2025)
• Transcript of records (excerpt from the campus management platform BASIS)
• Self-declaration on finances: please provide us with some information on your income (you can use this template)
• Evidence of any special circumstances or challenges faced, including a disability or refugee background (official documents or certificates, birth certificate(s) for childcare)
• Optional: Official letter of recommendation from teachers at the University of Bonn

Application deadline
Submit your applications by June 15, 2025 using the application form. Incomplete or late applications cannot be considered.

Questions?
If you have questions on the scholarship program please contact:

Monique Trachsel
m.trachsel@uni-bonn.de 

International students working towards a degree at the University of Bonn can apply for a scholarship recognizing exceptional voluntary work or community engagement. The scholarships are intended to support students who meet the following criteria:

• Enrolled at least their second program-related semester and
• Good to very good study achievements and
• Doing an exceptional amount of voluntary work

This includes supporting and looking after other students as well as helping out at clubs, associations, institutions or other welfare organizations. They must have performed their voluntary work over a period of at least six months.

Further formal application criteria

• Enrollment at the University of Bonn as regular students (i.e. not exchange students)
• Foreign citizenship (dual nationals must not hold German citizenship)
• University entrance qualification from outside Germany

To apply for a scholarship, students must fulfill all three requirements.

Funding amount and guidelines
Worth €650 a month, the scholarships will be awarded for a period of five months from October 01, 2025 onward. The scholarships draw on funds from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and are granted in accordance with the DAAD’s guidelines. If you already receive financial support from the DAAD, further funding is not possible. If you receive funding from other public sources, only a top-up is possible. 

Application documents
To be in with a chance of a successful application, please complete the application form and upload the following documents as PDF files:

• One- to two-page letter of motivation
• Curriculum vitae
• Certificate of enrollment from the current semester (summer semester 2025)
• Transcript of records (excerpt from the campus management platform BASIS)
• Self-declaration on finances: please provide us with some information on your income (you can use this template)
• Certificate of the type, duration and scope of the social or community engagement
• Optional: Official letter of recommendation from teachers at the University of Bonn

Application deadline
Submit your applications by June 15, 2025 using the application form. Incomplete or late applications cannot be considered.

Questions?
If you have questions on the scholarship program please contact:

Monique Trachsel
m.trachsel@uni-bonn.de 

The new “Bridge Scholarships for Palestinians in Germany” program launched by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is designed to support qualified Palestinians—particularly those from Gaza—who are living in Germany and who are unable to return home due to the current situation, enabling them to embark on or continue their career here in Germany.

With these scholarships, the DAAD is reaching out to Palestinian bachelor’s and master’s students, doctorate holders, postdocs and university professors in all subjects who completed their degree program, an internship forming part of their degree program, their doctorate or a research project in Germany within the past six months (or, at the very latest, by the time they take up their scholarship) and who need support with finding employment on the German education and job market. The funding can also be put toward internships and research projects.

Lasting between one and four months, the bridge scholarships can be taken up from December 2024 at the earliest and must finish by March 2025 at the latest. Applications can be submitted via the online application portal any time between now and October 15, 2024.

The web page for the call for applications provides further important information on the application criteria and procedure. If you have any queries, please email palestinians@daad.de.

NRWege ins Studium supports students of the University of Bonn who have a refugee history. We offer monthly scholarships of €300. We also provide counselling on the way to your university degree.

You can apply for this scholarship before your study program has started as long as you are enrolled as a student of the University of Bonn starting from winter term 2025/26.

If you are not eligible to BAföG we can grant scholarships of up to €992 in individual cases.

Formal conditions for application

• You are considered a refugee in accordance with the program’s specifications: you have received a first decision by the BAMF; you are granted temporary protection or protection on humanitarian grounds; you are holding a residence permit for the purpose of admission from abroad; you are not subject to a final deportation order; you do not hold a settlement permit
• You have received your university entrance qualification (equivalent to Abitur) abroad (not at a German school)
• You have arrived in Germany within the past 5 years since first being funded by NRWege. This period can be extended to up to 7 years if you have underage children, if you cared for other family members or if you suffered from illness for a longer period of time. 

Selection criteria

• Strong motivation for achievement and interest in your subject
• Your achievements so far indicate that you will successfully complete your study program
• Social engagement can be a plus (active membership in an association, social and political engagement, cultural activities)
• You are willing to participate in counselling and activities within the NRWege program

Funding period and amount of funding

• October 2025 to September 2026 with the option of extension (subject to approval by the Ministry of Culture and Science of NRW)
• €300 per month for a scholarship complementing an income of max. €992
• up to €992 per month for full scholarships

Application process and documents

1. Complete the application form and upload the requested application documents
2. Application deadline: August 15, 2025
3. The selection committee will take its decision based on your written application. If you are applying for a full scholarship of €934 we will conduct an interview via zoom
4. Payment of the scholarships will start by October 01, 2025 (retroactively if necessary)

Application documents

• Letter of motivation (one or two pages)
• Curriculum vitae
• Transcript of records (if you are only about to start your study program: certificate of German language skills with grade)
• Certificate of enrollment or letter of admission from the University of Bonn (scholarship can be awarded only after enrollment)
• Copy of residence permit or first BAMF decision
• BAföG decision or proof of application for BAföG
• Informal disclosure, dated and signed, about your general financial situation: monthly funds and its sources (salary, public funding etc.), if applicable income of your spouse
• If applicable, proof of income from sources of public funding other than BAföG (e.g. Bürgergeld)
• If applicable, proof of income from a part-time job or other activities
• If possible, letter of recommendation (if you are in your 4th semester or above a letter of recommendation is mandatory)
• If applicable, proof of your social engagement or outstanding achievements
• If applicable, proof of previous funding by NRWege (e.g. proof of participation in preparatory courses funded by Integra or NRWege)

Questions?

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact
Dr. Gesine Schiller
nrwege@uni-bonn.de