Other scholarships, prizes and competitions
Numerous institutions award scholarships and prizes or hold competitions for students. Here you can find current announcements.
In the university competition for the 2026 Year of Science, students, doctoral candidates, and young researchers from all disciplines are invited to submit creative and interactive communication ideas around the theme of “Medicine of the Future” that make scientific topics and methods accessible and tangible for citizens.
The fifteen best proposals will be awarded 10,000 euros each to implement the ideas and with workshops and training courses on science communication as well as admission to the alumni network of the university competition.
Applications are open until 30 November 2025.
For more information, visit www.hochschulwettbewerb.net/2026/ (German).
With the DigitalChangeMakers program, the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung supports student projects that aim to promote student-centered digital transformation at universities.
The students selected are supported over the course of two semesters by an experienced team from the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, which networks them with university, education, and digitization experts and supports them in developing innovative ideas and projects through workshops, training opportunities, and exchange formats.
Details on the program and application can be found at hochschulforumdigitalisierung.de/call-for-digitalchangemaker-2026-2/.
Applications are open until 30 November 2025.
The advancement scholarship supports skilled workers with vocational training and several years of practical experience in their first university degree program.
A full-time degree program is supported with 992 euros per month plus 80 euros book allowance. In addition, there is a care allowance for children under 14 (160 euros per child). For part-time students, the subsidy is 3,045 euros per calendar year. The benefits are a lump sum and are not dependent on income. In addition, there is extensive non-material support: recipients can participate in numerous seminars on various topics. There are also local regional groups and a digital network through which they can connect and exchange ideas.
Applications are open until 1 December 2025.
The call for entries for the iF Design Student Award is open. The student competition seeks outstanding design concepts in 15 competition categories based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1–15).
The concepts that present the most innovative contributions to solving global challenges will be awarded a total of EUR 50,000 in prize money. All winners will be honored at an awards ceremony to be held on 10 and 11 June 2026 at the World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhine-Main 2026.
Applications will be accepted until 28 January 2026.
For more information, please visit ifdesign.com/de/if-design-student-award.
The Government of Upper Franconia awards scholarships from the Heilsbronn Scholarship Fund in the form of a one-time payment to talented, worthy and needy students at a German university. Students who are of the Protestant faith, have German citizenship, and reside in the former Principality of Bayreuth are eligible to apply. You can find the list of the corresponding municipalities here (PDF, 25 KB).
Here you can find the application for the scholarship (German) (PDF, 434 KB).
Applications are open until 31 January 2026.
Digitization is the key to ensuring the future viability and competitiveness of Bavaria’s SME sector. To raise awareness among future business successors about the entrepreneurial opportunities and challenges that come with it – and to better prepare them – the Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs will launch the fifth round of the “NextGen4Bavaria” program in March 2026.
With this new cohort, participants will become part of a strong network of up to 250 like-minded individuals from across Bavaria – entrepreneurs working together to shape Bavaria’s digital future.
For one year, business successors will be supported by experienced digital experts from UnternehmerTUM. Through hands-on formats, they will explore key topics of digitization, from artificial intelligence and modern business organization to innovative business models and forward-looking digital strategies.
Thus, future decision-makers gain valuable insights and systematically expand their digital skills to successfully lead their companies into the future.
At networking and inspiration events, they will meet peers and share practical experiences. Participants will gain access to an innovative ecosystem that fosters dialogue with supporters and pioneers.
The program is free of charge and requires active participation.
Applications are open until 31 January 2026.
Doctoral students from all disciplines who complete their dissertation with magna or summa cum laude in 2025 can apply for the Körber Foundation’s German Thesis Award by 1 March 2026. From the entries submitted, a jury will select the theses that are of particular relevance to society.
A total of three top prizes of 25,000 euros each and six second prizes of 10,000 euros each will be awarded in the Social Sciences, Humanities and Cultural Studies, and Natural and Technical Sciences sections. This makes the German Thesis Award one of the most highly endowed awards for young scientists in Germany.
Detailed entry requirements and further information on the competition can be found at koerber-stiftung.de/en/projects/german-thesis-award/.
The TransForm concrete design competition invites students of architecture, design and engineering to explore and rethink the potential of concrete in terms of this change.
Entries can deal with aesthetic, structural, or technological issues as well as ecological, economic, or social aspects. The sensitive handling of existing structures – whether listed or previously unnoticed – is also welcome.
The competition does not specify a fixed task. Participants choose their own context to suit their idea, their fascination, their creative vision. The spectrum of possible entries ranges from objects and furniture to architectural details, residential and landscape buildings, infrastructure projects, complex supporting structures, concrete formulations, or material studies.
The decisive factor is that the projects must combine technical, functional, design, and programmatic aspects. The concepts should be illustrated by designs and their potential convincingly demonstrated.
The creative implementation of the TransForm theme and the design relevance of the ideas submitted will be assessed. The decisive factor here is how concrete is used and why this use makes sense and is forward-looking.
The competition will take place in five European countries in the academic years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. The national winners will be invited to a one-week international workshop in Vienna (Austria), led by renowned lecturers and experts who are intensively involved in the future of building with concrete. Prize money totaling 3,000 Euros and a seat on the jury for the subsequent competition in 2027 will also be awarded.
Applications are open until 8 April 2026.
For more information, please visit www.concretedesigncompetition.de/.
Rimon supports interns whose internship is not or hardly paid. The scholarship is aimed in particular at people who want to do an internship in the fields of environment, education or health.
Scholarship holders are supported with 1,000 euros per month for the duration of the internship (up to three months).
Applicants do not have to be accepted for the internship at the time of application, but the scholarship will only be paid out if the internship actually begins.
Please send your application letter and CV to kontakt@rimon.group. In your application letter, please elaborate on what internship you would like to do and why, and what personal or professional goal this will bring you closer to.
Application deadline: November 30, February 28, May 31, August 31. The decision to award the scholarship will be made at the end of the month following the application deadline.
For more information, visit www.rimon.group/stipendium.
The Franco-Bavarian University cooperation center BayFrance supports students at Bavarian or French universities who are planning a study or research visit in Bavaria or France. Scholarship holders receive a one-off grant of 500 euros to cover additional costs prior to a mobility phase and a location-dependent travel allowance of up to 450 euros. In addition, the costs of a preparatory online language course in German or French via DUO online can be covered.
The minimum duration for a study visit is four months, for research visits one month; corporate internships are not eligible for funding.
Details on the call for applications and the application process can be found at www.bayern-france.org/de/foerderung/unsere-foerderprogramme/studierende/ (German).
Applications can be submitted until April 15 and November 15 of each year.
The Gregor Louisoder Environmental Foundation awards grants to young researchers who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental and nature conservation through their theses (Master’s theses or dissertations). The work must be relevant to environmental protection and/or have practical applicability.
Each grant is endowed with 2,500 euros, and an additional 2,500 euros are provided to the award recipients as earmarked support for continuing their scientific work.
The grants are awarded for research projects in the following fields:
- Biology, Geosciences, and Environmental Sciences
- Forestry and Agricultural Sciences
- Economics
Submissions can be made on an ongoing basis. Evaluation and decisions regarding the award are generally made within 12 months of submission.
For more information, please visit www.umweltstiftung.com/foerderpreise/foerderpreise-wissenschaft.
The Bavarian-Czech Academic Agency offers various scholarships for participation in language courses, summer and winter schools as well as study and research stays and internships in the Czech Republic. For more information, visit www.btha.cz/de/.
The district of Coburg awards scholarships to students of human medicine every winter semester.
Scholarship holders receive monthly financial support of 500 euros with a maximum funding period of 5 years. In addition, a grant of 600 euros from the Free State of Bavaria can be received.
Following university training, the scholarship holders complete further training as specialists in general medicine at the Coburg Further Training Association. This is followed by 24 months of practical work in general medicine in the Coburg region.
Applications are open until 31 October each year.
Further information can be found at gesundheitsregionplus.coburg-stadt-landkreis.de/arbeitsschwerpunkte/gesundheitsversorgung/stipendienprogramm/.
With “Böckler-Aktion Bildung”, the Hans Böckler Foundation awards scholarships to young people who could not afford to study otherwise. Students who are on their way to obtaining their high school diploma (Abitur) or entrance qualification for university of applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife) can apply. Applications are also open to those who have only recently qualified for university entrance.
Applications can be submitted up to three months before the end of the standard period of study.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation supports around 1400 students and doctoral candidates of all disciplines and nationalities each year, both in universities and universities of applied sciences in Germany.
Scholarship holders are expected to demonstrate outstanding academic or scientific achievements, social commitment and political interest, as well as an active engagement with the Foundation's core values of ecology and sustainability, democracy and human rights, self-determination and justice.
Applications are generally open March 1 and September 1 of each year.
All information can be found at www.boell.de/en/scholarships.
With its graduation grant, the E.W.-Kuhlmann-Stiftung supports students who are about to graduate and are dependent on financial support. They can receive an interest-free loan of up to €2000.
Applications can be submitted continuously.
Insights technology provider SUPRA is supporting scholarship recipients by funding a survey panel with 1,000 participants worth 3,500 euros.
Students of economics, marketing, market research, business information systems, psychology, social sciences or other similar subjects are eligible to apply.
To enter, applicants must submit an essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words on one of the categories (1) new pricing strategies for consumer products, (2) leveraging tech for better pricing, (3) innovative insights and research to find better pricing, (4) the future of pricing psychology or (5) AI methods in pricing.
Applications are accepted annually until August 30.
For more information, visit https://supra.tools/scholarship.
TUM Asia provides successful applicants with a one-time grant of up to 50% of the tuition fees for one of the following Master’s programs: Aerospace Engineering, Green Electronics, Industrial Chemistry, Integrated Circuit Design, Logistics Engineering and Management, Rail and Urban Transport, and Sustainable Food.
Detailed information on the TUM Asia Scholarship and how to apply can be found at tum-asia.edu.sg/admissions/graduate/scholarships/.
Applications can be submitted until the application deadline for the respective degree program.
With the Ungethüm-Aesculap Scholarship for the Advancement of Surgery and Medical Technology, the B. Braun Foundation supports surgeons from Africa, Asia, and Latin America who wish to spend time at German universities to conduct research on medical technology topics.
The scholarship is aimed at surgeons with two to three years of professional experience in clinical research in the fields of general surgery, trauma surgery/orthopaedics, neurosurgery, cardiovascular surgery, plastic surgery. or thoracic surgery.
Applications can be submitted between 1 March and 30 April and between 1 September and 31 October of each year.
Further information can be found at www.bbraun-stiftung.de/de/foerderungen/Ungethuem-Aesculap-Stipendium/Ungethuem-Aesculap-Fellowship.html.
The Welcome Scholarship of the German University Foundation supports students from refugee areas who are studying at a German university, art or music college in a Bachelor’s or state examination degree program.
Applications are open to refugees in the first or second semester of their degree course who have German language skills of at least C1 level and are eligible for BAFÖG or have adequate funding.
Scholarship holders receive the following benefits:
- Matching with a university lecturer close to their subject and location as a mentor
- Supervision of the mentoring relationship by the German University Foundation
- Seminars to develop key skills (twice a year, compulsory) on the following topics:
- Mentoring as an opportunity and a task
- Self and learning management
- Presentation and self-presentation
- Job application training
- Business etiquette and communication
- Intercultural skills
- One-time personal coaching with a professional coach during the study period
- Reimbursement of travel expenses for seminars and other trips associated with the scholarship
- Participation in academic events (e.g. DHV symposium) and involvement in relevant networks
- Provision of an annual call-off budget per scholarship holder for study-related costs
- Digital package for the purchase of digital technology, once per scholarship
Applications must be sent to Simone Geerdsen (geerdsen@deutsche-universitaetsstiftung.de) with a letter of motivation (max. one page) outlining the expectations of the scholarship, a CV in tabular form (max. 2 pages) as well as certificates, proof of language proficiency, and certificate of enrollment electronically in single PDF.
Applications can be submitted until 1 April and 1 September.
For more information, please visit www.deutsche-universitaetsstiftung.de/stipendienprogramme/welcome/ (German).
The Stahlmann Foundation offers a housing scholarship to students who are younger than 25, have a good command of written and spoken German, have a clear idea of their educational goal, are striving to achieve this goal at a German educational institution, are in some form of need, and are willing to make a commitment to the Foundation.
The scholarship covers the rent for a shared apartment and the guarantee for the rent deposit for the current semester in each case; it is possible to extend the scholarship to a maximum of six semesters in total if studies proceed successfully.
For the application a curriculum vitae in German, a letter of motivation in German, the last certificate of the highest educational qualification, two independent confidential recommendations in German or English with contact information from the home country (in case of Ukrainian applicants also from another country) as well as the admission of a German educational institution are required.
Here you will find further information (German).