Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships

Who can apply

Non-EU international students applying to start a master's degree of at least four semesters at a state-recognized German university, or PhD candidates applying to start a German PhD program, having completed their prior degree abroad
Priority given to applicants from DAC (Development Assistance Committee) countries who have not yet taken up residence in Germany at the time of application
Apply directly through the Foundation's own online application portal, which opens six weeks before each deadline; there is no nominating body or embassy step
A certificate of enrollment or university admission confirmation should be submitted with the application if possible, but may be submitted as late as the interview stage (the third stage of selection) if not yet available

The Fall 2026 round has already closed; Spring 2027 is the next opportunity

Two application rounds run every year, 15 July to 1 September and 15 January to 1 March. The Fall 2026 round closed on 1 September 2026, and the Foundation’s own portal no longer accepts logins for it, so this isn’t a window still quietly open despite the calendar date. The next opportunity is the Spring 2027 round, running 15 January to 1 March 2027, and starting with that deadline the Foundation stops accepting master’s applications from anyone who already holds a master’s degree, first-cycle programs only.

What the money actually covers

Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships pay a monthly stipend plus a health insurance allowance, and the amount depends on whether you are starting a master’s degree or a PhD. Master’s students funded through the Federal Foreign Office track receive 992 euros a month plus up to 100 euros toward health insurance. PhD candidates on the same funding stream receive 1,500 euros a month plus up to 200 euros toward health insurance. Depending on your situation, you may also qualify for optional extras: reimbursement of German tuition fees up to 10,000 euros a year, coverage for German language courses, a small monthly fringe benefit, and family or child allowances. There is no separate travel or relocation allowance, and no extra funding if part of your degree is completed outside Germany.

A direct application, with real flexibility on documents

You apply directly through the Foundation’s own online portal, which opens six weeks before each deadline. There is no nominating body, no embassy interview, and no separate national committee to go through. If you have not yet received your certificate of enrollment or confirmation of university admission by the time you apply, you do not need to wait: you can submit it later, right up to the interview stage, which is the third and final step of selection. The Foundation’s own guidance is blunt about timing pressure too: don’t wait until the last day to submit, since the system gets overloaded, and you can submit as soon as your documents are actually complete rather than holding everything until the deadline.

Eligibility and the income-offset rule

Eligibility centers on being an international student or PhD candidate who completed your prior degree outside Germany, with priority given to applicants from DAC countries who have not yet moved to Germany. Master’s programs need to run at least four semesters to qualify. Any income you earn on top of the scholarship gets offset against your payment, using Germany’s standard marginal-employment earnings threshold as the cutoff, so this is not a scholarship to combine freely with a part-time job above that limit.