7 Fully Funded Scholarships in Germany 2026–27: Deadlines, Stipends and Language Requirements

Germany keeps showing up at the top of “where should I study abroad” lists, and honestly, it earns the spot. Most public universities charge no tuition, and you only pay a semester fee, usually somewhere between €150 and €350. One big exception is Baden-Württemberg, which charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester. On top of that, the government and a handful of foundations offer scholarships that help with living costs, insurance, and travel.

One thing to know before you start: language requirements differ a lot from program to program. For English-taught programs, many accept a letter from your university confirming that your bachelor’s was taught in English instead of an IELTS score, but not all of them do. The big political foundations on this list mostly ask for German at B1 to B2 level or better, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung only funds students who already live in Germany. The Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programs set their own language rules, and many ask for IELTS or TOEFL. The comparison table below shows the requirement for each one, so check it before you plan your test dates.

Below are seven of the strongest funding options for 2026–27, with the numbers, deadlines, and language rules you’ll need. Some cover most of your living costs, while a few, like the Deutschlandstipendium, are smaller top-ups.

Why Bother With Germany in 2026?

A few things make Germany worth the paperwork:

Most public universities charge no tuition, including for international students, though Baden-Württemberg is the exception noted above. The bigger scholarships pay roughly €990 to €1,500 a month depending on the program and your level, which covers rent and groceries in many cities, though less so in expensive ones like Munich. Non-EU students can also work part-time, either 140 full days or 280 half days a year or, under the current rules, up to 20 hours a week during the semester. After graduating, you can apply for a residence permit of up to 18 months to look for a job. Check the details with your local immigration office, and keep in mind that scholarship rules can reduce your stipend if you earn above a set limit. Some German universities will also accept a letter confirming that your earlier degree was taught in English instead of an IELTS score, which can save you the exam fee. It’s decided course by course, though, so always check the admission page of the program you want.

Also read: Fully Funded Scholarships in Austria Without IELTS 2026

1. DAAD Scholarship

If you ask around, most people’s first answer is DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service. DAAD supports well over 100,000 German and international students and researchers every year, and it’s the biggest and most competitive name on this list. For applicants from developing countries, the main route is the Development-Related Postgraduate Courses program (EPOS), which is aimed at graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries.

What it actually pays for:

DAAD’s own overview currently lists €992 a month for master’s students and €1,300 for doctoral candidates. The program also pays a travel allowance and a contribution toward health, accident, and liability insurance. Under certain conditions you can get a monthly rent subsidy and an allowance for accompanying family members. For courses taught in German, the scholarship includes a preparatory German course. One more thing: DAAD scholarships don’t pay the €1,500 per semester fee that Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students, so check fees before you pick a course. Rates are updated from time to time, so confirm the current amount on the DAAD page for your program.

Who realistically qualifies:

You’ll need a bachelor’s degree (normally four years) in a related subject, at least two years of relevant professional experience, and a clear development-related motivation. DAAD looks for above-average academic results, so strong grades matter. If you only have semester-wise results, our GPA calculator will give you the cumulative figure.

About the IELTS question: DAAD doesn’t set one language rule for everyone. For the development-related master’s courses, you need proof of English that meets the requirements of the specific course you apply to, and many courses ask for IELTS or TOEFL. If a course is taught in German, you’ll need a German certificate and have to pass DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before it starts (DAAD pays for a preparatory German course). Open the course page and read its language rules before you spend money on a test.

Documents to start gathering three months out: the DAAD application form, a Europass CV, a motivation letter (this one carries real weight; don’t rush it), two recommendation letters, transcripts and degree certificates, your English proficiency proof, an employment certificate, and a passport copy.

DAAD deadlines are set course by course, so there’s no single date. Many fall in the autumn, and DAAD publishes a list of courses with their application deadlines on its website, so check the exact date for the course you want. Don’t wait for the last week to submit; applying early gives you room to fix a missing document.

To apply: pick your course from the DAAD scholarship pages, fill in the official DAAD application form, and follow that course’s instructions. You can apply for up to three courses, and you should explain your choices in your motivation letter. Applications sent to DAAD aren’t forwarded to the courses, so you also need to apply to the course itself.

2. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarship

This one leans political. It’s tied to the Green Party’s foundation, so if your background touches climate work, human rights, or civil society organizing, you’ll fit the applicant profile better than most.

International students who finished their first degree abroad can apply before starting a master’s in Germany, and PhD students can apply too. Priority goes to applicants from DAC countries (the official list of developing countries) who don’t yet live in Germany. Böll only funds master’s programs that last four semesters or more, and it has announced changes to which master’s applications it accepts from March 1, 2027, so read its current rules before you apply. The monthly amount depends on your status, so check Böll’s financial support page. You also get access to seminars, workshops, and a mentorship network.

Deadlines are March 1 and September 1 every year. The online portal opens about six weeks earlier, so for the March 1, 2027 round it opens around January 15. The September 1, 2026 deadline has already passed. German is required, even if your program is taught in English: Böll asks for at least B2 (or DSH 1).

More info: boell.de/en/scholarships

3. Deutschlandstipendium

Not every scholarship needs a sob story or a niche cause, this is the merit-based one. Any student, German or international, undergraduate or master’s, who already has a place at a participating university can apply, and it comes down mostly to grades, talent, and social commitment. PhD students can’t apply.

The catch is the amount: €300 a month, split evenly between a private sponsor and the federal government, for at least two semesters (you can reapply afterward). It’s smaller than DAAD or EMJM, but it’s also one of the more achievable ones precisely because it doesn’t depend on your income, and you get some genuinely useful networking with sponsors thrown in.

You apply through your own university, and each one sets its own deadline, so check your university’s Deutschlandstipendium page. You’ll typically need a CV, admission or enrollment proof, transcripts and school certificates, and evidence of any social involvement.

More info: deutschlandstipendium.de

4. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Scholarship

KAS is run by the foundation tied to Germany’s Christian Democratic party. Its international program is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and is aimed at international students and doctoral candidates (bachelor’s students can apply after their second semester) who show leadership potential alongside academic strength. You’re also expected to identify with the foundation’s values.

Recent KAS information lists about €992 a month for master’s students and €1,200 or more for PhD candidates. Amounts change, so confirm the current rate on kas.de. Scholars also get a seminar program and individual support. Beyond the money, KAS is fairly explicit that it wants future leaders, people likely to go home afterward and do something with the experience.

The deadline for the international program is July 15 each year at 12:00 noon (CET). The July 15, 2026 deadline has passed, so the next one should be July 15, 2027, but confirm it on kas.de. Other KAS programs, including the general program for students already in Germany, use different dates, so make sure you’re reading the international program page. You’ll need a CV, a motivation letter, admission proof, transcripts, reference letters, and a German certificate at B2 level at least.

More info: kas.de/en/scholarship

5. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Scholarship

FES is the social-democratic counterpart to KAS, but it works differently in one important way: it only funds international students who already live in Germany and study at a German university. If you’re still applying from abroad, this isn’t an option yet. It looks for strong grades and social or political engagement, and applications have to be written in German, so your motivation letter needs to actually speak to that, not just restate your CV.

On its English scholarship page, FES lists €992 a month for international students and €1,500 for postgraduates, and income above a set limit is credited against the stipend. You need very good German, because the application and the seminar program are in German.

Deadlines are usually November 30 and May 31 each year, but confirm the exact round on the FES page (the next ones would be November 30, 2026 and May 31, 2027). Expect to submit a CV, a motivation letter, transcripts, references, and proof of your German skills.

More info: fes.de/studienfoerderung

6. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM)

If funding amount is your main filter, this is probably the one to look at hardest. EMJM is a master’s degree delivered by universities in several European countries, so instead of settling into one university for two years, you get a genuinely multi-country experience, which looks good on a CV and, frankly, is a fun way to study. Not every program includes a German university, so check the course list.

There’s no age limit and it’s open to anyone with a completed bachelor’s from any country. The scholarship covers tuition and insurance, a contribution to travel and installation, and €1,400 a month for the length of the program (up to 24 months). Only the top-ranked applicants to each program get one, and it’s awarded by the program itself, not by one central office.

Each program sets its own academic and language requirements, and many ask for IELTS or TOEFL. You’ll typically need transcripts, a CV, reference letters, a motivation letter, and your passport. Each consortium also sets its own deadline, and many fall between October and January, so check the specific joint master’s you’re targeting.

More info: erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities

7. KAAD Scholarship

KAAD stands for Katholischer Akademischer Ausländer-Dienst, the Catholic Academic Exchange Service, and it’s funded by the Catholic Church in Germany and the German government. It’s built for graduates from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East who live in a developing or emerging country (KAAD works through partner committees in its focus countries, so check whether yours is covered) and want to study in Germany and then actually go back and use what they learned at home.

Only master’s, PhD, and other postgraduate or research applicants are considered, no bachelor’s. KAAD asks for Catholic or other Christian affiliation, but people of other religions can be funded if Catholic partners propose them and they’re willing to engage in interreligious dialogue. You’ll also need a university degree and professional experience in your home country, and your studies should lead to a permanent return to your home region, otherwise the scholarship is treated as a loan.

KAAD pays a monthly stipend, a contribution to health insurance, and travel costs, and it can fund a German course of up to six months in Germany. Exact amounts depend on KAAD’s current rates, so ask the partner committee in your country or check kaad.de. Expect mandatory seminars and mentoring as part of the program.

Applications go through the partner committee in your region, so ask them for the exact deadline. KAAD’s selection committees meet twice a year, and applications from countries without a partner committee are only considered in exceptional cases. You’ll need the application form, a CV, a motivation letter, your admission letter (for master’s and PhD), transcripts and degree certificates, references, and a German certificate: at least B1, or at least A2 if your program is taught in English. KAAD expects you to take a preparatory German course in your home country.

KAAD looks for above-average academic performance together with religious and social commitment, and it expects your studies to lead to a permanent return to your home region. If you’ve got real volunteer or community experience, mention it prominently.

Start with KAAD’s official page (kaad.de/en/scholarships) and the online application linked there, and contact your regional partner committee first.

Germany Scholarships Comparison Table 2026–2027