Funding & support programmes

Studying abroad is usually more expensive than studying at your home university. However, there are a number of funding options.

These include the so-called Auslands-BAföG, funding as part of the Erasmus+ programme and various scholarships.

BAföG abroad?

Foto: Jessica Braun

pictured: A dollar note and several coins

You are also legally entitled to the statutory funding measures under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) while studying abroad - provided you meet the eligibility requirements. The higher funding rates for training abroad can mean that you receive funding even though you do not receive any funding at home due to the level of your parents' income.

You can receive educational funding for a complete course of study within the EU or Switzerland - from the first semester until you obtain your foreign educational qualification. Following a stay abroad, you can also continue and complete your studies in Germany. The maximum funding period corresponds to the standard period of study specified in the study and examination regulations.

For studies in non-EU countries (with the exception of Switzerland) that are not part of a university cooperation, the funding period is generally one year. However, it can be extended by a further year and a half if the studies abroad are of particular importance to your education. If you are on an exchange at a partner university, you can receive BAföG for the entire period.

Financial support abroad is also available for students during their mandatory internship. For this, the internship must last at least twelve weeks if it is completed outside the EU. There are also other special regulations, which the International Offices can provide information on.

Under certain conditions, students abroad receive supplements to their BAföG rate:

for verifiably necessary tuition fees up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year
for travel costs within Europe for one outward and one return journey of 250 euros each, outside Europe for one outward and one return journey of 500 euros each
for any additional health insurance costs
for higher living costs outside the EU and Switzerland, foreign supplements depending on the country in question.

You should submit your application to the relevant international office at least six months before your departure. You can find the contact details of the international offices at www.bafög.de.

Funding programmes of the European Union

As part of Erasmus+, the European Union supports stays abroad for students in all EU member states and other countries worldwide. One or more study or internship periods abroad of at least two and a maximum of twelve months per study phase are possible - i.e. for Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral studies. Stays abroad for students on degree courses leading to a state examination (e.g. medicine or teaching) can be funded for up to 24 months.

In addition, the Erasmus+ programme offers the opportunity to complete short stays abroad of 5 to 30 days in the host country combined with a virtual phase in the home country as part of a blended mobility.

In addition to the regular funding rates for stays abroad with Erasmus+, the programme offers additional financial support for certain groups of students in the form of:

monthly top-up amounts and real cost support for students with a disability or chronic illness,
monthly top-up amounts and real cost support for students who go abroad with their children,
monthly top-up amounts for students from a non-academic family,
monthly top-up amounts for working students (under certain conditions).

An Erasmus grant for study abroad includes

Support in preparing for the stay abroad,
exemption from tuition fees at the host university,
academic recognition of academic achievements abroad
Support in preparing for the stay abroad,
EU internship contract between the university, host institution and student,
Support during the internship by contact persons at the home university and in the company,
academic recognition of the work done abroad,
Group 1 (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden): Study visits 600 euros, internships 750 euros
Group 2 (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus): Study visits 540 euros, internships 690 euros
Group 3 (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey): Study visits 490 euros, internships 640 euros

An Erasmus grant for an internship abroad includes

The financial support for students through Erasmus+ is based on the different costs of living in the target countries (“programme countries”).

Since 2022, the monthly funding rate for the Erasmus grant for the following three country groups is as follows:

Detailed information is available from the International Offices of the universities and from the German Academic Exchange Service.

ERASMUS-MUNDUS Master's degree programmes

Erasmus Mundus Master's degree programmes are international degree programmes that are offered jointly by several European and possibly non-European universities. All degree programmes include at least two compulsory mobility phases. Students can apply for full scholarships to participate in the programme.

The application and selection procedures are carried out by the coordinating universities. The coordinating universities will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the individual courses.

Scholarships

In addition to funding under the BAföG and EU funding programmes, there is a whole range of scholarships from various organizations. Some universities also have their own funding programmes.

DAAD scholarships

The DAAD has the largest contingent of scholarships with a variety of programmes - e.g. the “General Annual Scholarships” and numerous region- or subject-specific offers. These can be used to finance studies at a foreign university or an internship abroad.

You can find detailed information on funding opportunities on the DAAD website under the heading “Im Ausland studieren, forschen und lehren”. This page is in german only.

PROMOS

The Programme to Increase the Mobility of German Students (PROMOS) was developed to provide funding for shorter stays abroad (up to six months).

Funding is available for semesters abroad, internships, language courses, specialist courses and study and competition trips abroad. You can find out which PROMOS funding opportunities are available at your university from the International Office.

ASA learning programme

The ASA development policy learning programme offers students and young professionals between the ages of 21 and 30 a scholarship for a three-month study or work stay in Africa, Asia, Latin America or South-East Europe. The programme includes extensive preparatory and follow-up seminars in Germany. Further information and the application form can be found at www.asa-programm.de.

Stand: 09.07.2025