Applications are now being received for the SBW Berlin Scholarships for International Students. The SBW Berlin Scholarship supports young people from abroad who have a financially disadvantaged family background and use the skills they acquire during their studies in Germany to boost long-term non-profit projects, preferably in their home countries.

This scholarship to study on the European continent is awarded for Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Berlin and Potsdam on the basis of the student’s academic qualifications, personal aptitudes and social needs. In general, all scientific and artistic disciplines can be funded. In special cases, the scholarship program also assists vocational Training in Berlin or Potsdam. Funding of studies in your home country or in other German federal states is excluded.

The SBW Berlin scholarship program provides that the stay of the students is limited to the duration of their studies. SBW Berlin grants this scholarship in the form of a loan, which is repayable after the end of the funding period. There is no obligation to repay the loan if they return to their home country after completing their studies.

Program Details

• Host Institution: Universities in Berlin or Potsdam, Germany.
• Field of Study: Available programs at host universities.
• Number of awards: The program can award as many scholarships as there are vacancies.
• Duration: Up to 48 months, depending on the standard duration of studies in the discipline you have chosen.
• Target group: Open to citizens of Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.

SBW Berlin Scholarships for International Students Benefits

SBW Berlin bears the necessary living expenses of the scholarship holders for the duration of their scholarship. A full scholarship includes:

1. a room in our shared student flats in Berlin,
2. cost-of-living allowance currently in the amount of 480 Euro per month,
3. tuition fees,
4. possibly also a travel allowance for the journey to Berlin before the start of your studies and for the journey home after you have completed your studies.

First payments can only be made after the scholarship holder moved into the student flat.

SBW Berlin Scholarships for International Students Eligibility

To apply for this university scholarship program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• between 18 and 30 years old
• average grades correspond with a German grade point average of at least 2.0 (B+ and higher; Upper Second Class; 80% or higher)
• application before the start of their university education or fully enrolled in the first, second or max. third semester at a state-recognized university (in Germany or abroad) or application for a Master’s degree shortly before or after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree
• able to prove that they have not stayed in Germany for more than 18 months before the application
• no first-degree family members who reside permanently in Germany
• strong intention to work in their country of origin for at least 18 months after graduation or to engage in non-profit work until the repayment plan has been fulfilled
• professional or Volunteer experience in the non-profit sector and
• able to prove a relatively low net income.
• applicants must also have one of the following profile
  • Foreign nationals, whose home countries appear to have a particular need for development assistance. This applies particularly to many countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America due to their current economic and/or social situation.
  • Homeless foreigners
  • Recognized refugees
  • Holders of a settlement permit
  • Holders of an EU long-term residence permit
  • Students from EU and EEA countries who have already worked in Germany in an activity related to their studies, before taking up their studies
  • Students from EU/EEA countries with a permanent right of residence as defined by the Freedom of Movement Act (Freizügigkeitsgesetz EU).

Applicants who do not meet all the requirements stated above cannot be considered.

Similar opportunities

1. Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships in Germany;
2. Italian Government Scholarship for Foreign and Italian Citizens;
3. CSA Group Graduate Scholarship To Study in Canada.

How to Apply for the SBW Berlin Scholarships for International Students?

Eligible applicants who would like to apply for this scholarship must click on the “apply” button below and follow given instructions to submit their application. Furthermore, applicants must prepare the following documents as they must be uploaded while filling out the application form:

1. project description ( 2-5 pages long). Please click here to read more about the project description.
2. current curriculum vitae.
3. information about the net household income.
4. copy of the last school or university certificate that shows the grade point average and a grade overview.
5. copy of the highest academic degree (high school diploma or university certificate) that shows the grade point average and a grade overview.

If available, copies of the following documents should also be included:

• qualification for university entrance
• admission to the university in Berlin or Potsdam where you intend to study (or are already studying)
• internationally recognized language certificate for the language in which your studies will be taught
• all previous work, training, apprenticeship, and internship certificates and references
• all already obtained university certificates and records of achievements (graded and ungraded).

It’s recommended that all applicants submit the following additional documents, which are not mandatory:

• One or two letters of recommendation from professors, schoolteachers, employers, etc.
• Evidence of the net household income (If you only provided information of the total net household income on the application form, you will be asked to submit further documentation proofing the household net income by the verification process.)

Your letter of motivation should address at least the following questions:

1. Why did you choose this field of study?
2. What past experiences do you have in volunteering or working in the non-profit sector?
3. What is your initial project idea? Who is the target group? What social value does your project have and how does it benefit your home country?
4. What career goals do you have after completing your studies? Where do you see yourself after your studies and once you have returned to your home country? What do you want to do there?
5. Why should we select you as a scholarship recipient?

Only complete applications will be considered. For any inquiry, please click here to contact the scholarship provider.

The application deadline is June 30, 2023. The final decision whether a scholarship (starting the following semester) will be granted can be expected mid-February and mid-August. For more details on the SBW Berlin Scholarships for International Students, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.