What are Heinrich Boll Scholarships?

Heinrich Boll Scholarships are grants offered by the Heinrich Boll Foundation to support international students in pursuing higher education.

When is the application deadline for Heinrich Boll Scholarships?

Application deadlines for Heinrich Boll Scholarships may vary by program and country. Check the official website for specific dates.c

What types of programs do Heinrich Boll Scholarships support?

Heinrich Boll Scholarships generally support a wide range of academic fields, including social sciences, environmental studies, and more. Check the foundation's website for specific program details.

2022-02-14 |

Countries

Heinrich Böll Scholarships: Application Guide

How do I apply for Heinrich Boll Foundation scholarship?

By Grad-Dreams

Germany

Scholarships and Financial Aid

HEINRICH BOLL SCHOLARSHIPS

Every year, the Heinrich Boll Foundation awards roughly 1,200 scholarships to German and international undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students in German higher education institutions studying any subject. Heinrich Boll Scholarship applicants must have excellent academic achievements as well as be politically and socially active. They should also be passionate about the foundation's core values, which include environmental sustainability, human rights and democracy, and justice and self-determination.

The foundation, in particular, offers scholarships in accordance with the Foreign Office's and Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research's requirements (BMBF). Scholarships are available for the duration of the academic year.

#Reward amount

Undergraduate and graduate students may earn a monthly stipend of up to USD 713 plus USD 330 in book money if they were educated in Germany. EU nationals who were not educated in Germany may get a monthly stipend of up to USD 713 plus USD 330 in book money. The amount of money given depends on the recipient's or their parents' personal or parental income and assets. Non-EU nationals who were not educated in Germany will earn USD 934 per month in addition to other individual allowances.

For doctorate students, students educated in Germany and EU nationals (not educated in Germany) will get USD 1484 per month, plus USD 110 per month for research expenses. Non-EU nationals who were not educated in Germany will receive USD 1319 per month in addition to USD 110 per month in mobility allowance and other specific allowances.

#ELIGIBILITY

Students must achieve specific requirements in order to be considered for Heinrich Boll Scholarships. Students educated in Germany, students educated in one of the EU member states (excluding Germany), and students educated anyplace other than EU member states have various qualifying requirements. The requirements for various kinds of students, such as mobility allowance and numerous individual allowances, are listed below.

#For undergraduate and graduate students

Requirements	German/Foreign students (educated in Germany)	EU nationals (not educated in Germany)	Non-EU nationals (not educated in Germany)
Eligible courses	All	All	All
Eligible host universities	state or state-approved universities in Germany or other EU member states	state or state-approved universities in Germany or other EU member states	state or state-approved universities in Germany
German proficiency proof	-	Level DSH 2 or B2 (certificate required)	Level DSH 2 or B2 (certificate required)
Earliest application date	Immediately before the start of studies	Immediately before the start of studies	Immediately before the start of studies
Degree required to qualify for the scholarship	First degree only (Diploma, Bachelors, and Staatsexamen)	Master’s degree only (first professional qualification proof must be provided)	Master’s degree only (first professional qualification proof must be provided)
Latest application date	During your degree course’s third semester (enclosed student registration required)	During your degree course’s first semester (enclosed student registration required)	During your degree course’s first semester (enclosed student registration required)

For doctoral students

Requirements	German/Foreign students (educated in Germany)	EU nationals (not educated in Germany)	Non-Enatnals (not educated in Germany)
Regular scholarship period	Two years (maybe extended two times at the most by half a year)	Two years (maybe extended two times at the most by half a year)	Two years (maybe extended two times at the most by half a year)
German proficiency proof	–	Level DSH 2 or B2 (certificate required)	Level DSH 2 or B2 (certificate required)
Eligible fields	All (subjects related to the foundation’s basic values will be given priority)	All (subjects related to the foundation’s basic values will be given priority)	All (subjects related to the foundation’s basic values will be given priority)
Application date	Preliminary work must have been finished and the submission of a valid timetable for completion is required	Preliminary work must have been finished and the submission of a valid timetable for completion is required	Preliminary work must have been finished and the submission of a valid timetable for completion is required
Doctoral studies Admission	Proof of doctoral studies admission at a state or state-approved university must be attached to the application	Proof of doctoral studies admission at a state or state-approved university must be attached to the application	Proof of doctoral studies admission at a state or state-approved university must be attached to the application

#APPLICATION PROCESS

What is the procedure for applying for Heinrich Boll Scholarships?

Only online applications are accepted by the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Around six weeks before the application deadline, the internet portal goes live. To apply for the scholarship, follow these steps:

Check the Heinrich Boll Foundation's official website for the next deadline.
The form is available through the foundation's web portal.
Complete the form to the best of your ability.
To the online application, upload the relevant documents in PDF format.
Before the deadline, submit the completed application together with all required documentation.

#Required documents

The following are the documentation that applicants must submit in order to be considered for the scholarship:

An application form that is completely and correctly filled out, as well as the applicant's personal data and CV, motivation for applying, motivation for studying the chosen subject, an outline of his or her political interests and social convictions, and an outline of the Ph.D. thesis project (for doctoral students only).
A copy of the applicant's Abitur or baccalaureate university entry qualification. If necessary, include an English or German translation by a professional translator.
If an applicant has already started his or her studies, he or she must give a list of all study certificates received to date.
Foreign applicants seeking a master's degree must submit a certified copy of their first-degree certificate (with English or German translation if required). Applicants will also be required to explain their grading system if it differs from the German system.
Certificate of enrollment for students.
A 1-2 page reference from a representative of an organization or institution on the applicant's social commitment.
A one- to two-page expert reference from a university/college lecturer or a schoolteacher (in case of secondary-level students). Doctoral scholarship applicants must provide two expert references.
Doctoral students must also submit a detailed description of their research project.

#SELECTION PROCESS

The scholarship selection procedure is divided into three stages:

Stage 1: Submit a written application with all needed documentation, including an expert reference from a teacher or university lecturer and a personal reference on the applicant's social commitment. Each application is evaluated based on the applicant's academic record, political interests, social commitment, rationale for applying for the scholarship, and research proposal quality (in case of doctoral students).

Stage 2: Following the assessment of the application, an hour-long interview with a liaison lecturer is held, usually at the applicant's university or near his or her house. The interview can also be conducted over the phone. A report written by the liaison lecturer is included to the application after the interview.

Stage 3: Those that qualify will be required to attend a selection workshop in Berlin, which will include a group discussion and a personal interview.

At the end of each step, just a few applications are chosen. The applicants are informed in writing of the decisions made at each stage of the selection procedure. If a student fails to pass the first or second stage, they may reapply. Applicants who attended the selection workshop and were denied are not eligible to apply again.

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#GRANT DETAILS

The Heinrich Boll Foundation, based in Berlin-Mitte, awards scholarships to roughly 1,200 students each year to study at a German university. The foundation maintains offices in 32 countries, including France, Turkey, India, the United States, China, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East, and collaborates with over 100 partner initiatives in 60 countries. Its fundamental goal is to foster socio-political commitment, democratic will, and international understanding through political education around the world.