The Heinrich Boll Foundation is a German political foundation that supports the values of democracy, ecology, solidarity, and non-violence. The foundation grants scholarships to approximately 1500 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students of all subjects and nationalities per year, who are pursuing their degree at universities, universities of applied sciences, or universities of the arts in Germany.
The Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships are open for international students who want to study in Germany for the academic year 2024-2025. The scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, social commitment, political interest, and alignment with the foundation’s goals and values. The scholarships cover the entire duration of the program and provide financial support for tuition fees, living expenses, and research allowance.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled or accepted in a full-time or part-time program at a state or state-recognized university, university of applied sciences, or university of the arts in Germany.
- Have a very good school or university academic record.
- Have a social commitment and political interest.
- Have convincing reasons for applying to the Heinrich Boll Foundation.
- Have an active interest in the basic values of the foundation: ecology and sustainability, democracy and human rights, self determination and justice.
- Have a sufficient knowledge of German language (minimum requirement: DSH 2 or TestDaF B2).
Financial Coverage
The Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships provide the following financial benefits to the selected scholars:
- For undergraduate and master’s students: a maximum monthly stipend of €649 and €300 for the book allowance.
- For doctoral students: a monthly stipend of €1350 and €100 for the research allowance.
- Additional benefits such as health insurance, family allowance, travel allowance, and conference funding may be available depending on the individual situation and the availability of funds.
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Requirements
Applicants for the Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships must fulfill the following requirements:
- Submit a complete and accurate online application form with all the required documents before the deadline.
- Participate in an interview with a liaison lecturer of the foundation if shortlisted.
- Participate in a selection workshop in Berlin if invited.
- Accept the scholarship agreement and the conditions of the scholarship program if selected.
- Maintain a regular contact with the foundation and report on the progress of their studies and research.
- Participate in the activities and events of the foundation and its regional groups.
Document Requirements
Applicants for the Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships must submit the following documents along with their online application form:
- A copy of their school leaving certificate or university entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, IB, A-levels, etc.).
- A copy of their university degree certificate and transcript of records (if applicable).
- A proof of enrollment or admission letter from the university in Germany (if available).
- A proof of German language proficiency (e.g. DSH, TestDaF, Goethe-Zertifikat, etc.).
- A curriculum vitae (CV) in tabular form.
- A motivation letter (maximum two pages) explaining why they are applying to the Heinrich Boll Foundation, what are their main areas of interest and expertise, and how do they plan to contribute to the foundation’s goals and values.
- An outline of their research project (for doctoral students only) including the research question, methodology, literature review, timetable, and bibliography (maximum five pages).
- Two letters of recommendation from professors or other academic staff who can assess the applicant’s academic performance and potential (for doctoral students only).
Application Procedure
How to Apply
The application procedure for the Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships consists of the following steps:
- Check if you are among the special focus groups in the current application round. The foundation gives preference to certain groups of applicants in each round, such as students of engineering, natural sciences, law, journalism, etc. The focus groups are announced on the foundation’s website.
- Register for the online application portal and provide the requested information.
- Upload all the required documents in PDF format and submit your application before the deadline.
- Wait for the notification of the pre-selection results. If you are shortlisted, you will be invited for an interview with a liaison lecturer of the foundation.
- Wait for the notification of the final selection results. If you are invited, you will have to participate in a selection workshop in Berlin, where you will have to present your motivation and research project and interact with other applicants and selection committee members.
- Wait for the notification of the scholarship offer. If you are selected, you will have to accept the scholarship agreement and the conditions of the scholarship program.
Deadline
The Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships have two application deadlines per year: March 1 and September 1. The deadlines are valid for the online application and the submission of the documents. The pre-selection interviews and the selection workshops take place in the following months.