You can apply for financial aid in the amount of 1,000 euros either at the beginning of your studies (first semester) or at the end of your studies (within the last 12 months of your studies). Funding is available on a one-time basis.
They are grants.
They therefore do not have to be repaid.
The funding is limited. Once the funds are exhausted, the remaining applications will no longer be considered and the fund will be closed.
There is no legal entitlement.
Applications are submitted exclusively via the online application portal.
Applications will be processed in the order in which they are received until the funds are exhausted.
Applications are processed in the order in which they are received.
The duration of the processing is therefore based on the volume of applications.
If this is very high (as was the case in past rounds), it unfortunately takes longer.
Once the fund is exhausted, the remaining applications are no longer considered and the fund is closed.
You are eligible for funding if you are enrolled at a cooperative university at the time of application:
- You are enrolled at a cooperation university,
- Are registered in Germany and
- Either you are taking up a course of study in Berlin for the first time and are in your first semester,
- Or you can complete your degree within the next 12 months and still have open coursework (e.g. practical semester, modules or thesis).
Guest students, doctoral students or students on leave of absence are not eligible for funding.
The application is submitted exclusively online via the barrier-free online application portal provided for this purpose.
All documents and declarations are requested when submitting the application via the application portal.
The application process can be paused in between, i.e. you can interrupt the application process and continue it at a later time. If you do not complete your application in the same month in which you started it, please pay attention to the required period for the account statements (see below).
Identity, eligibility to apply and personal eligibility will be verified on the basis of the following documents:
- Identity card or passport/residence permit (visa) in connection with the registration confirmation
- Current certificate of enrolment
- Letter of application (description of personal situation and reasons for the application, description of motivation for studying/ subject of study and how the studies are planned (e.g. duration of studies, date of graduation, planned internships, semesters abroad)
- Complete curriculum vitae (as for a job application, i.e. including periods of unemployment, etc.)
- Information on the progress of your studies (please use this form only)
- Information on the intended use, i.e. what you would like to buy or finance with the grant
- If applicable, proof of disability
- Complete bank statements from the previous month for the main account. For example, if you apply in April, you will need the bank statements from March.
Important: The grant application portal only accepts three file formats: jpg / jpeg, png and pdf.
At the request of studierendenWERK, further suitable evidence must be submitted, e.g.:
In order to check social neediness on the basis of social factors and reasons for burden, corresponding information and, upon request, the upload of the relevant supporting documents are required.
Only complete applications will be processed.
Please check your application for completeness before submitting it. Missing documents cannot be submitted later and will not be requested!
Further information on what you need to consider before sending the application can be found further down on this page.
Exclusion criteria for funding are e.g.:
- Incomplete documents (see above the list of required documents as well as required information in the application portal, e.g. name on bank statements, etc.).
- Formal requirements (see above for a list of formal requirements) not fulfilled.
- Financial or social neediness not present
- Assets too high
- Debts too high
- Payment of the grant for the start or completion of studies by studierendenWERK BERLIN already received
- Visa/ID document has expired at the time of application
Yes, a residence in Germany is required. Only the official registration confirmation serves as proof.
A tenancy agreement or a housing provider certificate is not sufficient.
Registration certificates must be applied for at the Citizens' Registration Office.