Scholarships and funding
Do you want to spend time abroad studying or writing your final thesis but aren't sure how to cover the costs? On this page you can find the most important funding programmes to help you take the leap and go abroad. The various programmes differ in terms of who provides the funding and in terms of the destination region and/or measure.
Please gather information about the individual funding programmes well ahead of time. Each programme has different application requirements and deadlines. Some application deadlines are one year in advance of the beginning of your planned stay abroad.
You can find information about scholarships for an internship abroad here.
Funding through the International Office
Erasmus+ (Europe)
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Eramus+ is an educational programme run by the European Union which was initiated in 1987 to promote cross-border mobility of students within Europe. The programme enables you to study at a HAW Hamburg partner university in one of the EU states or one of the other European programme countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia or Turkey).
What is special about the Erasmus programme is that the awarding of a study place at a European partner university is accompanied by financial support through an Erasmus scholarship for at least three months per semester. This pairing of a study place and financial support makes the programme especially attractive for students.
The amount of funding depends on the country where you spend your study semester and is based on the cost of living there. Funding amounts can vary from year to year. The minimum duration of funding per semester is three complete months.
For stays in the 2020/21 academic year (WS2020/21 and SS2021), the following amounts apply:
- Country group 1: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom: €450/month (€15/day)
- Country group 2: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus: €390/month (€13/day)
- Country group 3: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary: €330/month (€11/day)
You can find information about the Erasmus+ programme and applying for a study place/scholarship here.
The programme also provides financial support for an internship stay of at least two months in another European country.
PROMOS (for the USA and Australia only)
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Through the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) PROMOS programme (a programme to increase the mobility of students at German universities funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research), the International Office awards scholarships for a study semester at a partner university in the USA or Australia. These are partial scholarships to cover the costs of the stay and total €1,400 per semester (€350 per month for four months – 2021).
Students who are awarded a study place at one of HAW Hamburg's partner universities in the USA or Australia will be automatically suggested for a PROMOS scholarship. No further application is necessary or possible. Due to the limited funds, we unfortunately cannot guarantee that you will receive a PROMOS scholarship. If a selection process is necessary due to limited funding, this will take place on the basis of the rankings lists generated by the student exchange coordinators during the selection interviews for study places in the HAW goes USA and HAW Down Under programmes
Please note:
- If your application for a HAW.International scholarship from DAAD is successful, you cannot receive the PROMOS scholarship. Double funding is not possible.
- If the funding available is greater than the number of students eligible to receive scholarships for stays in the USA and Australia, the remaining funds will be used for HAW Worldwide scholarships.
PROMOS programme coordinator: Sabrina Schöne
HAW Worldwide scholarships (overseas)
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Students who undertake a study semester, internship or final thesis in another European country (outside the European Erasmus+ countries) for a duration of at least three months (study) or two months (final thesis, internship) can apply to the International Office for a HAW Worldwide scholarship (partial scholarship). The limited funds available stem from the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) PROMOS programme, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Eduation and Research (BMBF); from the Karl H. Ditze Foundation; and from the Hamburg Ministry for Science, Research, Equality and Districts (BWFGB).
Application deadline:
We will be offering these scholarships again in 2021. It is currently unclear when the call for applications will be published and when the deadline will be. As soon as these dates have been determined, we will provide information here and via the HAW Hamburg student e-mail list (updated: 3 December 2020).
Additional information and documents:
DAAD language proficiency certificate
Final thesis approval form
Summer school scholarship (worldwide)
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Students who take part in a summer school at a European or non-European university can apply to the International Office for a partial scholarship.
Application deadline:
Scholarships for 2021 will likely be provided. It is currently unclear when the call for applications will be published and when the deadline will be. The call for applications will take place in April 2021 at the earliest, and possibly later. As soon as these dates have been determined, we will provide information here and via the HAW Hamburg student e-mail list (updated: 3 December 2020).
Funding from external organisations
HAW.International (worldwide)
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With the HAW.International programme, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has started a programme exclusively for HAW Hamburg students in order to support the mobility of this target group. Funding is available for study visits and stays abroad as part of a final thesis. The programme provides a full scholarship (monthly scholarship amount, travel subsidy, contribution to insurance), which makes it especially attractive.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.
Please note:
- Participants in the Erasmus programme are not eligible for this scholarship.
- If your application for a HAW.International scholarship from DAAD is successful, you cannot receive a PROMOS scholarship or the HAW Worldwide scholarship from the HAW Hamburg International Office. Double funding is not permitted.
One-year scholarships for study abroad stays (worldwide)
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Through the one-year scholarship programme, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) aims to provide students with the opportunity to gain international experience through a longer study stay abroad. The idea is that students should pursue their own individual study interests and develop in the best possible way, both personally and academically. Funding is available for one-year stays abroad in countries other than the Erasmus+ programme countries. The programme provides a full scholarship (monthly scholarship amount, travel subsidy, contribution to insurance), which makes it especially attractive.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.
Summer school scholarships (Eastern Europe)
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- Go East summer and winter schools in Eastern Europe (in German only) (summer school combined with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD))
BAföG (student financial assistance) for study abroad
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Students who would like to complete a semester abroad can apply for BAföG for study abroad. BaföG for study abroad can be combined with various scholarships. The scholarship amounts are deducted from the BAföG contribution.
The application should be submitted to the office responsible six months before the start of your study abroad semester. Please be sure to always note in your application whether you have applied for any scholarships, and which ones.
HAW.International for travel to congresses and trade fairs (worldwide)
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If you are completing Master's or doctoral studies and would like to actively participate in a trade fair or congress in another country, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers funding for this purpose.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.
Contact information
Marina Leß
International Office – Study Abroad and ERASMUS+ Coordinator
Student Center
Stiftstraße 69, room 230
20099 Hamburg
T +49 40 428 75-9181
support_outgoings (@) haw-hamburg.de
Office hours:
Tuesday: 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Thursday: 2:00–5:00 pm