FAQs

The funding period is usually two semesters and principally covers the standard duration of the respective study programme.

A scholarship can be extended. If you wish to continue receiving the Deutschlandstipendium, you will have to reapply and go through the application procedure once again. 

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena awards Deutschlandstipendium scholarships every winter semester (1 October).

A scholarship can be extended. If you wish to continue receiving the Deutschlandstipendium, you will have to reapply and go through the application procedure once again. The Committee will then assess your talent and performances demonstrated during the past funding period.

If the leave of absence is due to personal or family-related reasons, e.g. pregnancy, upbringing of children, or care of a close relative, funding will be discontinued. Once you continue your studies, the funding period will be extended by the duration of your leave of absence. If the leave of absence is due to a semester abroad or a compulsory internship, funding will continue. In this case, the funding period will not be extended.

This depends on the type and amount of funding. In general, students who already receive an average of at least €30 a month in financial support based on their talent and performance cannot receive a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. For a more detailed tabular overview on the legitimacy of receiving other funding concurrently to the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship, please see hereExternal link (in German only).

The funding ends when:

• the student leaves the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (e.g. by transferring to another institution of higher education);
• the student transfers to a different study programme within the Friedrich Schiller University Jena;
• the student reaches the the end of the standard period of study and thus the maximum funding period (exceptions are possible); or
• the student completes or drops out from their studies at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

Applications are open to students of all nationalities and subject areas who are enrolled at the University of Jena or who will be enrolled in the future (i.e. during the next funding period).

Funding is generally possible for all degrees, i.e. also for second or complementary degree programmes, master’s programmes, or programmes in tandem with employment. Part-time students and prospective students who are yet to be admitted can also apply for the Deutschlandstipendium.

Neither doctoral candidates nor students who will have exceeded the standard length of their study programme during the funding period (exceptions are possible) are eligible to receive funding.

Yes, students can apply irrespective of their nationality, as long as they are or will be enrolled at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena by the beginning of the funding period.

Yes, university applicants are also eligible to apply. In order for a scholarship to be awarded, you need to be enrolled at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena by the beginning of the funding period.

Yes. In this case, please attach the latest school report and submit the school leaving certificate immediately upon receipt to www.uni-jena.de/service-dsExternal link de.

No, doctoral candidates are not eligible for funding in the framework of the Deutschlandstipendium. Please see here for information on doctoral fellowships. If you have questions concerning scholarships for doctoral candidates, please turn to the staff of the Graduate Academy of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

Yes, students in a second undergraduate study programme or postgraduate programme can apply as well.

Yes, part-time students can apply for a scholarship, too.

Students who will have exceeded the standard length of their study programme during the funding period can generally not receive funding from the Deutschlandstipendium. If the standard period of study is prolonged for serious reasons such as disabilities, a pregnancy, care and upbringing of a child, or a subject-specific stay abroad, you can request the extension of the maximum funding period.

Applications for the Deutschlandstipendium can only be submitted online via the application form, which is made available during the application period. Applications will only be accepted and processed if they are correctly submitted with all the necessary attachments within this period. Please note that you will not be reminded of any missing documents.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept or consider applications that we receive outside the application period. You cannot apply via post or email. If you do not use the online form, the application will be considered invalid and discarded.

The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship offers financial support to especially talented, high-achieving and committed students. Apart from previous performances at school or university, your personal background, commitment, and special social, family, or personal circumstances are taken into account. (Please also refer to the Guidelines of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.)

This is how you prove academic achievements at school and/or university (grade certificates):

• prospective students enrolling onto their first university semester: copy of university entrance qualification or most recent school report (if leaving certificate is yet to be obtained)
• undergraduates and students in teacher training in their first and second semester enrolled in this subject: copy of university entrance qualification and proof of academic achievements (current overview of marks with average mark from Friedolin)
• undergraduates and students in teacher training in their third subject-specific semester and beyond: proof of academic achievements (current overview of marks with average mark from Friedolin)
• current and prospective master’s students: copy of bachelor’s certificate and proof of academic achievements (current overview of marks with average mark from Friedolin)
• in the case of foreign university entrance qualifications / university degrees: a certified translation (except for certificates issued in English) into German or English and a conversion into the German grading system
  
  
• medical students:
  • in the pre-clinical part of the programme: overview of achievements in the first part of medical training
  • in the clinical part of the programme: copy of the grade certificate of the first part of the state examination in medicine and, where applicable, a transcript of records from the second part of medical training
• dentistry students
  • in the pre-clinical part of the programme: overview of achievements in the first part of dental training
  • in the clinical part of the programme: copy of grade certificate for the preclinical dentistry examination
• law students: an up-to-date certificate of assessed coursework and examinations, indicating the average number of points attained, if applicable, the intermediate examination certificate (Zwischenprüfungszeugnis)
• pharmacy students: an up-to-date assessment of academic achievements to apply for a scholarship and, if applicable, a copy of the certificate of the first part of the state examination in pharmacy

If an average grade is stated in the grade certificate (from Friedolin), this must be entered.

If no average grade is given in the grade transcript, the average grade is calculated as follows: 

    The average grade is calculated from the grades of all subjects equally, provided that these grades are documented in the transcript of records. 

    Only the unweighted average grade of all grades contained in the transcript of records at the time of application can be calculated. 

    If a current transcript of records is available, only this will be recognized for the calculation of the grade point average. Only in cases where no current transcript of records is available or no grades have yet been entered in it during the current course of study can the last examination grade be used to calculate the grade point average.

    The grade point average must be calculated by the applicants themselves. The grade entered in the application form will be checked on the basis of the evidence submitted and adjusted if necessary. 

Please note that the grade calculated and entered by you is only a guideline that serves as a guide. The basis for the assessment of your academic performance is the transcript of records that is uploaded with the online application and assessed by the admissions committee.

In the case of foreign university entrance qualifications / university degrees, a certified translation (except for certificates issued in English) into German or English is required. In addition, you must submit a conversion of the grades into the German grading system.

Letters of reference can be submitted. They will be considered in the selection procedure if they are written specifically for your application for a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship.

An applicant’s commitment is one of the selection criteria of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. This refers to a voluntary activity such as commitment to society, social issues, higher education policy, the environment, or politics. It can only be considered if it dates back no more than two years at the start of the application period. For special commitment to be considered, you need to submit copies of documents that prove your commitment and provide information about the type of activity and its duration.

Awards and prizes won in national (federal and state-level) or international competitions in the areas of science, art, or sports will be considered if they are no older than two years at the beginning of the application period.

Internships will be taken into account if they had a minimum duration of 4 weeks and if they were not compulsory in the framework of the respective study and examination regulations. Vocational training will be taken into account if it had a minimum duration of 2 years. The internship, vocational training, or employment must not date back more than two years at the beginning of the application period.

You can make changes to the application form and upload additional documents until the end of the application period.

If you are yet to receive your certificate of student status, admission notification, university entrance qualification certificate (Abiturzeugnis), or first university degree certificate by the end of the application deadline, you must submit these documents immediately upon their receipt (via service desk: www.uni-jena.de/service-dsExternal link de).

Please note that we will only forward full applications to the Scholarship Committee. We will not notify you of any missing documents.

Please do not call or email. If your application was submitted successfully, you will receive an automatic notification.

In the selection procedure, students studying at more than one faculty will generally be assigned to the faculty at which they exercise their right to vote in University elections. In the online application, please select the faculty at which you exercise your right to vote.

Based on the application and supporting documents submitted, scholarships are awarded by the Scholarship Committee of the Senate. The Committee is made up of the following:

• the members of the Senate's Committee for Academic Affairs,
• the Equal Opportunities Officer, and
• the Head of the Division for Student Affairs.

Applications approved by the Scholarship Committee are subject to further approval by the Vice-President for Learning and Teaching, who then grants the scholarships.

Please see here for a time line of the application and selection procedure.

Yes. Upon completion of the selection procedure, all applicants will be notified on the decision made on their application. The letters of approval / rejection are expected to be sent out by mid-August. In the case that your postal or email address has changed since the application, we kindly ask you to notify us. Please do not call or email asking for a status update.