How can I finance my studies?

There are several different ways you can finance your studies in Germany. Many students work part-time alongside their full-time studies and thus also gain professional experience. Some take advantage of the opportunity to apply for a state loan or credit or finance their studies with the help of scholarships.

Picture: Ellen Lewis

Budget Planning

Before you start looking for a job or applying for a scholarship, find out more about the costs involved when studying in Germany and plan your budget accordingly.

Budget and Costs

Side Jobs

Many students turn to side jobs or part-time jobs during their studies so that they can find a way to make money in order to support themselves and their everyday lives as they concentrate on their studies. There are many possibilities to earn an income as a student. You can either apply for a job as a student assistant at the university or check out other part-time jobs elsewhere in the city of Darmstadt or surrounding areas.

Check out our links below for more information and resources on all topics regarding working when studying in Germany.

According to German Law (§16b para.1 AufenthG), you have the right to work during your studies.

  • International students can work 140 full days (full-time or 40 hours a week) per year
  • OR 280 half days (part-time or 20 hours a week) per year
  • International students cannot work as freelancers or as self-employed
  • International students may work as academic assistants within the university without a limit to the number of days you are allowed to work per year.

It is important to inform your designated Foreigners Office when you start a new job. We recommend sending the Foreigners Office an email with your full name, your birthdate and a copy of your job contract. They will get in touch with you directly if they require further information.

Scholarships and Awards

TU Darmstadt supports its international students with its own scholarship programmes and information on scholarship searches.

A scholarship gives you more time to concentrate on your studies and make initial contacts in the business world. The award is often tied to specific criteria, such as nationality, country of origin, age or degree programme. Commitment can pay off here. Once a year, the DAAD Prize for outstanding achievements and commitment is awarded to someone from the international student body at TU Darmstadt.

DAAD

List of scholarships from the DAAD and other organisations

TU Darmstadt's Scholarship Programmes:

The International Student Services Unit at the Directorate of International Affairs awards scholarships for more equal opportunities within the framework of the DAAD programme STIBET I framework. These scholarships are designed to support international students whose financial difficulties are directly related to individual challenges they face during their studies. To be eligible for this support, these challenges must arise from one or more of the following circumstances

  • First-generation students: Students who are the first in their family to pursue an academic career
  • Refugee background: Students with a refugee history
  • Disability and/or chronic illness: Students with a disability and/or chronic illness
  • Gender identity: Students who, because of their gender identity, face particular challenges in academic life
  • Care for relatives: Students who are responsible for the care of relatives of 1. and 2. degree.
  • Care for children: Students (especially single parents) that have to take care of children in their own household

Current Call for Applications:

  • Application period: 10.02.2025 – 10.03.2025
  • Funding start date upon approval: from 01.04.2025
  • The scholarship will be paid in six monthly instalments of €500 each (total €3,000).

Requirements:

International students can apply who:

  • are enrolled in a regular degree programme (Bachelor's, Master's or teaching degree programme) at the Technical University of Darmstadt (i.e. not as part of an exchange)
  • have acquired a higher education entrance qualification abroad or Studienkolleg in Germany.
  • do not have German citizenship

Award Procedure:

  • A scholarship committee makes its decision based on the submitted application documents.
  • In cases of doubt, applicants may be invited to a selection interview.
  • The decision-making process takes approx. 6-8 weeks, after which the decisions are sent out. For applicants, this means that decisions can be expected in November for the October-March funding period and in May for the April-September funding period.
  • Students can only be funded once in each degree programme

Please upload your complete application to the application portal.

The following documents must be uploaded:

  • Proof of income (bank statements of all accounts for the last three months)
  • Tabular CV

Other Documents:

Suitable evidence (in German or English) of the special challenges and living circumstances, e.g.:

  • Refugee Background
    • Proof of current residence status (especially residence permit according to §25 para. 1 or 2, §24 or §22)
    • BaföG notice or rejection
  • disability with a degree of at least 50% or chronic illness
    • Proof of disability degree of at least 50% (disability card) or medical certificate of the existing disability
    • Medical certificate of chronic illness with a description of the associated limitations
    • Proof of medical costs and, if applicable, corresponding notice from the health insurance company
  • Gender-Identity
    • We recognize that there is often no formal documentation available. In these cases, please provide a detailed and comprehensive description of your situation in the application form, explaining the resulting challenges clearly.
    • Proof of medical costs and, if applicable, corresponding notice from the health insurance company
  • First-Generation Student
    • We recognize that there is often no formal documentation available. In these cases, please provide a detailed and comprehensive description of your situation in the application form, explaining the resulting challenges clearly.
  • Care of minors in one‘s own household
    • Birth certificate(s) and registration certificates of the children
  • Caring for 1st and 2nd degree relatives
    • Proof of the person(s) in need of care: Registration certificate showing the address of the person in need of care; if applicable, birth certificate showing the relationship

Please note:

Information that is not necessary may be blacked out.

Your data and the documents submitted will be treated in strict confidence.

Please feel free to discuss which proofs are required in your case.

Graduation Scholarship

A scholarship for international students

International students can apply for the performance based scholarship if they are in the final phase of their studies.

Applications are possible twice a year, from 01 – 15 April and from 01 – 15 October.

Next application period

The online application portal is open from 1 to 15 April 2025..

Requirements

  • Citizenship other than German
  • Higher education entrance qualification from a country other than Germany or from a “Studienkolleg” in Germany
  • Enrolment in a Bachelor, Master or teaching program at TU Darmstadt
  • overall GPA ≤ 2,5
  • Final thesis is already registered or will be within the next six months

Students in cooperation programs or Erasmus programmes as well as doctoral students cannot apply for this financial assistance.

Award procedure

  • Funding is awarded on the basis of performance criteria and, if applicable, in consideration of the applicant's social or family situation
  • Students with children will be considered in particular
  • Students can only be funded once in each course of study

Complete the online application form, print and sign it. with the following documents as a scan:

  • Current transcript of records, stamped by “Studienbüro” (departmental study office)
  • Form “Confirmation of thesis registration” (opens in new tab)
    Important: Even if your thesis has not been registered yet, please fill out the form „Confirmation of thesis registration” and mark “thesis has not been registered to date”. A confirmation of “Studienbüro” is not required in this case.
  • Evaluation Form (opens in new tab)
    The evaluation must be completed by the supervising professor or a supervisor. If you do not have a supervisor, yet, one of your professors needs to complete the form. The evaluation form can be submitted either directly by e-mail or together with the application
    Important: The evaluation is only valid with signature of the evaluator.
  • Letter of Motivation (opens in new tab)

Contact your study office by e-mail: have a stamped transcript of records sent to you as a scan. If you have already registered your thesis, please fill in the form “Confirmation of thesis registration” and have it signed and stamped and sent to you as a scan.

  • Proof of social hardship or family situation that needs to be considered in particular, if applicable (e.g. birth certificate of child)
  • Proof of the duration and amount of scholarships you have received or are currently receiving.

Important note:

Applications that are incomplete or handed in after the application period cannot be considered.

The use of AI tools must be clearly indicated by stating in your documents that text passages were created with the help of an AI tool. Include the note ‘Produced with the aid of (tool used)’.

The selection process takes about 6-8 weeks, then the decisions are sent out.

In practice, this means that applicants can expect decisions in the funding period October-March in December and in the funding period April-September in June.

The scholarship will amount to at least 250 euros per month and is granted for a period of between one and a maximum of six months.

The scholarship committee awards the scholarships in line with the award regulations, according to performance criteria and, if necessary, in consideration of the student's social and family situation. Students with children are given special consideration.

If a large number of students apply in one application phase, this can lead to many applicants only being granted a short funding period, as the same scholarship budget is allocated in each application round.

If the submission date of your thesis is already at the beginning of the funding period, only a short funding period can be approved, at most until the submission date.

  • If you have received a scholarship award: Complete and sign the acceptance form and send it back to us via e-mail.
  • If you have received a conditional scholarship award: Send us the acceptance form and the completed form “Confirmation of Thesis Registration” signed and stamped by the Office of Student Affairs via e-mail as soon as you have registered your thesis.

The first payment is usually issued within four weeks after we have received your complete documents.

Contact us (iss@zv.tu-darmstadt.de) with your concerns and we will advise you on your options.

You can appeal within a period of four weeks after you receive the decision.

If you are continuing to write your thesis in the following funding period, or possibly just starting your thesis and meet the required GPA by then, we recommend that you apply again.

Yes, you can apply for both the bachelor thesis and the master thesis. You can receive the graduation scholarship once per degree programme.

Please email us (iss@zv.tu-darmstadt.de) and we will be happy to advise you on your options.

If your thesis is postponed and you do not submit your thesis registration by March 31 (for October applications) or September 30 (for April applications), the granted scholarship will expire. You can apply again in the next application period.

Generally, anyone who already receives performance-based material support -such as the Deutschlandstipendium-, cannot receive the graduation scholarship.

Deutschlandstipendium

The Germany Scholarship as financial support for a limited time.

Learn more

Other financing options

DAAD

International students can find a list of scholarships from the DAAD and other organisations.

BAföG (GER)

Under certain conditions international students can also receive BAföG

KfW (GER)

The Studierendenwerk provides advice on student loans