Financing your studies as an international student
Are you looking for a way to help you finance your studies at TU Darmstadt? Here are some of your options!
2023/10/30
As many of you probably already know, while the semester fees at TU Darmstadt and in Germany in general is pretty low compared to many other countries, it is important to also take the average cost of living into account which can possibly reach around 900 euros per month, depending on various factors like your lifestyle, accommodation, food costs, health insurance, and more.
Thankfully, there are several different options for those of you who want to independently finance your studies in Germany or earn some money while also studying. Some students work part-time alongside their full-time studies while others take advantage of the opportunity to apply for a state loan or credit. There are also those who are able to finance their studies with the help of scholarships. In this article, we’ll break down the different options, so you can choose what works best for you!
Side job
Many students turn to side jobs so that they can find a way to make money in order to support themselves and their everyday needs while still being able to concentrate on their studies. There are various kinds of job offers, but many students choose to apply for a job as a student assistant at the university as it is often more manageable and flexible. However, there are a lot of other types of side jobs in Darmstadt and the surrounding areas, depending on your interests and the field that you want to work in. Not only do you earn an income from working, but you also gain professional experience that might benefit you in the future, especially if you get a side job that’s in the same field as your studies. It’s a very good chance to upgrade your skills and also start networking with people in your field.
If you are currently looking for a side job, there are several helpful resources that you can take advantage of:
- Stellenwerk: a job portal for all kinds of side jobs, but mostly student assistant jobs at TU Darmstadt in various departments across the university.
- comeTOgether: they offer advice and support for applications and job interviews, this includes helping with gathering documents needed for a job application, advice for contacting employers, and more! They also regularly update job offers on their website.
- Side Job Checklist: (opens in new tab) You can also check out our checklist which provides a short overview regarding the steps you need to take to get a job during your studies.
Scholarships
Getting a scholarship gives you more time to concentrate on your studies and often helps you make initial contacts in the business world, but of course there is a process you need to go through to get one. A scholarship is often tied to different specific criterias, such as nationality, country of origin, age or degree programme and there are certain requirements you have to meet, like having excellent grades in your course. Even if you might have to compete with other students and feel unsure about that, there’s nothing wrong with trying to apply to scholarships anyway as it might benefit you greatly. Here are several websites that you can look into if you are interested in scholarships:
- Graduation scholarship for international students: this is a performance-based scholarship from TU Darmstadt for international students in the final phase of their studies. The applications are open twice a year from 1-15 April and 1-15 October and we (the ISS) can advise you on this specific scholarship!
- Deutschland stipendium: this is another scholarship from TU Darmstadt which sponsors talented and highly motivated students by giving them a monthly allowance to assure the success of their studies.
- DAAD Scholarships: DAAD has compiled a list of scholarships from them along with other organizations that are also worth a look!
- DAAD Prize: this isn’t exactly a scholarship as it is a prize (valued at 1000 euros) given out to students from the international student body at TU Darmstadt once a year for outstanding achievements. Talk to a professor if you think you should be nominated.
BAföG and KfW
Unlike side jobs and scholarships, this option isn’t available for all international students. For example, you can only receive financial support from BAföG under certain conditions, like if you have a refugee status. For more information on this, you can check BAföG’s website and see if you fulfil these requirements. Another option is the KfW-Student Credit which is provided by the KfW Förderbank. Until 31.12.2023, there is cooperation between Studierendenwerk Darmstadt and the KfW Förderbank, so they can advise you if this is something that interests you. Please check the Studierendenwerk’s website for more information on this topic.
If you want to know even more about financing your studies, the Studierendenwerk Darmstadt is holding an online event called “Money, money, money” on 7.11.2023 in German all about the different ways you can finance your studies. The event is free and you must register for the event, so go to their website for the registration email and more information on the event.
Hopefully this article has helped you learn more about the various options you have to finance your studies at TU Darmstadt. If you choose to work, please remember that your studies should still come first! For even more information about financing your studies, please check our financial assistance page . Also remember that we are here for you in case you need advice regarding this topic, so feel free to contact us if needed. We wish you the best of luck for your studies!
Ons
“Knowing how to budget properly can make the difference between success and failure when studying abroad. Managing finances is a very important challenge that international students have to master before they start a new, exciting chapter of their lives in Darmstadt.”
