Financing options

In addition to or as an alternative to BAföG, there are other options that can help you finance your studies. Whether loans, scholarships or student loans – each of these options has its own advantages and conditions.

Our student finance advisory team will be happy to help you choose the financing model that best suits your needs and your current life situation.

Loan Studierendenwerk

Students in the Mannheim university region can apply for loans from the Studierendenwerk Mannheim loan fund:

in the event of a temporary financial emergency for short-term bridging
until the federal education grant is paid, in the event of a delay in calculation/payment through no fault of their own
to finance the last semester before the end of studies – graduation loan

On application, the Studierendenwerk Mannheim grants loans to students of the universities assigned to it. The loans are interest-free. A 2% administration fee is charged when the loan is granted. The loans are intended for cases of hardship and for graduation if students are in financial need through no fault of their own. In principle, loans are only granted for expenses incurred for the purpose of studying. The granting of loans is dependent on proof of academic achievement.

Advice, applications and information material are available from the loan office. Further information on student financing can be obtained from the Social Counselling Service.

Student loans

Educational loan

The educational loan is a low-interest loan for the final phase of your studies. Funding parallel to BAföG is possible.

The educational loan is granted regardless of your own income and assets and those of your parents or spouse.
As a rule, funding can be granted up to the 12th university semester.
Foreign students can also be supported under certain conditions.
The Federal Office of Administration in Cologne is responsible for awarding the education loan.

KfW

The KfW student loan is used to finance the cost of living while studying at a state or state-recognised university.
Additional, supplementary, postgraduate and second degree programmes as well as doctoral and part-time study programmes can also be funded.
The loan is granted regardless of the student’s other income.
It can be combined with other funding programmes such as BAföG or educational loans.
The KfW Bank is responsible for granting and processing the KFW loan.

Scholarships

Here is a brief overview for your scholarship search:

Gifted scholarship organisations

They offer scholarships for students and doctoral candidates. The church and party-affiliated funding organisations or the employer or employee-affiliated scholarship organisations provide financial and non-material support for students in a wide variety of fields of study.
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Advancement scholarship

This programme for the promotion of talented individuals supports people who have demonstrated their particular talent and commitment in their training/profession. With the support of the scholarship, they can study at a state or state-recognised university.
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Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM

The Baden-Württemberg Foundation’s Baden-Württemberg Scholarship supports international student exchanges. It supports students at universities in BW who would like to spend a semester abroad, as well as international students who are planning to study in BW. Information on further requirements and application procedures can be found on the Baden-Württemberg-Stiftung website.
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Germany Scholarship

The scholarship for high-achieving students is offered by the universities, together with private sponsors and a grant from the federal and state governments.
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Scholarships for students with disabilities

A number of possible scholarships are listed in the guide (PDF) of the Mannheim Student Union.
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Scholarships University of Mannheim

The University of Mannheim offers further scholarships for high-achieving students, including the opportunity scholarship, which supports high-achieving students in financial difficulties.
More (Scholarships in general)
More (Opportunity Scholarship)

HS – Model SME Scholarships

With the Model SME Scholarships, the university offers students at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences various opportunities for scholarships through different companies.
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Scholarship programme for refugees from Syria

Support for refugees in Baden-Württemberg
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Reemtsma scholarship programme for gifted students

A foundation that offers scholarships for talented students.
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Scholarships for women or single parents with children

Further information on the scholarships can be found in the guide “Studying with children in Mannheim.

There are also numerous scholarships for specific target groups, such as contact and re-entry scholarships at the university, especially for women or scholarships for students with disabilities or scholarships for studying abroad. The social counselling service will be happy to advise you.

Study abroad scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation

Various scholarships for studying abroad or completing an internship abroad.
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DAAD scholarships for study abroad

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship database offers numerous scholarships for semesters abroad or internships.
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Scholarship for digital Master’s programmes abroad for students with family responsibilities

The new scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides support for students who would like to complete a purely digital study abroad programme. It is primarily intended for students who are unable to simply study abroad due to family commitments or for health reasons. The digital Master’s programme is a pilot project and is funded by the Ministry of Education.
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