International students at the KU from the 3rd semester (BA) or 1st semester (MA)

Funding term for summer: April 1 to August 31
Funding term for winter: October 1 - February 28

The maximum funding period is 5 semesters.

This scholarship supports your physical stay at KU in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt only; funding can be provided exclusively for periods during which you are actually on site.

The stipend is expected to be 450 EUR per month (i.e. 2,250.00 EUR in total), subject to the Ministry's funding commitment.

Januar 31/ (spring semester) / July 31 (fall semester)

The selection takes place in September for the winter semester and in March of each year for the summer semester. We kindly ask you to refrain from inquiries regarding the proceedings of the selection process.

• Curriculum vitae in tabular form in English or German
• Letter of motivation in English or German (max. 2 DIN A 4 pages)
• Confirmation of enrollment for the semester of funding
• Transcript of Records of previous academic achievements (in the case of international certificates, the average grade must be converted into the German grade using the Bavarian formula).
• Master's students in the 1st semester please submit your Bachelor's degree
• One (!) academic letter of recommendation from a professor at the KU or previous university (in German or English). This must be sent directly from the respective professor to the International Office by e-mail to incoming@ku.de. Please refer to the FAQ's.
• Proof of need through a declaration on your honor that you’re annual Incoming does not exceed € 15,000.00 and that you are NOT supported by relatives or a spouse. The KU reserves the right to request proof in individual cases.
• If applicable: Proof of voluntary commitment

The ONLINE application will be possible from January 6, 2026 on. 

• Good to very good academic performance (average grade of at least 2.3 and better)
• Neediness
• You are studying at least In the 3rd semester Bachelor or 1st semester Master at the KU and are enrolled at the KU during the funding period
• Excluded: students of the DSH Intensive German course and free mover students
• Please note the updated call for applications 2025

If you have any questions regarding the funding you may contact Jessica Hofmacher, incoming(at)ku.de.

• Call for applications 2026
• Declaration of honor (must be signed and uploaded upon application)
• Frequently Asked Questions

No. KU undergraduate students in their 3rd semester and master students in their 2nd semester are eligible to apply.

Yes.

The letter of recommendation must be written by an instructor in your program at the KU, such as a professor. This person should be able to evaluate you academically, for example, because you have taken one or more courses with them. If you are a master’s student in the first semester, please ask a professor at your previous university to issue a reference letter directly to the International Office.

English or German.

If you are a first-semester master's student, please submit either an employment reference (if you worked between your bachelor's and master's program) or an academic reference letter from a professor in your bachelor's program (if there was no gap between the two programs).

NO! On the contrary. It is unusual to commission more than the number of reviews requested in the call for proposals, as this creates unnecessary extra work for the instructors. 

The letter of recommendation must be written and signed on the faculty member's official letterhead. The letter of recommendation must be sent DIRECTLY to the International Office (the easiest way is by email to incoming(at)ku.de). 

Your application will not be considered unless it is complete. Be sure to request the letter of recommendation on time (at least 4 weeks before the application deadline). Do not put pressure on faculty by asking for a review on short notice. 

We value volunteer work both inside and outside of KU. However, you will need to provide proof of this commitment in the form of a letter from the organization you are working for. Volunteer work that is only mentioned but not documented will not be considered. 

Depending on the number of applications received and the budget situation, the process may take several weeks. We ask that you please refrain from making inquiries. 

If you have an official transcript from the KU, please use the grade listed on it. If you are in your first semester of a Master's program and do not have a transcript from KU, please enter the grade from your Bachelor's degree. This should be converted to the German grade using the Bavarian formula. 

Yes, if it is a partial scholarship. However, you must indicate the exact amount and duration of the scholarship.

If you have already received the scholarship, you can apply again. However, this is not an application for an extension - you must submit a completely new application, so there is no automatic extension of your funding. 

Yes, please state exactly how much you work and how much you earn each month. If you fall below the assessment threshold stated on the application form, you can still apply.

No. The scholarship is only available to students whose main place of residence is in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt during the funding period. A stay abroad will result in exclusion from the selection process.

In your letter of motivation, you should explain why you, of all people, should receive the scholarship. It is best to use the selection criteria in the call for applications as a guide. The letter of motivation should be one to a maximum of two pages long and signed by you.

No. The International Office does not disclose reasons for not awarding funding to students. We understand that this can be frustrating, but please rest assured that the selection process is conducted with great care. Students are ranked based on the selection criteria as well as the formal accuracy of their application. The number of applicants per scholarship varies, which also affects the competitiveness of the selection process.
In case of a rejection, you are welcome to request a personal meeting in which we can provide advice for future scholarship applications.

Before submitting your application, please make sure you have carefully read the call for applications and these FAQs and have uploaded all required documents in the specified format. This means checking whether you have signed the necessary documents and uploaded the correct files (e.g., official Transcript of Records or official enrolment confirmation). The International Office does not pre-check applications, and incorrect or incomplete applications will be excluded without further notice.

Yes, as long as you are enrolled at KU (the admission alone is not sufficient). However, the scholarship will be reduced accordingly. For example, if your funding approval starts on October 1 for the winter semester, but you arrive only in mid-November, you cannot receive funding for October and November.