Universität Hamburg is a relatively young university that opened in 1919. It went through difficult times during the National Socialism era and had to shut down. It eventually reopened at the end of World War II in 1945. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019 after receiving the status of a University of Excellence. Despite being only a little over a hundred years old, the university has become home to some award-winning professors and alumni. Some of them won prizes from internationally acclaimed award-giving bodies, such as the Nobel and Leibniz Prizes.
The university’s programs are organized into eight faculties: Business Administration, Education, Economics & Social Sciences, Humanities, Law, Mathematics & Informatics & Natural Sciences, Medicine, and Psychology & Human Movement. Currently, there are around 45,000 active students enrolled in its wide array of degree programs. To manage the growing number of students, the University of Hamburg employs over 30,000 professors, researchers, university staff, and hospital staff.
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How do I apply to the University of Hamburg Scholarships?
The University of Hamburg has stopped charging tuition fees in 2012. Currently, students only have to pay semester contributions and administrative costs. In addition, students also have to pay insurance fees.
Overall, despite the absence of tuition fees, the cost of living in Hamburg is still expensive for full-time international students, especially those from developing or low-income countries. You may refer to this page for the list of expenses you may incur from studying at the University of Hamburg.
To ease the burden of the living costs, prospective students usually search for scholarship opportunities. However, international students must first secure admissions to a degree program at the University of Hamburg before applying for scholarships.
Some departments or faculties may nominate outstanding applicants for available funding and scholarships. International students may also reach out to the Student Financing Advisory Center for possible funding opportunities that best suit their needs.
Applicants who obtained secondary education or undergraduate qualifications abroad must get recognition of foreign qualifications. Visit this link for more details. Please be aware that the assessment of foreign qualification documents is free, but applicants may have to pay for the certified translation of the documents into German or English.
Note that all Bachelor’s Degree programs at the University of Hamburg use German as the medium of instruction. Be sure to check the accepted German language proficiency tests.
Undergraduate applicants may find other entry requirements on this page. Master’s Degree applicants may check the application requirements and procedures here.
Non-EU students need a visa to study in Germany. Visa processing may take two to three months, so you must apply for one as soon as you get an offer for admission at the University of Hamburg. You can use the admission offer as one of the requirements for visa application.
Some scholarship providers may also require a copy of your visa during application so they can ascertain that you can commence your studies in Germany on time.
University of Hamburg Scholarships for International Students
1. Scholarship at the Albrecht Mendelssonh Bartholdy School of Law
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: €1,150 – €1,365
- Degrees Offered: Doctoral
Applicants to the doctoral program at the Albrecht Mendelssonh Bartholdy Graduate School of Law at the University of Hamburg may apply for a scholarship valid for three years. The school will select the awardees based on academic excellence.
Successful applicants for this University of Hamburg scholarship may receive a monthly allowance worth €1,150 and a possible additional monthly grant of €215 to assist in research costs.
Check the language requirements and application guidelines on this page.
2. DAAD Prize
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: €1,000
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor, Master, Ph.D.
Currently enrolled second-year Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral Degree students at the University of Hamburg may be nominated by a university professor for the DAAD Prize based on excellent academic performance and remarkable social contribution.
This scholarship available at the University of Hamburg is worth €1,000 awarded as a one-time payment to winners.
3. Merit Scholarships for International Students
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: €850 – €1,000
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor, Master, Doctoral
Second-year Bachelor’s Degree students or Master’s and Doctoral Degree students in their second semester at the University of Hamburg may apply for a merit scholarship if they are not eligible for BAfög.
Qualified Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree students may receive €850 per month, whereas Doctoral researchers may receive up to €1,000 depending on funding availability. The scholarship is valid for two semesters, and recipients can reapply up to a maximum of three years.
4. DAAD Scholarship for Master’s Degree Students
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: comprehensive
- Degrees Offered: Master
Incoming international students may apply for a DAAD scholarship after securing admissions to a Master’s Degree program. Interested applicants must check the country-specific requirements to qualify for the scholarship.
This scholarship available at the University of Hamburg is valid for 10-24 months, and the benefits include a monthly allowance worth €861, a travel allowance, health insurance, and a one-time study allowance. Scholars may also receive accommodation allowance and a monthly stipend for accompanying family members.
DAAD offers a German language course scholarship between two to six months before the program commencement date for German-taught degree programs.
5. DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Program (GSSP)
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: comprehensive
- Degrees Offered: Doctoral
International students may qualify for a DAAD scholarship upon admission to either of the two doctoral programs at the University of Hamburg: Understanding Written Artefacts and European Doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE).
The scholarship is valid for four years and covers the monthly allowance worth €1,200, health insurance, travel allowance depending on the country of origin, and a research allowance worth €460 per year.
Students cannot apply directly for the scholarship. The participating graduate school will nominate eligible students to DAAD. After which, the nominated students may process their application through the DAAD website.
6. Examination Grant for International Students
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: €200 – €720
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor, Master
Currently enrolled Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree students experiencing financial difficulties may apply for an examination grant. To qualify this University of Hamburg scholarship, applicants must show proof of current financial challenges.
Successful applicants can receive a monthly allowance ranging from €200 to €720 depending on the applicant’s income.
