Programme Description
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is a federally organised, independently operating foundation. It sees its main tasks in political education, in promoting democratic decision-making, in commitment to social issues and in international understanding. Each year the foundation awards between 80 and 100 scholarships to students and doctoral candidates. The foundation attaches great importance to sponsoring foreign students. The sponsorships concerned are full sponsorships. Besides the formal requirements, the foundation particularly wants applicants to correspond to the principles of the foundation and to be willing to assume political and social responsibility. In return, students are well provided for. In parallel to a two to three-year material sponsorship a supporting programme and regional fora are organised. The foundation arranges work placements on request. Scholarship holders also have the right to participate in the foundation boards. In return, they are expected to submit regular intermediate reports during the sponsorship period. The study scholarships are open students of all disciplines.

Target Group
Committed students who work according to the principles of the foundation and actively engage with the aims of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, combining above-average scientific achievements with a preparedness to assume social and political responsibility.

Academic Requirements
The Student Association (Studienwerk) awards grants to German and foreign students according to the guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as those of the Foreign Office. Applicants for a study grant have to be registered at a state or state approved higher education institution or university of applied sciences in Germany at the time of commencement of the award.

Number of Scholarships: 80 - 100

Duration: Two to three years

Scholarship Value
A) The following is applicable for German applicants, EU members and non-German nationals with a German university entrance qualification: Cost of living scholarships for Germans, EU members and non-German nationals with a German university entrance qualification are calculated (analogous to the German state student grant scheme, BAföG) on the basis of the income of the parents and the student's own income and assets. Irrespective of this, all scholarship holders receive an allowance for books of 80.00 EUR per month. B)

The following is applicable for foreign applicants (excluding EU members) desiring to commence academic studies in Germany: Cost of living scholarships for international scholarship holders are fixed and not dependent on the parental income.

Application Requirements
A) The following is applicable for German applicants, EU members and non-German nationals with a German university entrance qualification:

- Scholarship holders have to be registered at a state or state approved university, institution of higher education, or university of applied sciences in Germany at the time of commencement of the award. A Master's degree course outside the EU can also be supported.

- Earliest time of application: Applicants wishing to register for a Bachelor's Master's, Diplom or Magister degree, or a state examination, may apply before commencing their studies; financial support can however begin no earlier than the start of the first semester.
Application should be made close to the time of commencement of the course of study.

- Latest time of application: Applicants should have at least four semesters to go before finishing the course within the regular duration of studies, to be able to receive support for at least 3 semesters.

B) The following is applicable for foreign applicants (excluding EU members) desiring to commence academic studies in Germany: Scholarship holders have to be registered at a state or state approved university, institution of higher education, or university of applied sciences in Germany at the time of commencement of the award.

- Applicants are required to provide evidence of a first degree qualifying them to enter a profession. Graduates doing a Master's degree course are primarily sponsored.

- Please note that applications by non-EU members are only possible at irregular intervals. Current information and application dates are published at www.boell.de/studienwerk.

- A very good command of German is a precondition; proof (see below) is required. Please note that the selection procedure (interviews, group discussions) is generally conducted in German; exceptions (interview in English) are possible.

- Periods of time spent abroad in third countries by foreign scholarship holders exceeding 4 weeks, cannot be supported in compliance with the current sponsorship guidelines.

The following is applicable both for German and foreign applicants wishing to commence a Master degree or postgraduate course of study:

- Applicants should be sure to apply to the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung) for a sponsorship before commencing their studies, in order to facilitate a long-term sponsorship and cooperation.

- Students completing a 1-year Master's degree course who have not held a Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarship before, are not supported.

- Study fees for courses subject to fees within Germany cannot be paid for.

Application Papers
More detailed formal requirements are published here (click).
Also see: www.boell.de/scholarships/scholarships.html

Application Deadline

• Application deadline for short applications: 1st March / 1st September
• Application deadline for an extensive application: 1st May / 1st November
• Notification of granted scholarships: July / January or February
• Sponsorship expected to begin: 1st October / 1st April

Contacting Heinrich Böll Foundation

Office hours: Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Frau Bärbel Karger

Address:
Schumannstraße 8
10117 Berlin

Phone: 030 / 28534-400

Internet: www.boell.de

E-Mail: studienwerk@boell.de