Scholarships and funding
Here you can find the most important funding programmes that can help you to finance a semester abroad. Each programme has different application requirements and deadlines. The application deadlines can be up to one year before the start of your planned study period abroad, so please start your planning in good time. If you would like advice, please come to the consultation hours of Phanie Sultan (Team Outgoings) at the International Office.
Funding through the International Office
Erasmus+ (Europe)
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Eramus+ is an educational programme run by the European Union which was initiated in 1987 to promote cross-border mobility of students within Europe. The programme enables you to study at a HAW Hamburg partner university in one of the EU states or one of the other European programme countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia or Turkey).
What is special about the Erasmus programme is that the awarding of a study place at a European partner university is accompanied by financial support through an Erasmus scholarship for at least two months per semester. This pairing of a study place and financial support makes the programme especially attractive for students.
The amount of funding depends on the country where you spend your study semester and is based on the cost of living there. Funding amounts can vary from year to year. The minimum duration of funding per semester is two complete months.
For stays in the 2022/23 academic year (WS2022/23 and SS2023), the following amounts apply:
- Country group 1: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden: €600/month (€20/day)
- Country group 2: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus: €540/month (€18/day)
- Country group 3: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary: €490/month (€16,33/day)
You can find information about the Erasmus+ programme and applying for a study place/scholarship here.
The programme also provides financial support for an internship stay of at least two months in another European country.
PROMOS (HAW goes USA)
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Through the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) PROMOS programme, the HAW Hamburg International Office awards scholarships for a study semester at a US partner university HAW goes USA Students who are awarded a study place as part of the 'HAW goes USA' programme will automatically be considered for a PROMOS scholarship. An additional application is not necessary. If a selection process is necessary due to limited funding, this will take place on the basis of the rankings generated during the 'HAW goes USA' interviews.
Project year 2024: Students will receive a full scholarship (4 x 450 Euro plus a travel subsidy of 1.075 Euro (USA East) or 1.275 Euro (USA West). The scholarships will be paid from 1. September.
Project year 2025: 20 students will receive at least a partial scholarship to cover the costs of the stay (€450/month for four months) and may also receive a travel-cost subsidy of €1,075 (USA East) or €1,275 (USA West) for the 2025 programme year. The amount received depends on how many students need to receive funding. The final decision will be made in June 2025.
Please note: If your application for a HAW.International scholarship from DAAD or an ISAP scholarship is successful, you cannot receive the PROMOS scholarship. Double funding is not possible. If your application for a Fulbright travel scholarship is successful, the PROMOS scholarship will be reduced by the amount of the travel subsidy.
If you receive a DAAD or Fulbright scholarship, you are obligated to inform the International Office as soon as possible: Ingrid Weatherall
Funding from external organisations
BAföG (student financial assistance) for study abroad
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Students who would like to complete a semester abroad can apply for BAföG for study abroad. BaföG for study abroad can be combined with various scholarships. The scholarship amounts are deducted from the BAföG contribution.
The application should be submitted to the office responsible six months before the start of your study abroad semester. Please be sure to always note in your application whether you have applied for any scholarships, and which ones.
DAAD - HAW.International (worldwide)
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With the HAW.International programme, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has started a programme exclusively for HAW Hamburg students in order to support the mobility of this target group. Funding is available for study visits and stays abroad as part of a final thesis. The programme provides a full scholarship (monthly scholarship amount, travel subsidy, contribution to insurance), which makes it especially attractive.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.
Please note:
- Participants in the Erasmus programme are not eligible for this scholarship.
- If your application for a HAW.International scholarship from DAAD is successful, you cannot receive a PROMOS scholarship from the HAW Hamburg International Office. Double funding is not permitted.
DAAD - One-year study scholarships (worldwide)
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Through the one-year scholarship programme, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) aims to provide students with the opportunity to gain international experience through a longer study stay abroad. The idea is that students should pursue their own individual study interests and develop in the best possible way, both personally and academically. Funding is available for one-year stays abroad in countries other than the Erasmus+ programme countries. The programme provides a full scholarship (monthly scholarship amount, travel subsidy, contribution to insurance), which makes it especially attractive.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.
Fulbright scholarships for German students (USA)
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The Fulbright Commission awards full and partial scholarships to deepen and supplement studies at American universities. The programmes are aimed at German students and graduates who not only want to continue their education in the USA, but also see themselves as ambassadors for their country and want to promote German-American cultural exchange.
The following programmes are currently available for German undergraduate and graduate students:
- Travel scholarships (for study semesters at a US partner university)
- Study scholarships (for 4-9 months of graduate study)
Summer school scholarships (Eastern Europe)
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- Go East summer and winter schools in Eastern Europe (in German only) (summer school combined with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD))
HAW.International for travel to congresses and trade fairs (worldwide)
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If you are completing Master's or doctoral studies and would like to actively participate in a trade fair or congress in another country, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers funding for this purpose.
You can find all the necessary information about application requirements, application deadlines and the scholarship amounts here. You will need to submit your application, with all the necessary documentation, directly to DAAD.