Bayer Foundation Scholarship

You know that Germany is one of the best study abroad destinations, but still not sure if you are ready to take a full- time program there? Well, if you are considering Germany for your next study program, or say explore your field but on a global level, the Bayer Foundation Scholarship could be a perfect choice. It is offered by the Bayer Foundation that offers scholarships to international students to pursue research projects, internships, and more at universities in Germany. Besides, the best part about this fellowship is that it provides additional funding for international placement to graduate students. If this sounds interesting till here, read ahead to find out more about the Bayer Foundation Scholarship. We have covered all the essential information you would require to apply for this scholarship.

Bayer Scholarship 2025 Overview:

Aspects	Details
Offered by	Bayer Foundation
Type of Award	Merit Based
Level of Study	PG and PhD
Subjects/ Fields	All areas of natural & data science with relevance to pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare (over-the-counter OTC) & crop science industries; pharmacy; human & veterinary medicine; applied medical sciences; medical engineering & public health.
Deadline	11th April, 2025
Website	https://www.bayer-foundation.com/science/fellowships-stipends

Types of BAyer Foundation Scholarships/ Fellowships

Scientific Fellowships for Master, PhD and Medical Students

The Scientific Scholarships by the Bayer Foundation offers the three main scholarships for different fields of study. Here are the details:

• Otto Bayer Fellowships for Drug Discovery Sciences: For master or PhD students from all scientific disciplines including- pharmacy and data science, with fundamental or applied studies with relevance to the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare (over-the-counter) industries. 
• Jeff Schell Fellowships for Agricultural Sciences: For master or PhD students from all scientific disciplines including data science, with fundamental or applied studies with relevance to the Crop Science industry. 
• Carl Duisberg Fellowships for Medical Sciences: For all students of human & veterinary medicine, or for master and PhD students in medical engineering, applied medical sciences, data science in medicine and public health. 

Other Awards by Bayer Foundation

If you don’t resonate with any of the above or are just curious about other scholarships by Bayer Foundation. Check below:

• Bayer Foundation- Lindau Fellowship for Early Careers Academic Researchers
• Fellowship for STEM Student Teachers and Teachers
• Fellowship for Apprentices and Early Career Professionals

Bayer Foundation Scholarship Requirements

The Bayer Foundation Scholarship is a merit based scholarship and hence here are the requirements you need to showcase to be eligible for scholarships: 

• Very good to excellent bachelor and/or master studies in a scientific discipline or medical studies up to the current date. 
• Studying for an MSc or PhD or equivalent in natural science, pharmacy, or data science. (for other courses mentioned)
• Studying human or veterinary medicine or for an MSc or PhD or equivalent in medical engineering, applied medical sciences, public health, or data science in medicine. (for medicine scholarship)
• Non-Germany based students must undertake fellowships within Germany.
• Germany based students must undertake placements outside of Germany.

Documents Required

• Project proposal 
• Personal statement
• Proposed budget for your fellowship (breakdown of all costs e.g. travel; rent; exceptional costs etc.). 
• Two letters of recommendation
• Acceptance letter/ letter of support from host institute
• Certificates for any completed studies- bachelor’s degree/master/medical degree
• Transcripts (exam marks and similar) in English
• A 1 minute video of yourself recorded on your phone or computer highlighting why you would like to receive a Bayer Foundation fellowship and how it will support your career development. 
• Justification of additional funding received, if any.

Bayer Foundation Scholarship Amount

The Bayer Foundation grants a maximum funding for a single fellowship of 10,000 €. This funding can be used for travel costs; visa costs; living costs; childcare and other exceptional costs.

The Exceptional costs could be- machine time at specialist institutes, specialist training for field studies; costs that are essential to ensure the project can be undertaken. These Exceptional costs must be justified by you and will be assessed by the selection committee for final permit of amount.

The Bayer Foundation Scholarship can be used for up to a maximum of six months in duration. There is a strict restriction with the usage of scholarship money and you cannot use it for purposes other than those mentioned above.

Explore other Scholarships in Germany for International Students.

Bayer Foundation Scholarship Application Process

• Once you have matched the eligibility criteria and are ready for application, visit the official website of Bayer Foundation.
• Click on the ‘Science’ section and then head to Fellowships. 
• Find out your choice of scholarship and gather details on documentation.
• Collect all the documents, prepare all your answers and you are ready to start the application.
• Select the ‘Apply Now’ button and begin filling out the details correctly.
• Upload all the documents and submit. Make sure the application is made entirely in English.
• Make sure you recheck your application before submitting as you get the sole chance of applying. Multiple applications will be rejected.

Important Dates

Here are some important dates that you should remember related to the Bayer Foundation Scholarship:

• Applications begin-February 14th, 2025
• Deadline- April 11th, 2025
• Selection Notification- June 23rd, 2025
• Funds transfer- July 21st, 2025
• Remaining funds transfer- August 11th, 2025

Although the application begins in February, the Bayer Foundation covers the costs occurring after July 21st, 2025. The funding is not “retrospective,” as they mention and is limited to January 2025 until December 2026. So, keep that in mind and plan your budget accordingly.

Selection Process and Criteria

Once you submit your application, an initial screening will be done by the Bayer Foundation to ensure they are complete and the criteria for application are fulfilled. If this phase is cleared, your application will be evaluated and ranked by an independent jury of scientists. The primary selection criteria for the Bayer Foundation Scholarship include:

• Relevance and quality of your application- based on guidelines.
• Your motivation and potential for this scholarship (based on achievements & video)
• Value of this scholarship to you (which you’ll justify in your answers)
• Additional criteria- Collaborative and/or interdisciplinary proposals are highly desirable by the foundation. So, if possible, choose your field accordingly.

Tips for Successful Application

• Draft and review your responses offline and collect documents before completing the application as it makes the process smoother and reduces chances of mistake. You can check a preview of the Application Form here. 
• Description of the potential relevance and impact of your project on society (including the UN sustainability goals) and the potential societal response to your work
• All detailed documents like the personal statement or project proposal should be of maximum 1750 characters and approx. 300 words. You shall follow this limit strictly.
• If your application is suitable for two Fellowships, then you can select both in the application. Eg, “Otto Bayer & Jeff Schell“  and your application will be considered in both categories. 
•  Applications are to be made using the online application portal only– applications via email, letter etc. will not be considered as strictly mentioned by the Foundation.

FAQs