Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship or the FES is a prestigious funding opportunity provided by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, a German non-profit organization. They are committed to promoting social democracy, political education, and equality & hence expect the same from students. This scholarship supports international students, including those from developing countries, who wish to pursue higher education in Germany. Read below to get the details on this scholarship and find out if its the best for you.

Aspects	Details
Offered by	Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany
Type of Award	Merit Based
Level of Study	UG, PG and PhD
Subjects/ Fields	All fields
Deadline	Open year round
Website	https://www.fes.de/studienfoerderung

Who is eligible for the Friedrich Ebert Scholarship?

You are eligible to apply for the Friedrich Ebert Scholarship if:

• You are already studying at a German, State or State- Recognized university or University of Applied Sciences
• You have very good German Language skills
• You have excellent grades in studies and promise to maintain it
• You are socially and politically engaged and it is an integral part of your life
• You identify with the values of social democracy

A German language skill is a non- negotiable for Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarships. You can submit one of the following certifications as proof of your good German Language skills:

• “German Language Examination for University Entrance” passed with at least DSH-2
• “German as a Foreign Language” with at least level 4
•  “Telc C1 Hochschule”
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany Level II
• The “Certificate C 1” of the Goethe Institute

Documents Required

• A detailed CV
• University entrance qualification proofs
• Certificate of enrollment
• A detailed Letter of Motivation/ SOP
• Two reports from university lecturers

Types of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Scholarship

Scholarship Criteria	Scholarships & Application Link
Scholarship for First year students	Basic Funding for First Year Students
Basic Funding Scholarship	Basic Funding for not first year students Basic Funding for Foreign Nationals Basic Support for Refugees
Scholarship for Doctoral Funding	Doctoral Funding For Germans and Education Nationals Doctoral Funding for Foreigners  PhD funding for Refugees

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship Amount

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarships are fully funded. Besides, it also offers extra benefits to the students. Read below to find out about the detailed information on scholarship:

• Doctoral Funding for Foreigners–  Around 1,400 euros per month and a subsidy for statutory health insurance.
• Basic Funding for Foreigners– A financial support of 992 euros. Besides, the costs for health insurance are covered. Scholarship holders with children receive an additional 160 euros per month.
• Basic Funding for Germans, Educational Nationals and Refugees–  Exact amount could vary depending on various factors. The factors also consider your parents’ income. However, you can receive up to 855 euros per month plus 300 euros study allowance. In certain cases, cost of health insurance is also covered and you may also be eligible to receive a children’s allowance.

Other Benefits

• Reimbursement of travel expenses for interview (if any incurred)
• Opportunity to attend socio-political seminars, workshops and skills training.

Find out more Germany Scholarships for International Students.

How to apply for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung scholarship?

• Visit the official FES website.
• Navigate to the “Scholarship Applications” section.
• Create an account. Or if you already have an account, you can directly Log- In here.
• Fill out the online application form.
• Submit along with all documents and reports.
• If selected, you will be notified via email and receive further instructions on how to proceed. (For details read Selection Process below)

When should I apply for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship?

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarships does not mention a strict deadline. However, keeping your academic timeline in mind, here are some of the recommended timeline to apply for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship:

Scholarship	Timeline
Doctoral Funding for Foreigners	Start around two years before submission of the dissertation
Basic Funding for Foreigners	Start before or at the beginning of the first university semester of the Master’s degree program (winter semester: until November 30th, summer semester: until May 31st)
Basic Funding for Germans	For UG courses: start before or at the beginning of the first semester (winter semester: until October 31, summer semester: until April 30) For Master / postgraduate courses: Start before or at the beginning of the first semester (winter semester: until October 31, summer semester: until April 30)

Also Read: “Study in Germany”

Selection Process and Criteria

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation sends you a rejection or selection notification within 2 to 4 weeks of receiving your online application. However, the entire selection process, until the final selection can take up to 3- 7 months. If selected, you’ll be asked to submit your documents and reports for verification. This will be followed by two rounds of interviews and a decision by the selection committee. The first round will be a subject-specific interview with a trusted lecturer and the second with a member of the selection committee. You can also find the best ways to prepare for the interviews on the FES website.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung assess your suitability based on the following:

• Outstanding talent and performance
• Your strong personality traits
• Social/ Political Engagement

FAQs