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TUHH > International > Mobility > Study Abroad > Funding

Funding of your study abroad

Here you will find the main funding schemes that can help you finance a semester abroad. Each scheme has different application requirements and deadlines. Application deadlines can be up to a year before the start of your planned stay abroad, so please start planning in good time.

In addition, proof of language proficiency is usually required when applying for a scholarship, and sometimes a letter of recommendation from a professor, which can take some time to obtain.

Applications for scholarships are usually submitted directly to the funding bodies. Please note that scholarships for stays abroad are generally not full scholarships, i.e. they cover only part of the living costs.

Further information

Studying abroad with a scholarship – explained step by step [PDF download: DAAD brochure]
Further funding opportunities (German only)

Funding from the TUHH

Erasmus+ (Europe)

Erasmus+ is an education programme run by the European Union that enables students to undertake an exchange programme at a TUHH partner university within the EU Member States or in one of the other Erasmus+ programme countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey). The minimum duration of financial support per semester is two full months. The amount of funding depends on the country in which you spend your study semester and is based on the cost of living there. The amount of funding may vary from year to year.
You can find all information on the Erasmus+ programme (including funding) and on applying for a study place/scholarship: Erasmus funding

In addition to funding study placements, the Erasmus programme also offers financial support for work placements of at least two months’ duration in European countries (currently suspended until at least September 2026).

PROMOS (worldwide)

PROMOS (DAAD) provides funding for study periods abroad undertaken by students outside the ERASMUS area.

Eligible applicants are:

Students enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme at the TUHH. Non-German students are not eligible for funding for a study period in their home country.
Stays for study purposes lasting at least 2 to 6 months and research work abroad (term papers or final theses).

Scope of the scholarship:

Scholarships are awarded for stays of between 1 and 6 months.
The monthly allowance ranges from €350 to €550. The travel allowance varies depending on the destination country. The DAAD sets the amount of the monthly instalments and the travel allowance for each country every year. Universities may not deviate from this amount.
The PROMOS scholarship consists of monthly instalments (pro-rata where applicable and not necessarily for the entire duration of the stay) and, where applicable, a travel allowance.

Application deadlines:

For stays abroad beginning between 1 January and 30 June of a given year: 15 November
For stays abroad beginning between 1 July and 31 December of a given year: 15 May

Selection criteria:

Academic merit of the study project
Good grades
Proof of the required language skills

PROMOS Application Form
(The link will be activated on 15 April and 15 October)

Further information on using Mobility-Online:
If you have previously created an online application in Mobility-Online, you are already listed as a user with an application in Mobility-Online.
Simply create a new application using the link to the online form above. However, please log in to your Mobility-Online account again after submitting the online form.
Under ‘My applications’ in the menu on the left-hand side, you can view all your applications and select the new PROMOS application.
Your new application has its own workflow, which you must follow. Your PROMOS application will only be displayed once you have completed all the necessary workflow steps.

Funding from external organisations

The largest scholarship holder for studying abroad is the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Auslands-BAföG (worldwide)

Students who wish to spend a semester studying abroad can apply for Auslands-BAföG. You will receive grants to cover living costs, travel expenses, health insurance and any tuition fees that may apply (up to €4,600) if you are studying as a freemover.
The Student Finance Advisory Service (BeSt) at the Studierendenwerk Hamburg can also advise you on this.

IMPORTANT:

Even if you do not receive domestic BAföG, you may still be eligible for BAföG for study abroad.
BAföG for study abroad can be combined with various scholarships. Scholarship payments are offset against the BAföG for study abroad.
Please submit your application to the relevant office at least six months before the start of your semester abroad. There are different offices depending on where you wish to go. Please always state in your application whether you have applied for any scholarships and, if so, which ones.

DAAD Annual Scholarships for Study Abroad (outside the EU and the United Kingdom)

Through the DAAD Annual Scholarship Programme, students receive a full scholarship (monthly stipend, travel allowance, insurance cover) for extended periods of study abroad (outside the EU). The scholarship is also attractive to independent students, as the DAAD covers tuition fees up to a specified maximum amount.

Full details regarding application requirements, deadlines and scholarship benefits can be found on the DAAD website. You must apply directly to the DAAD with all the required documents.

Fulbright Scholarships – for students/doctoral candidates (USA)

The Fulbright Commission awards full and partial scholarships for academic specialisation and further study, as well as for research stays at American universities. The programmes are aimed at German undergraduates and postgraduates who not only wish to further their education in the USA, but also see themselves as ambassadors for their country and wish to promote German-American cultural exchange:

Travel grant (for one semester of study at a partner university in the USA)
Study grant (for a 4–9-month Master’s programme in the USA)
Doctoral grants (for a 4–6-month research stay in the USA)

Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan (STIPT)

STIPT combines a study program and a practical training, offering students a unique opportunity to learn and gain experience at some of the world’s leading semiconductor hubs in Taiwan. Students receive a living and travel allowance. Every summer and winter semester, cohorts from all over Germany begin their stay at a Taiwanese partner university. Students studying subjects in the following disciplines are eligible to apply: Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering (among others).

Further Information

Walther Blohm Foundation

The Walther Blohm Foundation supports talented young people in the aerospace sector by awarding grants

for the further training of young engineers
for PhD students
for the implementation of technical projects within university groups
for stays abroad, study trips and similar activities that clearly serve the purpose of technical further training

Further Information

Bildungskredit

German students who have already successfully completed the first-year exams can apply for a low-interest student loan to (partially) fund a study period or internship abroad.
Applications must be submitted directly to the Federal Office of Administration.

The Student Finance Advice Centre (BeSt) at the Hamburg Student Union also provides advice on this matter.