Böckler-Aktion Bildung - Stipendium für Studienanfänger*innen

The Böckler-Aktion Bildung scholarship is a programme of the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung providing financial support to students beginning their first degree at a state or state-recognised higher education institution. It supports full-time first-degree studies (Bachelor/Master/Diplom/Staatsexamen and equivalent academy degrees) and can be granted for studies at universities in EU member states and Switzerland. The scholarship follows the funding amounts and rules of the German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) and includes a study-costs allowance and possible contributions to health and care insurance.

Monthly support up to the BAföG maximum (specified as up to 855 EUR), 300 EUR monthly study-costs allowance, possible health and care insurance contributions, childcare allowance, support during lecture-free periods, possible reimbursement of study fees abroad up to 10,000 EUR/year in justified cases.

Applicants must be entitled to BAföG in principle and entitled to the BAföG maximum rate; eligible applicants include German citizens, European citizens, Bildungsinländer, recognised asylum applicants, refugees with a prospect of stay under BAföG § 8 or persons with temporary protection (§ 24 Aufenthaltsgesetz). Non-German applicants must demonstrate German language level C1 at the time of application; applicants must not have reached their 45th birthday at the start of studies and it must be a first course of study (or fewer than two previous BAföG-eligible trainings and fewer than four semesters in another degree).

Applicants apply to the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung via the foundation's online application portal and must submit documentation demonstrating BAföG entitlement and other eligibility criteria.