Support and funding for stays abroad
Depending on where you want to go, a stay abroad can involve some additional costs compared to a regular semester in Pforzheim. Therefore, we are happy to advise you about financing options and funding for stays abroad.
It ia advised to inform yourself about potential funding opportunities and their specific application deadlines latest during Pforzheim's application period.
Besides the offers on our side you can also use the DAAD's (German Academic Exchange Service) Scholarship Database for your search.
A semester abroad as well as an internship in another European country are usually funded by Erasmus+. All information about Erasmus+ funding can be found on the website Semester Abroad in Europe.
ATTENTION: Freemover cannot be supported by Erasmus.
It is possible to apply for the PROMOS scholarship when spending a semester abroad in a developing or emerging country.
The Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM of the Baden-Württemberg Foundation is a program that serves to promote the international exchange of qualified young people and thus contributes to the global networking of people associated with Baden-Württemberg. Each year, approximately 25 - 30 students participating in selected exchange programs are supported by the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM through the university. The scholarships are awarded both to Baden-Württemberg scholarship holders who wish to spend time abroad and to scholarship holders from abroad who wish to get to know Baden-Württemberg.
Application Procedure
Selection for the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM is made automatically on the basis of your grades; you cannot apply for this. If you are eligible for a Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM (relevant is the grade as well as the partner university), you will be informed by the International Office. The selection criteria will be based on the applicant's previous academic achievements and social commitment.

For students who do not receive any other funding, the International Office awards one-time travel grants for study periods outside of Europe. Unpaid internships in non-European countries can also be funded.
Since we are only allowed to distribute the travel grants once a year, the annual application deadline has been set for the end of July in order to subsidize applicants from the previous summer semester as well as the upcoming winter semester. If there are too many applicants, a selection will be made. The amount of the grant is between €100 and €300 in total and depends on our given budget and the number of selected applicants.
Please note that without proof of your internship or semester abroad you will be excluded from the selection process. For internships or volunteer work, a work contract is required, and for a semester abroad, the Learning Agreement. You can find the application form here. Please fill it out and send it to outgoing@hs-pforzheim.de .
The HAW scholarship specifically supports students from Universities of Applied Sciences who are completing a stay abroad. The application is made directly through the DAAD.
The selection for the HAW scholarship takes place earlier than the awarding of scholarships at the HS Pforzheim, therefore you have to start applying very soon after you have been assigned a place.
NEXT DEADLINE: 29.08.2025 for scholarship start between February and July 2026 (Selection December 2025)
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is an association supported by German universities and student bodies. They elect the board of directors in the general meeting, which manages the association. Since its foundation in 1925, the DAAD has supported more than 2.6 million young academics at home and abroad (source: DAAD).
In addition to scholarships, the DAAD also offers a wide range of information on semesters abroad and internships abroad.
The scholarship database provides an overview of DAAD scholarships. Enter your search criteria there, whereby Bachelor students must specify "student" as their status and Master students "graduate". The search engine will then list all eligible scholarship opportunities.
An opportunity for German speakers!
Deine Chance, als Correspondent über dein Auslandssemester oder -praktikum zu berichten!
Du gehst im Wintersemester 25/26 ins Ausland und möchtest deine Erlebnisse teilen? Werde Correspondent für „studieren weltweit – ERLEBE ES!“!
- Berichte auf Social Media & studieren-weltweit.de
- Erhalte ein Smartphone & ein monatliches Honorar
- Nimm an einem exklusiven Schulungsworkshop mit Referent:innen von funk teil
Bewerbungsschluss: 01.05.2025
👉 Bewirb dich jetzt: studieren-weltweit.de/werde-correspondent-bewirb-dich-jetzt

You care about the energy future and climate protection? You would like to take part in a related project and make some extra cash? You like producing videos?
Then become an Energy Reporter!
The Energy and Climate Protection Foundation of EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG awards scholarships amounting to 1.000€ to students from all faculties. In exchange you produce 6 videos in relation to the energy and climate in your host country.
Application Deadline 2025: 30.June. 2025
All information in regard to the foundation application etc. can be found on their website (German only).
General Information:
- Available for students up to 45 years; EU-citizen; Permanent residents; Foreigners with “Bleibeperspektive” (expected to stay long term) in Germany
- Only available if you are still in the regular study period (usually 7 semesters)
- Apply as early as possible. Please note that the Bafög Offices take a long time to work on these applications. There have been cases where students did not receive the money on time or even after the stay abroad.
- Application possible through the digital portal (German only)
- Responsible Bafög Office: https://www.bafög.de/SiteGlobals/Forms/bafoeg/weltkarte/weltkarte_formular.html?nn=384532
Subsidy amount:
- Tuition fees up to 5.600 Euro for max a year
- Travel costs within Europe 500€ or outside of Europe 1000€
- possibly payment of extra costs for health insurance for students according to § 13a Abs. 1 BAföG i. V. m. § 5 Auslandszuschlagsverordnung
- Subsidy for living costs depended on the country
Repayment
- Half of the total amount minus tuition fees
- Reduction possible for students within the Top 30% of their year
Several foundations offer scholarships for stays abroad even for students not already affiliated with the organisation.
- Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
- CDU party oriented Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung https://www.kas.de/en/web/begabtenfoerderung-und-kultur/stipendien?mtm_campaign=Stipendien_Banner_BK_Startseite (Application deadline July 15 or January 15; up to 2 semesters abroad funded)
- Bischöfliche Studienförderung Cusanus: Cusanuswerk: Fachhochschulen (Website currently only available in German;Application deadline: August 01 for the following year; catholic affiliation expected)
- FDP party oriented Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung https://www.freiheit.org/scholarships-friedrich-naumann-foundation-freedom
Please make sure to check application deadlines early on as they are up to change. Most of the foundation scholarships are open to International students as well. The foundations often expect high academic standing and/or social or political participation. Some require a good level of German skills. Considering that applicant numbers can be astonishingly low you do not have to be an A+ student to successfully apply though. It is always worth a try as funding rates are high and the funding usually does not have to be paid back like Bafög.
Besides the usual financing methods specifically granted for studies abroad you can also apply for general study scholarships and sponsorships awards. More information on the awards can be found here (currently only available in German).
- General: Germany's Begabtenförderungswerke Homepage
- Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes https://www.studienstiftung.de/en
- CDU party oriented Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung https://www.kas.de/en/web/begabtenfoerderung-und-kultur/stipendien?mtm_campaign=Stipendien_Banner_BK_Startseite (Application deadline July 15 or January 15; up to 2 semesters abroad funded)
- Linken party oriented Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung https://www.rosalux.de/en/foundation/studienwerk (Application deadline: October 01)
- SPD party oriented Studienförderung der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Website currently only available in German )
- FDP party oriented Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung https://www.freiheit.org/scholarships-friedrich-naumann-foundation-freedom
- Grünen party oriented Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung https://www.boell.de/en/application (Application deadline: July 15 bis September 01 for Summer semester, January 15 - March 01 for winter semester)(Bachelor applicants: only Germans or so called “Bildungsinländer*innen” and EU citizen; master applicants: all International students)
- SBB Aufstiegsstipendium für Berufserfahrene: https://www.sbb-stipendien.de/aufstiegsstipendium/bewerben/online-bewerbung (Website currently only available in German; Application deadline: June 9th, 2025)
- Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, der Stiftung des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes https://www.boeckler.de/en/scholarships-37501.htm (Application deadline: May 15 - April 01 for Summer semester, November 15 - February 01 for winter semester)
- Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst https://www.evstudienwerk.de/stipendium/studium/bewerbung/ (Website currently only available in German; Application deadline: April 01 - July 15 for Summer semester, October 01 - January 15 for winter semester; open to all religions)
- Bischöfliche Studienförderung Cusanus: Cusanuswerk: Fachhochschulen (Website currently only available in German;Application deadline: August 01 for the following year; catholic affiliation expected)
- Muslim Begabtenförderwerk Avicenna https://www.avicenna-studienwerk.de/scholarship/ (Application deadline: October 01 for Summer semester, April 01 for winter semester; muslim affiliation expected)
- Jewish Studienwerk ELES https://eles-studienwerk.de/bewerbung/studierendenfoerderung/ (Website currently only available in German; Application deadline: October 31 for Summer semester, April 30 for winter semester; Jewish affiliation expected)
Please make sure to check application deadlines early on as they are up to change. Most of the foundation scholarships are open to International students as well. The foundations often expect high academic standing and/or social or political participation. Some require a good level of German skills. Considering that applicant numbers can be astonishingly low you do not have to be an A+ student to successfully apply though. It is always worth a try as funding rates are high and the funding usually does not have to be paid back like Bafög.