Who can apply?

• Students from all courses of study at the University of Potsdam who can demonstrate above-average academic achievement and volunteer work
• Individuals who are currently applying for a study program at the University of Potsdam
• students of the University of Potsdam without German citizenship
• students in a second or postgraduate degree program
• students who have applied to University of Potsdam but not been accepted yet

Who cannot apply?

• students from other universities
• students from other universities in Brandenburg
• students who exceed the standard period of study without a valid reason (cf. § 7 StipG)
• students attending the University of Potsdam within the framework of an exchange program (e.g. Erasmus)
• doctoral students
• students who already receive a scholarship whose material support exceeds 29.99€ (also book scholarships)

The standard period of study is usually 6 semesters for a Bachelor’s and 4 semesters for a Master’s, while there are some exceptions with particular degrees (such as Law). You can find your degree’s standard period of study on your institutes website or on your certificate of enrollment.

The calls for applications may specify the academic disciplines in which scholarships are available. Basically, however, one-third of all scholarships are available for students from all disciplines.

Yes, when the next call for applications goes out.

The grant period for the University Scholarship starts each year with the start of the winter semester. The application period for students and prospective students starts every year on July 1st and lasts three weeks. During the application period applications can only be submitted online. Applications on paper will not be accepted.

If you cannot submit documents (e.g. proof of volunteer work) within the application period, please mention it in the "Notes/Comments regarding the application" section at the end of the application form. As soon as you have obtained the document, please send it via mail to stipendiumuuni-potsdampde. Please note, that a proof of performance must be submitted within the application deadline. 

If you are a prospective student and therefore do not have an enrollment certificate yet, you can also hand it in later. As soon as you have recieved your enrollment certificate, please send it via mail to stipendiumuuni-potsdampde.

No, a letter of recommendation is not necessary.

Please enter your preliminary final degree that you used to apply for your master's degree in the field "Final Grade" in the section "Bachelor/previous degree". Explain the grade is preliminary in the "Notes/Remarks on the application" section and that you will hand in the final grade as soon as possible.

Confirmations and rejections will be sent out at the end of October. 

Applicants need to submit proof of special achievements and volunteer work with their application. Proof of exceptional family or personal circumstances can be uploaded but will only be required after the applicant has been selected to recieve the scholarship.

No. PULS (the study organisation portal of Potsdam University) does supply an average grade, so we do not need additional documents from the examination office. Applicants from degree programs that do not use PULS can, in most cases, request a transcript of records from their examination office. Please make sure that a grade average is stated on the document. 

By submitting your application you agree that the information you supply about your own grades can be verified with the responsible examination office.

You can find your faculty on your enrollment certification.

Denkfabrik "VR in der Lehrkräftebildung" (Webpage German only)

Eligible for application are teaching students for Secondary Education Stages 1 and 2 in the subjects French, Spanish, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science and Wirtschaft-Arbeit-Technik (WAT). Students in the Masterprogrammes Digitale Bildung and Computational Science are invited to apply as well.

The think tanks are non-hierarchical, creative spaces where students can combine their potential from different academic perspectives and approaches. In small groups and mentored by scholars/academic staff, students will face the question of how to achieve a  better understanding of the topic their respective think tank is focused on. To this end the students will develop  their own ideas and concepts.

Attending a Denkfabrik (think tank) requires at least two hours of time per week. Therefore, students who are planning to go aborad in the winter semester 2026/27 or summer semester 2027 should refrain from applying. The project work will start with a mandatory group workshop to get to know each other and to clarify project topics in the beginning of winter semester. Scope and topics of each project will continously be refined throughout the year. Sessions will be supplemented with educational field trips and events.

Additionally, to the regular meetings students will attend three events: A first collective BarCamp workshop to brainstorm topics and get to know each other in October 2026. In the middle of the year, usually at the "Potsdamer Tag der Wissenschaften" (Potsdam Day of the Sciences), a "Bergfest" fo celebrate half the year having passed, and finally the public presentation of the results of Denkfabrik at the end of the year.

Unfortunately, no. Attending and working at Denkfabrik requires at least two hours of time per week. Therefore, students who are planning to go aborad in the winter semester 2026/27 or summer semester 2027 should refrain from applying.

The application phase for the Deutschlandstipendium at the University of Potsdam for the funding period  winter semester 2026/2027 and summer term 2027 starts on July 1, 2026.

If it is still unclear for which programme you will be accepted, you can enter your favorite programme in the scholarship application.

In the "notes" field at the end of the application, you can indicate other study programme applications. However, if a scholarship is granted for a specified programme, this acceptance remains provisional.

Yes, you can apply if you are within the standard period of study in the winter semester 2026/27 (scholarship duration: six months).

Please note that you can only receive the Potsdam University Scholarship if you are within the standard period of study or can give reasons why you are exceeding the standard period of study. This includes, for example, a study-related stay abroad or raising a child. For detailed information on the maximum period of eligibility, please refer to § 7 of the Stipendienprogramm-Gesetz.

All students of University Potsdam can apply.  Excluded are students who study at University Potsdam during a stay abroad from another university (e.g. Erasmus-Program).

Documents can be submitted in German or English. Translations from other languages have to be authenticated.

Please mention the second citizenship in the application form section "Notes/Remarks about the application".

The Deutschlandstipendium/University Scholarship does not affect BaföG eligibility. Students can therefore receive both types of funding.
For other scholarship programs, the type and amount of the scholarship are determining factors. Students who already receive a talent- or performance-based grant of €30 or more per month are not eligible for a university scholarship, or must give up their existing support to receive it (see §4 StipG). Tuition fee waivers do not count as financial support. 

BAföG stands for “Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz” (Federal Training Assistance Act) and is Germany’s main system for providing financial support to students. It’s designed to help students from families with limited financial means pursue higher education or vocational training.

Yes. The scholarship will continue to be paid during a subject-related stay abroad within the period of approval. This also applies within the framework of the ERASMUS program if the scholarship holder simultaneously receives a mobility grant from the DAAD (see § 6, paragraph 4 StipG).

This depends on the amount and type of scholarship funding. In general: If you already receive a talent- or performance-based grant of €29.99 per month or more, you are not eligible for a Potsdam University Scholarship (as part of the University of Potsdam’s Deutschlandstipendium program).

The scholarship is generally only awarded within the standard period of study, unless there are special reasons. COVID-19 is one of these. In the application form, in the last field under "Notes", appropriate comments must be made as to why the studies have to be extended due to COVID-19. This includes, for example, the cancellation of exams and internships.