Fully Funded Master's in Germany: DAAD, Deutschlandstipendium and Paid Work

What "fully funded" means in Germany

Germany has two separate costs, and only one of them is usually zero. Public universities in most states charge no tuition; you pay a semester contribution of roughly €150–400 that includes administration and, at many universities, a transport ticket. Baden-Württemberg is the exception: since 2017/18 it charges non-EU students €1,500 a semester at public universities, which is €3,000 a year at Freiburg, Heidelberg, Tübingen, KIT or Mannheim.

The cost that actually decides your budget is living expenses. For the student visa you must prove €11,904 for the first year, released at €992 a month. That figure is not random: it is the same monthly rate DAAD pays its master's scholarship holders. A DAAD scholarship therefore covers the visa threshold almost exactly, and in Munich or Frankfurt it will not cover rent, food and insurance on its own.

So "fully funded" in Germany usually means one of four combinations: a DAAD scholarship, a university scholarship such as the Deutschlandstipendium, paid work within the legal limit, or a smaller award stacked on top of savings. If you are still deciding between a master's and a doctorate, the Germany country guide explains the salaried PhD model, and the DAAD doctoral scholarship guide covers the PhD rate.

Route 1: DAAD Study Scholarships for master's study

The DAAD Study Scholarships – Master Studies for All Academic Disciplines is the main route for a full master's degree. For the 2027 intake it pays:

Three conditions catch people out. First, your most recent degree should normally be no more than six years old at the application deadline. Second, you do not need an admission letter when you apply, but you must have one before funding starts, and you are responsible for the university application yourself. Third, DAAD does not pay tuition fees, so a private university or a fee-charging programme is not covered.

Applications run through the DAAD portal from 1 June to a country-specific deadline, usually between October and January for the following autumn. You need a CV of up to three pages, a motivation letter of one to three pages, transcripts, degree certificates, language proof and one academic reference submitted through the DAAD form. The committee scores academic record, the quality of your study plan and your motivation; there is no interview in most countries.

Tip: The DAAD deadline comes before most university admission decisions. Apply for the scholarship first, then apply to the universities named in your study plan. Waiting for an admission letter before starting the DAAD application is the most common way to miss the round.

Two related programmes are worth checking in the same database. Development-related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) fund master's degrees for applicants from developing and emerging countries, usually with professional experience required. The Helmut Schmidt Programme funds English-taught master's degrees in public policy, administration and related fields for graduates from developing countries.

Route 2: Deutschlandstipendium, €300 a month from your university

The Deutschlandstipendium is a public-private award paid by the university, not by DAAD. It pays €300 a month for at least two semesters and up to the end of the standard period of study, and it is open to students of every nationality, including first-semester students.

You apply directly to each university, usually before or shortly after enrolment, with transcripts, a CV and a short statement on your achievements and social commitment. Grades matter, but so does volunteering, paid work, family responsibility or a difficult start in education. Each university sets its own deadline and its own selection process, and some award several hundred places a year.

€300 does not fund a master's on its own, but it is compatible with other funding in most cases and it is one of the few awards a first-year international student can win without a research record.

Route 3: Paid work, within the legal limit

Non-EU students on a student residence permit may work 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year, or alternatively up to 20 hours a week during the semester. The limit is set in Section 16b of the Residence Act and has applied in this form since March 2024. Mandatory internships and university assistant jobs do not count against the day limit.

At the 2026 minimum wage of €13.90 an hour, 20 hours a week comes to roughly €1,100–1,200 gross a month. A Minijob pays up to €603 a month. Student jobs covered by the Werkstudent rule pay pension contributions but are exempt from income tax and most social contributions up to the annual allowance.

Treat work as a supplement, not a plan for the first semester. A full course load, a new language and a visa appointment do not leave much room, and the first payment usually arrives six weeks after you start. Students who arrive with only the blocked account and a job offer often run out of money before the first salary.

Route 4: Smaller awards and funding from home

Beyond the two big schemes, funding is fragmented. Universities run merit awards, tuition waivers for top applicants and departmental assistantships. The 13 state-funded study foundations mostly fund German and EU students, but a few, including the Heinrich Böll Foundation, also support international students in Germany. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters cover tuition, travel and a monthly living allowance for a joint degree taught in several countries; you apply in the same round as admission, usually between October and January.

Your own government, employer or university may also fund a master's abroad. That money is often the difference between a tight budget and a workable one, and it does not reduce a DAAD award unless the programme says so.

The visa side

For the student visa you need €11,904 in a blocked account for 2026, released at €992 a month, unless a scholarship or another guarantee covers your living costs. A DAAD award with a monthly payment above the threshold replaces the blocked account. A Deutschlandstipendium does not, because €300 is below the required monthly amount.

What a year actually costs

The rent and insurance figures are estimates, not official statistics; check the local Studierendenwerk and your insurer. Outside the expensive cities, €992 a month is workable. In Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg, budget €1,200 or more.

A realistic timeline

• 15 months before: shortlist ten programmes, check whether they charge tuition, and note each university deadline.
• 12 months: take IELTS or TOEFL, request transcripts and a reference, and draft the DAAD motivation letter.
• June: the DAAD portal opens. Submit as soon as your documents are ready, not on the last day.
• October–January: your country's DAAD deadline. Most university applications for the winter semester close on 15 July, some earlier.
• March–July: admission decisions arrive; upload the admission letter to DAAD.
• July–September: blocked account, health insurance, visa appointment, housing.
• October: start.

Common mistakes

• Treating "no tuition" as "no cost" and arriving without the living budget.
• Applying to DAAD after the country deadline because the university deadline was later.
• Choosing a fee-charging programme that DAAD will not fund.
• Assuming admission automatically brings funding. At most universities it does not.
• Planning to cover the first semester with a job that starts in November.
• Missing the six-year rule on the previous degree.