An initial point of contact can be the Central Student Advisory Service at the University of Cologne. It is advisable to seek advice during their consultation hours regarding individual scholarship programs and funding opportunities.

You can find consultation hours and contact details here.

The University of Cologne offers various scholarship programs to provide targeted support for students in different life circumstances:

• Deutschlandstipendium: For high-achieving and committed students—regardless of social or financial background. It supports students who demonstrate outstanding performance and social engagement.
• Social Scholarship: For students facing financial hardship who do not receive sufficient support through other funding options.
• Scholarship for Students with Disabilities or Chronic Illnesses: This scholarship is aimed at students who face particular challenges in their studies due to health-related limitations.

Further information about eligibility, application deadlines, and contact persons can be found here.

Auslands-BAföG can be applied for to support a study period or internship abroad.

Internships must last a minimum of 12 weeks and be beneficial or required for your academic training. Study periods should last at least one semester or twelve weeks as part of a university partnership.

Students who already receive BAföG funding for their studies in Germany must submit a separate application for Auslands-BAföG. If the application is approved, domestic BAföG will not be granted during the stay abroad.

Even students who are not eligible for domestic BAföG may still qualify for Auslands-BAföG. Submitting an application is worthwhile.

Applications should be submitted at least six months before departure, as processing can take several months.

Information is available from the ZIB (only available in German) or the Kölner Studierendenwerk.

The a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne supports Master’s graduates with its annually awarded "Predoc" scholarships to facilitate a quick start into the doctoral phase. Eight scholarships for doctoral preparation begin each year on October 1st, with applications accepted until April.

As part of the scholarship program, participants develop their doctoral projects within one semester and have the opportunity to attend the a.r.t.e.s. colloquium to gain early insights into ongoing research at the Graduate School.

In this way, the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School offers optimal support from Master’s completion through to the doctoral phase and beyond.

More information can be found here.

The a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne supports academic training in the humanities from the Master's to the postdoctoral level. Its structured doctoral program, the "Integrated Track," enables completion of a PhD within three years, with a special focus on interdisciplinary research questions.

The Graduate School emphasizes cross-disciplinary dialogue among early-career researchers that goes beyond traditional academic boundaries and considers cultural contexts in their full complexity — including language, history, culture, media, anthropology, and ethics.

Doctoral candidates in the "Integrated Track" are supervised by a team of three scholars and participate in an interdisciplinary curriculum with regular graduate seminars.

More information is available on the a.r.t.e.s. website.

The foundation supports graduates from all faculties of the University of Cologne who have demonstrated their exceptional suitability for doctoral studies through excellent final degree results. The funding particularly targets socially engaged individuals who actively address socially relevant issues and aim to make a positive contribution. In addition to social commitment, financial need is also an important criterion for support.

More information can be found here.

The German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes) awards scholarships to outstanding students, regardless of their political, ideological, or religious beliefs or affiliations. In accordance with its charter, it supports “the university education of young people who, on account of their exceptional academic or artistic talents and their personalities, can be expected to make an outstanding contribution to society as a whole”.

The foundation’s academic support includes summer academies, research groups, language courses, workshops, and mentorship by designated faculty advisors.

You can find more information here.