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Financial Aid Service at Alanus University

The Financial Aid Service

Financing your studies can be challenging, as both living costs and tuition fees need to be covered. The Financial Aid Service at Alanus University offers basic information and guidance on study financing, including state financial assistance (BAföG), student loans, scholarships, education funds, and grants.

Please note that your financing options often depend on whether you are pursuing a first or second degree and whether you are studying full-time or part-time while working. Additionally, many funding opportunities have age limits.

International Students

Special Funding Opportunities for International Alanus Students
Each year, scholarships from DAAD funds (program “STIBET I”) are awarded to international students who obtained their university entrance qualification abroad. Students must be in at least their 3rd semester of a bachelor’s degree program. For one-year programs and master’s programs, funding is available starting from the 2nd semester.

Certain criteria must be met for this scholarship. You can find more information on the International Office pages. Scholarship rates are at least €250 per month, and the scholarship is granted for one semester (5 months).

Application deadlines:

  • Spring semester: December 1 to January 31
  • Fall semester: June 1 to July 31

DAAD Scholarship
International students who earned their university entrance qualification abroad can apply for scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). You can find more details here.

Foundations and Funding Programs
International students can also receive support from various foundations and organizations that offer scholarships, such as:

For more programs, visit Scholarships and Scholarship Databases.

BAföG Without a German Passport
Non-German students can also receive BAföG as financial support during their studies or schooling. More information is available here.

Deutsche Bildung Study Fund
EU citizens have the option to finance their studies through the nonprofit study fund offered by Deutsche Bildung. You can find more details here.

Additional Resources
For more information, you can check these helpful platforms:

If you have further questions, feel free to contact the International Office.

Special Funding Opportunities for Alanus Students

Alanus Art Scholarship
Since the 2022/23 academic year, Alanus University has offered the Alanus Art Scholarship. You can find more details here.

Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship)
Alanus University has been participating in the national Deutschlandstipendium program since 2012. For more information, please visit the section on Deutschlandstipendium.

Karin Halft Scholarship
The Alanus Foundation awards the Karin Halft Scholarship to recognize outstanding achievements in art studies. Each year, two students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Visual Arts program receive financial support as recognition for their artistic work. The award is €1,000 per scholarship.

This scholarship is open to students who have not completed a first degree or vocational training. Students from the 2nd to 5th semesters are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted annually in May.

BWL Scholarship Fund with Industry Partners
The Business Administration Scholarship Fund is managed under the umbrella of Alanus University gGmbH. It provides scholarships to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Administration program with practice-oriented partners.

Study with a Corporate Partner – Master of Architecture
The Architecture Department at Alanus University partners with the company Kleusberg to offer a work-study opportunity. Kleusberg covers tuition fees and provides a salary for employed students.

If you have successfully completed your bachelor’s degree and want to start your career while pursuing a master’s degree, you can apply to Kleusberg. You can find more details here.

Special Support for Waldorf Education
In collaboration with the Association of Waldorf Schools (Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen), Alanus University offers financial support for future Waldorf teachers.

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Waldorf Education/Teaching and Schooling can receive a tuition fee reduction of up to €120 per month.

This support is available to students who aim to become Waldorf teachers and do not receive other financial aid. Applications can be made annually and are renewable for up to six semesters (the standard study period). For more information, contact Lisa Gauß.

Starter Scholarship for Performing Arts
Students in the "Business & Acting" and "performArt" programs may qualify for a program-specific starter scholarship. If you meet the requirements, your tuition fees can be reduced by at least €150 for the first academic year.

Extensions are not automatic and must be reapplied for. A jury determines both the selection of scholarship recipients and the amount awarded.

Applications must be submitted by August 1 each year. The following requirements apply:

  • Submit all necessary documents via email to the Acting Department at sek.schauspiel@alanus.edu
  • Complete the form "Information for Starter Scholarship Application"
  • Provide a detailed CV
  • Pass the entrance exam for the "Business & Acting" or "performArt" program
  • Confirm your enrollment in the program

Alanus Art Scholarship

Alanus University offers five art scholarships to applicants who are both artistically talented and socially engaged. During their studies, scholarship recipients commit to working in small teams to create and implement independent social art projects with children, following the program’s motto: “Bringing art into society.”

With the Alanus Art Scholarship, the university aims to promote educational equity and give people the opportunity to study art at Alanus University, even if they cannot afford the tuition fees.

The Alanus Art Scholarship is a full scholarship, covering all tuition fees and allowing recipients to pursue their dream studies, even if financial constraints would otherwise prevent them.

Eligible Study Programs:

Selection Criteria:
In addition to artistic talent, the following criteria are important:

  • Motivation and social commitment
  • Passing the entrance exam
  • Special artistic talent
  • Particular personal circumstances
  • Voluntary community involvement

Required Application Documents:

  • Completed scholarship application form
  • Motivation letter and résumé
  • Proof of voluntary community work
  • Optional additional documents
  • For new study applications: certificate of university entrance qualification

Application Information:
We will inform you soon whether the Alanus Art Scholarship will be offered in 2025. If you are interested, feel free to contact Daniela Vogt at kunststipendium@alanus.edu

KfW Student Loan
KfW student loans are intended to finance living costs during the course of studies. In principle, all degree programmes (Bachelor's, Master's, Licentiate, State Exam) in first and second degree programmes are eligible for support, as well as postgraduate degree programmes, doctoral dissertation projects and part-time degree programmes (alongside career). The KfW student loan is aimed at people between 18 and 44 years of age.

The loan is paid out monthly in an amount between 100 and 650 euros.

Education Loan
The education loan (Bildungskredit) offers financing for the completion of studies (in an undergraduate course (Diplom) after the intermediate examination, in a Bachelor's course after the first year or in a Master's course). The age limit is 36 years.

Student Loans from Banks
The terms and conditions for loans vary greatly from bank to bank and should definitely be compared. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that repayment should not begin immediately upon completion of studies, but at the earliest one year later. The branches of Commerzbank, VR-Bank and Sparkasse generally do not offer student loans of their own anymore but rather act as cooperation partners for the KfW student loan.

CHE Student Loan Test
The Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE) publishes the CHE student loan test once a year in cooperation with the Handelsblatt. It answers wide-ranging questions on student loans and education funds.

Germany Scholarships

Germany Scholarships
The Germany Scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium) supports high-achieving and committed students with a scholarship of 300.00 euros per month for one academic year and is tendered by the respective university. If you are enrolled at Alanus University and meet the requirements of the call for applications, you can apply for a scholarship from the Financial Aid Office. Calls for applications are announced once a year between August and September.

The Germany scholarship cannot be awarded alongside other performance-based scholarships. More information can be found on the Germany Scholarship website under Parallel Funding.

Scholarships

Organisations for the Promotion of Young Talent
An application to one of the organisations for the promotion of young talent (Begabtenförderungswerke) should be submitted within the first two semesters of your degree course. If you are considering applying to one of the organisations for the promotion of young talent, it is worth visiting the StipendiumPlus overview website.

Other Scholarships and Funding Opportunities
These funding options are also aimed at gifted students (in financial need). 

Funding opportunity for a first degree after successful training and work experience

For Foreign Students

Various opportunities for financial aid are also available for foreign students. You can find these under International.

Scholarship Databases

The chances of receiving a scholarship are generally better than expected. It is therefore worth investing some time and effort in research. With a little luck, you can use a scholarship to finance your entire studies and become a member of valuable networks.

Scholarship Databases

Please note that these sources do not claim to be complete.

Dossier of Funded Learning
The Dossier of Funded Learning (Dossier Gefördertes Lernen) provides a very good overview of scholarship databases and scholarships.

Foundations
The Federal Association of German Foundations has also compiled an overview of the foundations that are active in the field of academic support.

In addition: Search option of the German Central Foundation

Education Funds

BAföG

Please note that BAföG is also available to foreign students without a German passport under certain conditions. It provides financial assistance for education, including during studies or school attendance. More details on eligibility and requirements can be found on the official website.

Studying at Alanus University with BAföG
You can receive financial support for your studies at Alanus University through BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act). The responsible office for BAföG is the BAföG Office of the Studierendenwerk Bonn:

BAföG Office
Lennéstraße 3
53113 Bonn
Phone: +49 228 73 84816

Applying for BAföG
To make sure your financial support is paid on time when your studies begin, it is recommended to apply for BAföG at least two months before you start. You can submit your application for free through BAföGdigital.

BAföG Calculator
If you want to know how much BAföG you might receive, you can use the BAföG Calculator. This tool gives you an estimate of your funding. For more information, visit the Deutsches Studentenwerk website.

Age Limit
You can receive BAföG if you start your program before your 45th birthday. This applies to both bachelor’s and master’s programs. In some cases, there are exceptions to this rule. The legal rule for the age limit is found in § 10 BAföG. You can read more about the age limit here.

Part-Time Study
Unfortunately, you cannot receive BAföG for a part-time study program.

BAföG for Studying Abroad
If you are eligible for BAföG in general, you can also receive support for studying abroad. You should submit your application for financial support abroad at least six months before you leave. Different offices in Germany are responsible for BAföG abroad depending on the country you are going to. You can find more information about BAföG for studying abroad here.

Student Loans

Hildegardis Association
The Hildegardis Association grants interest-free loans to Christian female students.

Adam-Wilhelm-Klein Foundation
The Adam-Wilhelm-Klein Foundation supports the academic education of gifted students with a loan. Applicants should be able to demonstrate above-average achievements.

Loans

For People with Disabilities
The German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsche Studentenwerk) has compiled some information on finding scholarships for students with disabilities.
The platform barrierefrei-studieren (accessible studies) also offers useful information on studying with a disability and financial support.
 

Part-Time Jobs
In order to supplement their household budget or gain experience for later professional life, many students work alongside their studies. Many take a so-called mini-job (also known as a 450-euro job). Others work freelance or in a work-student position. Important information on the subject of working as a student is provided by the German National Association for Student Affairs.

Housing Allowance
Since students who are "basically" entitled to BAföG are generally excluded from receiving housing assistance, there are only a few exceptions. The German National Association for Student Affairs lists when exceptions to this rule can be made.

Bürgergeld (formerly Unemployment Benefit/Arbeitslosengeld II (Hartz IV)
Students can only receive Bürgergeld (formerly Arbeitslosengeld II) as unemployment benefits under special circumstances. Since students can receive BAföG, they are generally not eligible for Bürgergeld. Information on exceptions can be found on the website of the German National Association for Student Affairs.

More Options

In addition to the information provided on this page, the platforms below offer additional useful information:

Links

The most important thing at a glance

Contact
Student Administration Office
+49 2222 93211011
finanzierungsberatung@alanus.edu 

Campus II, Administration Building (1st floor)
Villestr. 3, 53347 Alfter

Times
Monday to Friday
9.00 am - 12.00 pm & 13.00 pm - 16.00 pm

Appointments
Remote and face-to-face appointments are possible by personal arrangement only

For questions regarding payment for tuition fees:
Please contact Ms Gajvoronskij in the Accounting Department for questions on these topics lili.gajvoronskij@alanus.edu

If you would like an overview of the tuition fees you have paid thus far, please contact the person from the Student Administration Office responsible for your degree programme.