Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships are one of the best opportunities available for international students and doctoral candidates to study in Germany. These scholarships support talented and socially committed students who demonstrate above-average academic performance, voluntary engagement, political interest, and support for democracy, rule of law, and human rights. The Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarship provides financial support, academic guidance, seminars, networking opportunities, and personal development programs for selected students and PhD candidates. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships 2027, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The Hanns Seidel Foundation, also known as Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, is a German political foundation that supports talented students, doctoral candidates, trainees, and young professionals. Its scholarship program combines financial support with non-material support such as seminars, workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
The scholarship is designed for applicants who want to do more than simply study. The foundation looks for candidates with strong academic records, active voluntary engagement, political awareness, civic responsibility, and a positive attitude toward the values of the foundation.
International students and doctoral candidates can apply if they meet the foundation’s requirements and are studying or admitted to a state or state-recognized institution in Germany.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Undergraduate, Master’s / PhD, Research
- Institution: State or state-recognized universities / institutions in Germany
- Study Destination: Germany
- Program Period: Depends upon the selected course.
Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships Application Deadline
The official Hanns Seidel Foundation application portal is open during the following periods:
- June 15, 2026 to July 15, 2026
- December 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027
For the June-July 2026 application round, the following programs are open:
- Journalistic support program
- Doctoral program “Actively shaping the future”
- International students and doctoral candidates
- Internal study and doctoral funding for already funded HSS scholarship holders
For the December-January round, applications are open for:
- Students and doctoral candidates
- International students and doctoral candidates
Scholarship Coverage
The Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships provide the recipient with the following benefits:
- Study cost allowance
- Doctoral scholarship
- Research cost allowance
- Health insurance and nursing care insurance support, where applicable
- Family allowance, where applicable
- Childcare support, where applicable
Study scholarships may provide up to €855 per month plus a €300 study cost allowance. Doctoral scholarships may provide up to €1,650 per month plus a €100 research cost allowance.
Please note that scholarship amounts may depend on the applicant’s category, funding rules, and current official guidelines.
Eligibility Criteria for the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships
To qualify for the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarships, candidates must fulfill all of the following requirements:
- For international students, applicants must:
- Be less than 45 years old
- Have proof of German language skills of at least B2 or comparable level
- Show above-average academic performance
- Be actively involved in voluntary work
- Be politically interested
- Support democracy, rule of law, and human rights
- Speak German at an adequate level
- Be enrolled in a full-time course of study at a state or state-recognized university in Germany
- For international doctoral candidates and research fellows, applicants must:
- Demonstrate above-average academic performance
- Be actively involved in voluntary work
- Be politically interested
- Support democracy, rule of law, and human rights
- Speak German at an adequate level
- Be admitted to a state or state-recognized university or research institution in Germany
Required Documents for the Hanns Seidel Foundation
Applicants may be required to prepare the following documents for tHanns Seidel Foundation Scholarship:
- For Study Funding (Undergraduate, Master’s)
- Tabular CV
- Detailed CV
- One-page exposé about study and career goals
- University entrance qualification
- Bachelor’s certificate, if available
- Current transcript or academic records, if available
- Proof of voluntary engagement
- Academic recommendation or expert opinion
- Current enrollment certificate or admission letter
- Proof of German language skills of at least B2 for international students
- For Doctoral Funding
- Tabular CV
- Detailed CV
- University entrance qualification
- Final degree certificate
- University academic records
- Detailed PhD research proposal
- Work and time schedule for completing the dissertation
- Current status of the dissertation and previous results
- Bibliography
- Previous dissertation, if applicable
- Scientific publications, if applicable
- Proof of voluntary engagement
- Two academic expert opinions from professors or eligible academic supervisors
- Current enrollment certificate, if applicable
- Proof of German language skills for international applicants
How to apply for the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarship?
Please follow the instructions below to apply for this scholarship:
(1) Visit the official Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung scholarship application page.
(2) Check the current application period and confirm which funding programs are open.
(3) Review the eligibility criteria for your category, such as international student funding or doctoral funding.
(4) Prepare all required documents before starting the online application.
(5) If you are an international student or doctoral candidate, contact the Hanns Seidel Foundation office in your home country if one exists.
(6) If there is no HSS office in your home country, submit your application directly through the online application portal.
(7) Complete the online application form carefully.
(8) Upload all required PDF documents.
(9) Review and submit your application before the deadline.
Websites
To learn more about the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholarship, please visit the official websites:
