SBW Berlin Scholarships 2022 to study in Germany BA and MA

Germany is a popular study destination for students and there are some highly ranked universities in Western Europe. Now you can continue your studies there with the SBW Berlin Scholarship 2021, which is currently open to international students from all over the world. In this article we will explain in detail the benefits of the SBW Berlin Scholarship 2022 and the application process step by step.

The SBW Berlin Scholarship 2021 is a fully-funded scholarship that offers 100% tuition waiver, a monthly stipend, accommodation, travel allowance and many other benefits.

The SBW Berlin Scholarship seeks international students with a financially disadvantaged family background provided that they use the skills they acquire while studying in Germany to promote long-term nonprofit projects, preferably in their home countries. Currently, scholarship seats are reserved for students from Eastern Europe, South America, Asia and Africa, as these countries have a special need for development assistance due to their current economic and social situation.

The scholarship is intended for Bachelor’s and Master’s studies in Berlin and Potsdam on the basis of the student’s academic qualifications, personal abilities, and social needs. In general, all scientific and technical majors are funded under this scholarship. In special cases, vocational training can be provided to students in Berlin or Potsdam.

• Available majors: all majors.
• Duration of study: varies according to the program chosen.
• Application Deadline: 30 June / 31 December (every year)

Funding provided:

The SBW Berlin Scholarship will bear the necessary living expenses for those on the scholarship for the duration of the scholarship. The full scholarship includes:

• study fees
• Stay in a room in SBW’s shared student apartments in Berlin.
• Living allowance ranging from 325 € to 550 € per month.
• Social enterprise support will be provided, if required.
• A travel allowance will likely be provided for your trip to Berlin before the start of your studies and for the trip home after completing your studies. The maximum budget for trips within Europe is 500 euros, and for travel outside Europe a maximum of 1000 euros.

Who Can Apply :

• All nationalities, especially those whose countries of origin appear to be in special need of development assistance (Eastern Europe, South America, Asia and Africa)
• Homeless aliens.
• Recognized refugees.
• Settlement permit holders.
• Holders of a long-term residence permit from the European Union.
• Holders of a residence permit according to paragraphs 22 and 23 in the case of permanent residence in Germany.
• Holders of a residence permit in accordance with Article 25 paragraph. 3, paragraph. 4 Sentence 2, or paragraph. 5 of the AufenthG for permanent residence in Germany.

• Students from European Union and European Economic Area countries who have previously worked in Germany on an activity
• Related to their studies, before starting their studies.
• Students from EU / EEA countries with the right of permanent residence as defined by
• Freedom of Movement Act (Freizügigkeitsgesetz EU).
• Students whose studies in Germany are funded by another scholarship are not eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Eligibility Criteria Necessary :

To qualify for the SBW Berlin Scholarship, a candidate must fulfill all of the following requirements below:

• Age: between 18 and 30 years old.
• GPA: corresponds to a German GPA of no less than 2.0.
• Applicants must be fully enrolled before the start of their university education in the first or second semester or maximum of the third in a state-recognized university (in Germany or outside Germany) or apply for a master’s degree shortly before or after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
• Be able to prove that he has not been in Germany for more than 18 months before submitting the application.
• The applicant does not have first-degree family members permanently residing in Germany.
• The applicant has the intention to work in his country of origin for a period of at least 18 months after graduation (this does not apply to refugees or holders of a residence permit).

• The applicant must have professional or volunteer experience in the non-profit sector
• The applicant must be able to demonstrate a relatively low net income (the total family income of the applicants does not exceed the average officially declared income of their home country. Whether from work, commercial activities, property, child benefits, or pensions).

Applicants who do not meet all of the above requirements will not be considered.

Documents required to apply :

First: Applicants must submit the following mandatory documents:

• Application form (filled out PDF or online application).
• Motivation letter / letter of motivation (one or two pages, career goals and previous volunteer work must be clarified, applicants with a grade point average of 1.5 to 2.0 must specify their project idea).
• A CV (the CV is already included in the application form for the scholarship and does not need to be submitted as a separate document).

• High school diploma to apply for the bachelor’s stage
• Bachelor’s degree for applying to the master’s level
• Detecting signs.
• Information about net household income (This information is also already included in the application form for the grantIt is not necessary to present it as a separate document)

Second: Copies of the following documents must also be included, if any:

• Eligible for university entrance.
• University admission in Berlin or Potsdam.
• Internationally recognized language certificate (this certificate is required in the later stages and not during the initial application)
• All certificates and references related to work, training and apprenticeships.
• All university degrees already obtained.

Third: We recommend that all applicants submit the following additional documents, which are not mandatory:

• Two letters of recommendation from professors, teachers or employers.
• Evidence of net family income (if you provide information on your income only during the application process, you will be asked for evidence of income for the entire family at later stages).

* The application and all attached certificates and supporting documents must be submitted in German or English. If the original document is issued in another language, we also require translation into German or English.

*Certification of certificates and documents is not required during the initial application process and if the applicant passes the pre-selection process, certified copies of some of these documents will be required during the verification process.

Selection Criteria :

The following criteria are crucial for selecting future scholarship holders:

• In need of help: All applicants who meet the requirements of § 1 BAföG (German Federal Educational Aid Act). The individual funding amount depends on each applicant’s personal circumstances. Applicants whose household income does not exceed the average officially declared income of their country of origin are also considered to be in need of assistance. The income of all family members and all sources of family income (for example, wages, income from business activities, property income, child benefit or pensions) will be considered.

• Qualifications: are all applicants whose intellectual capabilities are demonstrated as documented in the forms, application documents, and during the interview, and who are expected to readily fulfill the performance requirements for funded studies and degree.
• Worthy of Help: Those whose personality and social commitment indicate that they will achieve this scholarship goals during and after their studies.

For applicants with an average score of between 1.5 and 2.0, the evaluation will be required to submit a personal, non-profit project based on the following criteria:

• The importance of the project to the community.
• Documentation (structure, completeness, clarity of project description).
• Feasibility of agreed goals.
• Feasibility of the project schedule.

*The classification of the applicant’s personal non-profit project affects the amount of scholarship that this candidate will receive. It will be estimated whether additional financial resources will be granted to implement a personal, non-profit project.

The Selection Process:

During the first stage of the selection process, applicants’ CV, letter of motivation, and grades will be considered. Accordingly, applicants are sorted into several categories.

The scholarship includes the following types of categories:

First Category: SBW Berlin Scholarships for Distinguished Academic Performance (average score of 1.0 to 1.4)
Applicants whose grade point average corresponds to a German GPA of 1.0 to 1.4 do not need to implement their own non-profit project. They are expected to work only 4 to 8 hours per week in honorary capacity during the study period sponsored by SBW Berlin.

*This work will be assigned by SBW Berlin and may include translations or other assignments that correspond to the capabilities of the applicant.

Category II: SBW Berlin Scholarships for Social Commitment (average score of 1.5 to 2.0)
Applicants whose grade point average corresponds to a German average score of 1.5 to 2.0 can also receive a scholarship if they implement and pursue their non-profit project during and after their studies (for at least another 18 months). The time allotted for this project should not be less than 4 hours and no more than 8 hours per week.

In the second stage of the selection process, a personal interview or videoconference will be held with each candidate deemed suitable after examination of the documents.

During the interviews with the second category candidates, details of the applicant’s planned non-profit project will be discussed. If these applicants successfully pass the interview, they will then be required to provide a detailed project description in which they must explain the social significance, work steps required and the necessary amount of time and projected costs for their project. This project description should also include funding ideas already in place and a schedule (see the “Requirements for Your Nonprofit Project” information sheet).

*After reviewing the project descriptions, a final selection will be made.

Verification Process:

If all documents are not submitted in advance in the first stages, the following documents will be required after the selection stage in the so-called verification stage:

• A copy of your passport with a current passport photo.
• A copy of your student visa.
• Evidence of net household income
• A copy of the university entrance qualification.
• University admission in Berlin or Potsdam where you intend to study.
• A copy of the most recent school or university diploma with the average.

• Certified copies of all undergraduate degrees obtained so far (Candidates applying for a scholarship for a master’s degree must also submit certified copies of all undergraduate degrees from their undergraduate program)
• Attestation of a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree.
• Certified copies of your work, training and internship certificates.
• A copy of the internationally recognized language certificate for the language in which your studies will be taught, if you do not have the degree yet, SBW Berlin can cover the costs of the required degree.

*During the verification process, final details of Tier 2 candidates’ projects will be adjusted and made binding. Then the project description becomes part of the award contract.

Application deadline:

The deadlines for submission of applications end on June 30 and December 31 each year.

*The final decision on awarding the scholarship (starting with the following semester) can be expected at the beginning of February, respectively, at the beginning of August of each year.

*Only complete applications will be considered.